Business
AI memory-chip crunch drives up prices of iPhones, PCs and gaming consoles
September 21, 2026 at 02:28 PM
Coverage
2 reports · 1 in Arabic, 1 in English · over 7 hours
The AI boom's appetite for memory chips for datacentres has caused a global chip shortage, pushing up prices of smartphones, computers and consoles.
- Apple raised iPhone prices by £100 across its lineup, including older models, at its September event unveiling its first folding phone.
- Microsoft increased the price of its Xbox console from £449 to £670, saying memory and storage costs had risen more than 2.5 times.
- IDC forecast the steepest annual contraction in smartphone sales on record, a decline of almost 17% in 2026.
- SK Hynix's chief executive said 2027 could be among the industry's hardest years for meeting demand, with the gap extending beyond 2030.