Apple’s price hikes spark investor alarm: MacBook and iPad prices surge by up to 42%

New Delhi: If you were planning to buy a new Apple MacBook or iPad, you will now have to spend significantly more money. Apple has raised the starting prices of several popular MacBook and iPad models by 20% to 42% globally, and specifically in India. Following this surprising decision, Apple’s shares fell 6.2% to $274.86, marking its biggest intraday drop in the past year. Let’s find out how much you will now have to pay for Apple products in India and the reason the company has cited for this move.
How much more expensive have MacBooks and iPads become in India?
According to the updated prices on Apple India’s official website, the changes are as follows:

1. 14-inch MacBook Pro (M5 Pro chip): The starting price of the recently launched 14-inch MacBook Pro, featuring the M5 Pro chip, has increased by approximately 20%. The laptop is now priced at ₹2,99,900—an increase of ₹50,000 over the previous ₹2,49,900!
2. 13-inch iPad Air: The price of the iPad Air has also risen sharply. The entry-level 13-inch model is now priced at ₹1,19,900—which is 41.22% higher than its launch price of ₹84,900.
3. Impact on other products: This price hike has also affected MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, iPad Air, and iPad Pro (Wi-Fi) models. However, there is some relief in the fact that there have been no changes to the prices of iPhones, Apple Watches, and AirPods for now.
   Why have Apple products become so expensive? The company’s response
   According to Neil Shah, co-founder of the research firm Counterpoint Research, the prices of all semiconductor chips—ranging from processors to memory—are rising globally, thereby increasing Apple’s input costs. Addressing the price hikes, Apple issued an official statement citing the rapid global expansion of AI (Artificial Intelligence) data centers. This has led to an unprecedented surge in the demand for memory and storage. “We have never before witnessed such a rapid and significant increase in component costs. While we have previously shielded our customers from this burden, we have now reached a point where we are compelled to raise prices for several products, including the iPad and Mac. We acknowledge that this is not welcome news, but we are actively working to find a solution.”
   Will the iPhone become more expensive?
   Apple CEO Tim Cook has indicated that these supply chain issues and memory shortages could persist through the end of the year. Consequently, the next series launching in September 2026—which includes the iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max, and Apple’s first foldable iPhone (expected to cost over $2,000)—may also launch at a higher price point. Industry experts believe that to offset these costs, Apple could raise the prices of upcoming ‘Pro’ iPhone models by more than $100 (approximately ₹8,300). Stay tuned with us for major shifts in the tech world, new gadget pricing, corporate updates, and reliable, significant news from around the globe.