Apple Is Going to Raise Device Prices – but When?

Speaking of Mark Gurman, in the wake of Tim Cook’s unprecedented interview with the WSJ to warn that Apple is going to raise prices in response to the steep rise in RAM and SSD prices, he tweeted (XCancel link):

Regarding Apple price hikes, have to imagine these are fairly imminent. No other reason to flag them now. I’d also note that Apple back to school sale is very imminent, and it could make sense to tie these together as a buffer. Either way this is happening soon. Not a fall thing.

I won a steak dinner from my Dithering cohost Ben Thompson, betting that Apple would not raise the prices on RAM when they introduced the M5 Pro and M5 Max MacBook Pros in March, largely on the basis that Apple considers the pricing part of the product’s brand. For the same reason, I also do not think they’re going to raise the prices of existing products mid-cycle. I think Cook’s warning is about the fall, starting with the iPhones 18 Pro and the folding “Ultra” in September, and he issued the warning months early just to make the bad news “old news” by the time September gets here.

But unlike with the MacBook Pros in March, I wouldn’t bet more than a beverage on my hunch here. However out of character it would be for Apple to raise prices midway through product cycles, the global RAM shortage is unprecedented. I wouldn’t be surprised if Apple pushes price increases moments after I hit “Publish” on this post. (I’m checking right now, before I hit the button, in fact.)

But Cook gave that interview on Wednesday. Now it’s Monday and Apple still hasn’t changed any pricing. If they were going to push out price increases soon, why not last Friday? Why wait at all unless they’re waiting for new hardware? I wouldn’t want to bet on this, but if I had to, I think price increases will roll out with new and refreshed hardware products and they’ll ride the storm in the meantime. I also wonder whether Apple hasn’t yet decided when to increase pricing. Maybe they’re bracing right now for the RAM shortage (and thus RAM pricing) to get even worse, soon, but hoping to hold out until September. And that’s why Cook didn’t offer any hints about when?

★ Monday, 22 June 2026