Apple confirms fans' worst fears - RAMageddon price hikes are coming, we just don't know how bad it'll be yet

Apple has confirmed it will raise hardware prices amid ongoing RAM shortages, signaling higher costs for iPhones, Macs, and iPads. In an interview with the Wall Street Journal, Tim Cook called the increases unavoidable and said Apple has tried to shield customers from industry-wide price pressures, though the situation has become unsustainable. He did not specify which products would be affected, but Mac models and iPads are widely viewed as likely targets, and the company’s first foldable device is expected this autumn. Apple’s pricing pressure follows earlier moves, including a Mac mini price increase earlier this year after removing the base storage option, and is echoed by a broader tech‑industry trend highlighted by Microsoft’s recent price hikes of $500 for the Surface Pro and $600 for the Surface Laptop. Cook emphasized that memory pricing and supply must return to reasonable levels to stabilize consumer pricing. Cook will pass the CEO title to hardware chief John Ternus later this year while remaining Apple’s executive chairman, a transition that could shape price policy in his final acts at the company.