Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL), the consumer-technology giant, is confronting a tightening memory shortage as artificial-intelligence data centers consume an ever-larger share of global chip capacity.
Some smartphone-memory prices have more than quadrupled, according to a report from The Verge, with meaningful relief potentially delayed until late 2027 or 2028.
Apple shares last closed at $319.97, with U.S. markets shut on Monday when the report was published.
Samsung, SK Hynix, and Micron together command roughly 90% of the global memory market, giving them considerable power over where production capacity is directed.
Chip manufacturers can earn significantly more by steering scarce wafer capacity toward the high-bandwidth memory demanded by well-funded AI customers.
That dynamic leaves smartphone producers, including Apple, competing for a shrinking pool of conventional DRAM supply at elevated prices.
Apple’s enormous purchasing power provides some leverage in negotiations with suppliers, but even a company of its scale cannot conjure new fabrication facilities overnight.
The financial stakes surrounding this supply squeeze are considerable, with Apple’s latest figures showing $54.25 billion in iPhone revenue, representing 49.6% of quarterly sales.
Companywide gross margin reached 50.1%, a figure that would come under pressure if memory component costs continue their upward trajectory without a corresponding rise in device pricing.
Apple shares currently trade 12.35% above the GF Value estimate of $284.79, suggesting that investors already expect the company to successfully defend its margins despite rising input costs.
Premium product positioning and selective price increases on flagship models could absorb a portion of the added component expense, though that strategy depends heavily on continued consumer willingness to spend more per upgrade cycle.
The broader semiconductor industry dynamic reflects a structural shift in which AI infrastructure spending is systematically crowding out supply chains that traditional consumer electronics manufacturers have long relied upon.
Until new memory production capacity comes online, Apple and its rivals in the smartphone market will likely remain at a disadvantage relative to AI-focused buyers with deeper pockets and longer-term supply contracts.
