Apple has reportedly agreed to pay Samsung higher prices for RAM and NAND storage chips beginning in the first quarter of 2027. The reported deal reflects an ongoing memory shortage driven in part by the rapid expansion of artificial intelligence data centers.

According to DigiTimes, citing an earlier report from China’s Jiemian News, Apple will pay nearly $2 per gigabyte for DRAM and about $0.33 per gigabyte for NAND storage. Those prices would represent increases of approximately 30% to 40% compared with the rates Apple was paying in the third quarter of 2026.

Why memory chip prices are rising

AI companies are expanding large data-center operations that require significant quantities of memory. That demand has contributed to a shortage of both DRAM, commonly used as working memory, and NAND, which provides storage in devices such as iPhones, iPads, and Macs.

The reported agreement with Samsung suggests that Apple expects elevated component costs to continue into 2027. However, it is not clear whether Apple has already accounted for those expenses in current product pricing or whether future devices will become more expensive as a result.

Apple has already raised product prices

Apple has increased prices across several product categories since June. The company raised prices for Macs, iPads, Apple TV, HomePod, HomePod mini, and Vision Pro, with many increases ranging from $100 to $300.

Former Apple CEO Tim Cook described the increases as “unavoidable” because of the chip shortage, comparing the market disruption to a “100-year flood.” The company has also raised prices on iPhones, adding to concerns that higher memory costs could continue to affect its hardware lineup.

In the United States, iPhone 18 Pro models reportedly start $100 higher than the comparable iPhone 17 Pro models. Apple has also increased prices for some older iPhone models.

What the reported deal could mean for buyers

Memory and storage costs are only part of a device’s overall bill of materials, so the reported Samsung pricing does not automatically mean Apple will pass the full increase on to customers. Apple could instead absorb some of the added expense, adjust storage configurations, or account for the costs in its broader pricing strategy.

Still, a 30% to 40% increase in key memory components could make it more difficult for Apple to maintain current prices while protecting margins. The effect on 2027 iPhone, iPad, and Mac pricing will depend on how long the shortage lasts and whether memory supply improves before the new agreement takes effect.