Skip to navigationSkip to main contentSkip to right columnADVERTISEMENTRich DupreyThu, June 25, 2026 at 4:17 PM GMT+2 5 min readQuick ReadTim Cook called Apple's memory cost crisis a "100-year flood," forcing a 20% price hike on select Mac and iPad models.Micron's HBM supply is entirely sold out through 2026, and in some areas the company can fulfill only 50 to 66 percent of customer demand.AI data centers are directly competing with consumer laptops, tablets, and smartphones for limited memory supply, with shortages likely persisting into 2027.Act now: the analyst who called NVIDIA in 2010 just named his top 10 AI stocks — and Apple didn't make the cut. Grab the names FREE today.The artificial intelligence boom is creating winners and losers in places many investors never expected. While most attention remains fixed on GPUs from Nvidia (NASDAQ:NVDA), memory chips have quietly become one of the industry's biggest bottlenecks. ShutterstockEvery AI server requires massive amounts of high-bandwidth memory (HBM) and DRAM, and supply simply can't keep pace with demand. The result is a classic supply crunch: memory manufacturers are reporting surging profits while technology companies are paying sharply higher component costs. Apple's decision to raise prices on select Mac and iPad models by roughly 20% is the latest sign that AI-driven inflation has arrived -- and consumers are beginning to feel it.Micron's Earnings Reveal the Scale of the ShortageIf investors want to understand why Apple is raising prices, they only need to look at yesterday's stunning earnings report from Micron Technology (NASDAQ:MU).Micron reported revenue and profit growth fueled by soaring demand for both HBM and DRAM. Its HBM supply is effectively sold out through 2026, while customers are placing orders years in advance to secure capacity.Even more telling, Micron has indicated it can currently satisfy only about 50% to 66% of customer demand in HBM and DRAM for AI applications. That's not a sign of weak production but rather evidence demand is overwhelming supply.The same dynamic is playing out across the industry.Act now: the analyst who called NVIDIA in 2010 just named his top 10 AI stocks — and Apple didn't make the cut. Grab the names FREE today.CompanyKey AI Memory ProductsCurrent Market ConditionMicronHBM, DRAM, NANDHBM sold out through 2026, expanding capacitySamsung ElectronicsHBM, DRAM, NANDExpanding AI memory capacitySK hynixHBM, DRAMLeading HBM supplier, capacity constrained but expanding AI infrastructure spending is absorbing nearly every available memory chip manufacturers can produce.Apple Is Paying the PriceTerms and Privacy PolicyEU DSA contactPrivacy & Cookie SettingsMore Info