Apple just raised MacBook and iPad prices – are iPhones next?
Key takeaways
- Apple has raised prices on Macs, iPads, HomePod speakers, Apple TV and Vision Pro in Australia and globally, with increases of between 5% and 37%.
- The reason? AI data centre demand has driven a global memory chip shortage, forcing Apple to pass the costs on to customers.
- iPhones, Apple Watch and AirPods haven't been affected by the latest price changes, but that could change when the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max launch in September.
Apple has raised the price of most of its Macs, iPads, and home devices in Australia, blaming an unprecedented surge in demand for memory and storage chips driven by the rapid global expansion of AI data centres.
The crunch has pushed component prices up sharply across the entire tech industry, and Apple says it can no longer absorb the cost.
"We have never seen a component price increase this much, this quickly," it said in a statement, adding that it had been shielding customers from the increases, but the situation had become unsustainable.
It's not a surprise, as outgoing CEO Tim Cook said just a few days ago that "unfortunately, price increases are unavoidable."
Apple's share price fell 6.2% on Friday following the announcement.
Apple price hikes across Macs, iPads, HomePods, Apple TV and Apple Vision Pro
Here's what starting prices look like now compared to before:
| Model | Old price (AUD) | New price (AUD) | Increase (AUD) | Increase (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MacBook Neo | $899 | $1,049 | $150 | 17% |
| MacBook Air M5 | $1,799 | $2,099 | $300 | 17% |
| MacBook Pro M5 | $2,699 | $3,199 | $500 | 18.5% |
| iMac | $1,999 | $2,399 | $400 | 20% |
| Mac Studio | $3,499 | $4,299 | $800 | 23% |
| iPad | $599 | $749 | $150 | 25% |
| iPad mini | $799 | $949 | $150 | 19% |
| iPad Air | $999 | $1,249 | $250 | 25% |
| iPad Pro | $1,699 | $1,999 | $300 | 18% |
| HomePod mini | $149 | $199 | $50 | 34% |
| HomePod | $479 | $549 | $70 | 15% |
| Apple TV 4K | $219 | $299 | $80 | 37% |
| Apple Vision Pro | $5,999 | $6,299 | $300 | 5% |
Could iPhone prices go up in September?
These latest price hikes haven't touched iPhones, Apple Watch or AirPods.
However, Apple didn't rule out changes to those products down the line, saying there "may be more price adjustments to additional products in the future."
The tech giant is expected to reveal the iPhone 18 lineup in September, including new Pro and Pro Max models and what's likely to be its first foldable iPhone.
And based on rumours, we could see prices go up by as much as US$200.
Cook noted the iPhone has so far been less affected by the memory shortage than Macs, facing different supply pressures related to its processors.
But with pricier camera components in the new Pro models and a foldable model that analysts expect to cost upwards of $2,800 here in Australia, prices are likely to be higher regardless.
Sources
Ask a question