Apple Just Raised MacBook and iPad Prices in India — Here's What Changed and Why

If you've been eyeing a new MacBook or iPad, you might want to read this before you check Apple's website. On June 25, 2026, Apple quietly — then not so quietly — raised prices on several of its most popular devices, and India didn't escape it.

Here's everything that changed, why it happened, and what it means if you're shopping for an Apple device right now.

What Exactly Changed

Apple increased prices on the MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, MacBook Neo, iPad Air, and iPad Pro in India. Reports suggest the hike may soon extend to the HomePod and Apple TV as well. The same move happened globally on the same day, including in the US.

Here's how the India price changes break down:

Other reports peg the broader hike across MacBooks, Macs, iPads, and HomePods at anywhere between Rs 10,000 and Rs 1,00,000, depending on the model and configuration — some estimates put the overall increase at up to 20% over the previous price.

For comparison, here's what happened in the US on the same day:

The one thing that didn't change — anywhere — is the iPhone. Apple has, for now, left its iPhone lineup untouched in both India and the US. That's notable, because the iPhone is Apple's biggest revenue driver, and the company appears to be protecting it from price hikes even while raising prices elsewhere.

Why Apple Raised Prices Now

Apple's own explanation, given in a statement, was direct: the company said the consumer electronics industry is facing an "unprecedented challenge" because the rapid expansion of AI data centers has triggered an extraordinary surge in demand for memory and storage chips. In Apple's words, it has "never seen a component price increase this much, this quickly."

The company added that it had been absorbing these rising costs and shielding customers from them — but has now reached a point where that's no longer sustainable.

This isn't just an Apple talking point. The numbers back it up. According to industry tracker TrendForce, DRAM memory prices rose by as much as 98% in the first quarter of 2026 alone, and are forecast to climb another 58–63% in the current quarter, with NAND storage prices rising even faster. Analysts have started calling this memory crunch "RAMageddon."

The root cause is the AI boom. Companies building AI data centers — and chipmakers like Nvidia — are buying up memory supply at a scale the industry hasn't seen before. Micron, one of the largest memory manufacturers, has reportedly locked in $22 billion in long-term supply commitments with AI infrastructure customers. That leaves a shrinking pool of memory chips for everyday consumer devices like laptops, tablets, and phones — and what's left costs a lot more.

Apple isn't alone here, either. Microsoft raised Xbox prices the same week, citing the same memory and storage cost pressures. Industry-wide, research firm IDC expects this chip squeeze to shrink global smartphone sales by close to 14% and PC sales by over 11% this year.

Why India Is Getting Hit Harder

This is the part that should matter most to Indian buyers: the price increase here isn't expected to simply mirror the US increase — it's expected to be worse.

Analysts at Omdia estimate that while Apple's global price hike works out to roughly 5–10%, the same hike could translate to a 15–16% increase in India once you account for rupee depreciation and import duties. In other words, even if Apple is raising the "global" price by the same dollar-equivalent amount everywhere, Indian buyers absorb an extra layer of cost simply because of currency and import-related factors.

There's a second factor specific to India: Apple has also withdrawn its no-cost EMI (Equated Monthly Installment) financing schemes since the start of 2026. Analysts consider this just as significant as the sticker price increase, since easy financing — not the price tag itself — was a major reason Apple's market share in India grew from 7% to 9% over the past two years. Losing that financing option may hit affordability even more than the price hike itself.

What This Could Mean Going Forward

So far, the iPhone has been spared. But that may not last. Analysts at Counterpoint Research estimate the same memory cost pressures could add roughly $200 to Apple's cost per iPhone, and some expect price increases in the range of $150–$200 across the iPhone lineup when the iPhone 18 series launches later this year. IDC also expects all new iPhone models to move to 12GB of RAM to support Apple Intelligence features — which, ironically, would put even more pressure on memory costs and pricing.

For now, the safest read is this: if you were planning to buy a MacBook or iPad in India, the discount window may have just closed, and waiting probably won't get you a better deal — memory costs are forecast to keep climbing through the rest of the year. If you're holding out for the next iPhone, it's worth watching the September launch closely to see if Apple finally extends this hike to its biggest product line.

Have you noticed Apple prices climbing where you shop? Let us know in the comments.