Apple has reportedly secured long-term agreements for DRAM supply that cover only the first half of 2026, raising concerns about potential price increases for several of its upcoming products. According to industry sources, the company’s usual practice of negotiating year-long contracts for memory components has been limited this time to H1 2026. While Apple may have managed to secure stable pricing for millions of devices in production, this partial coverage leaves the second half of the year exposed to rising memory costs, which could affect high-demand products such as the iPhone 18 series and the redesigned OLED MacBook Pro.
Market estimates indicate that mobile DRAM and NAND flash memory could become 70 percent and 100 percent more expensive, respectively, over the course of the year. Currently, Apple is reportedly paying around $70 per 12GB LPDDR5X RAM module, marking a significant 230 percent increase compared to prices at the beginning of 2025. Despite Apple’s reputation for negotiating favorable deals with suppliers like Samsung and SK hynix, the company’s ability to secure long-term discounts appears limited given the global demand for memory components. Analysts suggest that without renewed agreements covering H2 2026, consumers may see higher prices for devices that rely on larger memory configurations.
The iPhone 18 lineup is likely to experience the most noticeable impact, particularly the higher-storage variants, which could see premiums due to both DRAM and NAND price fluctuations. Other products, including iPhone 17e and refreshed MacBook Pro models with M5 Pro and M5 Max chips, are expected to remain insulated from immediate price hikes. However, the upcoming OLED MacBook Pro featuring the M6 chip may face substantial cost increases. Besides the switch from mini-LED to OLED panels, the device is also affected by rising memory costs and additional hardware upgrades, which could make it one of Apple’s more expensive releases in 2026.
The situation highlights ongoing pressures in the global memory supply chain, where manufacturers like Samsung and SK hynix benefit from increased demand and price growth. For Apple, balancing component costs with product pricing and consumer expectations remains a challenge. Buyers planning hardware upgrades this year should anticipate potential increases in cost, particularly for premium devices with larger memory capacities. As H1 2026 progresses, industry observers will closely watch whether Apple can negotiate further DRAM agreements to stabilize prices for the latter half of the year, or if the company will have to pass the cost increases onto consumers.
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