Apple Accepts Samsung Memory Price Hikes Ahead of 2027

Apple Inc. has reportedly accepted a new memory supply agreement with Samsung Electronics that increases the cost of DRAM and NAND storage by 30-40%. Starting in the first quarter of 2027, Apple will pay approximately $2.00 per gigabit for LPDDR5X RAM and $0.33 per gigabit for NAND storage, up from previous rates of $1.50 and $0.26 respectively.

The price surge is driven by a global supply squeeze as AI data centers consume vast quantities of memory chips. While Apple accepted these terms, other manufacturers, including Oppo and Vivo, reportedly refused the higher pricing. Analysts suggest Apple will likely pass these additional costs to consumers, potentially leading to further price increases for the iPhone 18 and iPhone 18e scheduled for release in early 2027.

These developments follow a broader trend of rising costs for Apple hardware. The company already implemented price hikes in 2026 for Macs, iPads, and iPhones, including the iPhone Duo which starts at $1,999. Additionally, Apple increased the out-of-warranty battery replacement fee for the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max to $129, a $10 increase over previous models. Apple attributed the battery fee hike to increased component complexity and larger battery capacities of 4,056 mAh and 5,391 mAh for the Pro models.