Apple has announced a substantial price increase for several of its MacBook and iPad models in India. The company attributes these adjustments to the escalating costs of memory and storage chips, a direct consequence of the global boom in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the rapid expansion of AI data centers.
According to an official statement from Apple, the consumer electronics industry is facing an “unprecedented challenge” due to the extraordinary surge in demand for these critical components. “We have never seen a component price increase this much, this quickly,” Apple stated, explaining that while they had shielded customers from these increases until now, the current situation necessitated price revisions.
Significant Price Jumps Across Popular Models
The price hikes impact a range of popular devices, with some models seeing increases of tens of thousands of rupees:
- MacBook Air 13-inch (M5): Previously Rs 1,19,900, now priced at Rs 1,49,900 – an increase of Rs 30,000.
- MacBook Air 15-inch (M5): The price has risen from Rs 1,44,900 to Rs 1,79,900 – a hike of Rs 35,000.
- MacBook Pro 14-inch (M5): The 16GB variant, originally Rs 1,69,900, is now Rs 2,39,900 – a significant increase of Rs 70,000.
- MacBook Neo: Apple’s more affordable MacBook model saw its price go from Rs 69,900 to Rs 79,900.
iPad Models Also Affected
The price adjustments are not limited to MacBooks; several iPad models have also experienced considerable increases:
- iPad Air 11-inch (M4): Launched at Rs 64,900, it is now priced at Rs 89,900 – a Rs 25,000 increase.
- iPad Pro (M5): Introduced at Rs 99,990, this model now costs Rs 1,39,900.
Apple acknowledged that these price changes are unwelcome news for customers and affirmed its commitment to finding solutions. The company indicated that these increases, initially impacting iPads and Macs, might also extend to other devices such as HomePods and Apple TV in the future.
“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,” Apple stated.
The move reflects the intense pressure on the supply chain for advanced computing components, a trend expected to continue as AI development accelerates globally.