The global memory-chip shortage has officially arrived at Apple’s doorstep. The semiconductor supply crunch that has already hammered Mac and iPad pricing is beginning to bleed into Apple’s most important product line.
The AI machine eats the chip supply
Data centers are on track to consume roughly 70% of the global memory chip supply in 2026. That leaves the remaining 30% for smartphones, laptops, tablets, gaming consoles, and cars.
The big three memory manufacturers, Samsung, SK Hynix, and Micron, have made a calculated bet. They’re prioritizing production of high-bandwidth memory (HBM), the specialized DRAM that powers AI accelerators and training clusters, at the expense of the conventional DRAM and NAND flash chips that go into consumer devices.
DRAM and NAND memory prices have soared by over 300% in 2026. The components that store your photos, run your apps, and keep your device responsive have roughly quadrupled in cost.
