… A Samsung LPDDR5X memory chip - Image Credit: Samsung The consumer tech industry is struggling to deal with the cost of memory, with supplies choked by the extreme demand of AI infrastructure build-outs. …
… So far, agreements with the supply chain have insulated Apple from being too badly affected by memory cost increases, and it has yet to be passed down to consumers. Even so, it is under intense pressure to pay more to maintain supplies of its products to consumers. …
… The demand for chips used in RAM and SSDs to fuel AI infrastructure is affecting practically everyone within the industry. Going to Amazon, searches for memory and storage, even mechanical drives, reveals limited stock and increased costs. …
… Rising memory costs are emerging as a near-term pressure point, driven by increased demand tied to AI workloads. Those costs could weigh on margins in the coming quarters even as revenue growth remains strong. …
… The company has already been making costly deals, such as reportedly paying Samsung double its previous price for DRAM chips. The shortage is affecting the entire technology industry, and it& 039;s all because of the explosion of demand for AI servers. …
… Some of those decisions may also be made before he takes the role, forcing him to maintain or change depending on his plans for the company. The memory pricing issue is a massive problem, with analysts believing the surges could raise the component cost significantly. …
… Arment explained that cloud pricing would have cost Overcast thousands of dollars daily. In contrast, the Mac mini cluster offers a predictable monthly expense after the initial giant one, once it& 039;s set up. Cloud AI services are convenient for adding features, but they can rack up the costs. …
… Recent reports have said that this MacBook Pro is now delayed until 2027. During the earnings call, Cook said that Apple had been able to reduce the impact of memory price rises by carry-in inventory, the early buying of the supply before costs rose. …
… Memory prices nearly doubled quarter over quarter entering 2026, and component costs are rising alongside continued investment in AI infrastructure. Higher costs are changing how PC vendors operate, with low-margin systems becoming harder to sustain as component prices rise. …
… OpenAI pairs those changes with improvements in efficiency. GPT-5.5 matches GPT-5.4& 039;s response speed while using fewer tokens to complete the same tasks. Lower token usage reduces back-and-forth and shortens the path to a finished result, which matters for both cost and usability. …