Apple price increases on iPads, MacBooks go into effect

Apple is increasing prices on some of its popular products, including iPads and MacBooks, with the company’s online store reflecting the new costs Thursday.

In a statement, Apple attributed the price spike to an increase in AI data centers and higher demand for “memory and storage.”

“The consumer electronics industry is facing an unprecedented challenge. The rapid expansion of AI data centers has created an extraordinary surge in demand for memory and storage. We have never seen a component price increase this much, this quickly,” the company said.

It continued, “We have shielded our customers from these increases so far, but we have now reached a point where we need to begin raising prices on a number of products, including today’s increases for iPad and Mac. We know this is not welcome news, and we are working tirelessly to find solutions.”

The price of an 11-inch iPad Air now starts at $749, up from $599, while an 11-inch iPad Pro will now cost $1,199, a $200 increase from its previous price of $999.

The price of a budget MacBook Neo, meanwhile, is up $100 to a starting price of $699. A 13-inch MacBook Air will set consumers back $1,299, up $200 from its previous price, while the 14-inch MacBook Pro now costs $1,999, $300 more than before.

The price of iPhones has not changed for now.