Apple plans to increase prices for some of its products as soaring memory chip costs driven by the artificial intelligence (AI) boom continue to pressure the global technology industry, a move that could add tens of thousands of rupees to the cost of iPhones and other Apple devices in Pakistan.
Speaking to the Wall Street Journal, outgoing Apple Chief Executive Officer Tim Cook said price increases had become “unavoidable” as memory chip prices surged amid growing AI-related demand and supply constraints.
“We’re doing our best to mitigate the huge increases that are being passed to us, and we’ve been trying to shield our customers from the increases, but the situation has become unsustainable,” Cook said.
While Apple has not announced the timing or scale of the planned price increases, analysts expect the company’s next generation of devices, including the anticipated iPhone 18 lineup, to become more expensive if current semiconductor market conditions persist.
For Pakistani consumers, the impact could be even greater. Industry estimates suggest that every $100 increase in Apple’s global retail price could translate into roughly Rs28,000 in additional cost, while a $150 increase could add around Rs42,000 before PTA taxes, import duties, retailer margins and exchange-rate fluctuations are factored in.
The development comes at a time when Apple devices are already among the most expensive smartphones available in Pakistan. Official retail prices for PTA-approved iPhone 17-series devices currently range from around Rs399,000 for the iPhone 17 to well above Rs565,000 for premium Pro Max variants, with higher-storage models costing significantly more.
Memory chips, which are essential components in smartphones, computers and AI servers, have seen sharp price increases over the past several months. The rapid expansion of AI data centers and advanced computing systems has intensified demand for high-performance memory, creating shortages across the technology supply chain.
