September 20, 2026, 6:01 am | Read time: 2 minutes
Starting in the first quarter of 2027, Apple will have to pay higher prices for memory chips from Samsung. The agreed surcharges are up to 40 percent. The cause is a global memory shortage due to the expansion of data centers for artificial intelligence. The higher costs could affect future iPhone prices. However, it is still unclear whether Apple will pass the additional costs entirely to its customers.
Memory Chips Are Getting Significantly More Expensive
According to the Chinese business portal “Jiemian News,” Apple will soon pay around 2 U.S. dollars (1.74 euros) per gigabit for DRAM memory. For NAND memory, approximately 0.33 U.S. dollars (0.29 euros) per gigabit will be due. In the third quarter of 2026, prices were still at 1.50 dollars for DRAM and 0.26 dollars for NAND.
This means purchase prices are rising by about 30 to 40 percent. Samsung, along with SK Hynix and Micron, is one of the three major manufacturers of memory chips.
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AI Data Centers Drive High Demand
The production capacities of the three providers are largely booked for 2027. A key reason is the global expansion of data centers for artificial intelligence.
Such data centers require large amounts of DRAM and NAND memory. The high demand limits the available supply and simultaneously increases costs for smartphone manufacturers.
Apple had already raised prices for Macs and iPads in June 2026. In September, higher prices for iPhones followed. The new iPhone 18 Pro with 256 gigabytes costs 1,449 euros in Germany—150 euros more than its predecessor.
Further Price Increases Are Possible
Former Apple CEO Tim Cook described the increases as unavoidable and compared the development to a century flood. Apple could absorb some of the additional costs through its profit margin or save on other components. Whether the purchase prices will directly lead to further price increases remains uncertain.
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Especially the iPhone 18e, expected in spring 2027, could be affected by further surcharges. Other smartphone manufacturers also have to reckon with higher costs, as the memory shortage affects the entire industry.