Apple's manufacturing bill climbs by $33 billion as memory prices surge

· Tech

Apple is facing unprecedented memory cost increases as RAM prices continue to surge, with its manufacturing bill climbing by $33 billion, according to a report. Samsung, SK hynix and Micron are seeing strong demand for memory from AI data centers, prompting them to prioritize higher-margin server products and high-bandwidth memory. That shift is tightening supplies of conventional DRAM and NAND flash used in smartphones, laptops and other consumer devices, squeezing device makers. The report comes after Apple raised iPhone prices earlier this year.

Why it matters：The AI data center buildout is diverting memory supply away from consumer devices, raising costs for hardware makers and potentially keeping device prices elevated across the industry.

Key points

  • AI data center demand is pulling memory makers toward server products and HBM.
  • Supplies of conventional DRAM and NAND used in consumer devices are tightening.
  • Apple's manufacturing bill reportedly rose by $33 billion.

Sources (original reporting)

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