Apple is facing fresh cost pressure from rising DRAM (memory) prices, with reports indicating that major memory suppliers like Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix have pushed through significant price increases for the LPDDR memory used in iPhones and other Apple devices.
Traditionally, Apple has relied on its massive purchasing scale to secure favorable pricing on critical components like RAM. However, industry sources say that Samsung proposed an up to 80 % price increase and SK Hynix nearly 100 % on low-power DRAM in the first quarter of 2026, forcing Apple to accept higher cost terms as memory supply tightens.
The shift reflects broader memory market constraints. DRAM and other memory prices have been rising sharply due to supply shortages and booming demand from AI infrastructure and data centers, which have diverted production capacity toward high-bandwidth memory and other high-value products. Analysts have reported DRAM prices jumping 40 % to 50 % or more in recent quarters, with projections for further upsides in 2026.
Apple’s DRAM contracts also appear to have shifted away from long-term annual agreements to shorter quarterly deals, giving memory makers more leverage to raise prices as market conditions evolve.
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