Apple is departing from its standard product lifecycle by increasing prices on older iPhone models rather than discounting them. This shift, paired with recent hikes on devices like the MacBook Pro, is framed as a symptom of a broader supply-chain struggle where Apple, despite its scale, lacks the AI-driven leverage to secure memory components.

Apple’s pricing strategy is being forced by a fundamental reallocation of global chip-making capacity toward AI infrastructure. Whether this is a temporary squeeze or a permanent loss of procurement power, consumers should expect persistent price hikes as Apple continues to compete for the same supply required to fuel the AI boom.