Apple CEO Tim Cook has warned investors of significantly higher memory costs starting in June 2026, with the crunch persisting for multiple quarters amid surging AI demand. Major suppliers including SK Hynix, Samsung, and Micron have sold out their HBM, DRAM, and NAND capacity through 2026 and into 2027, as tech giants and sovereign AI programs hoard wafers and drive high-bandwidth memory prices up over 1,000%. This 'RAMageddon' has already delayed Sony's PS6 to 2028 or 2029, exhausted Western Digital's hard drive inventory for 2026, and threatens to eliminate the entry-level PC market by 2028. Even Apple, master of global supply chains, cannot escape the pressure. The situation highlights how the AI boom is reshaping semiconductor markets and raising costs across the tech industry. When Apple struggles to source components, the ripple effects will reach every consumer and business.

Tim Cook just warned investors that Apple is facing "significantly higher" memory costs starting in June, and the crunch will last multiple quarters.

SK Hynix, Samsung, and Micron have all confirmed that their HBM, DRAM, and NAND capacity is essentially sold out through 2026 and… pic.twitter.com/cAnGYaV94G

— TFTC (@TFTC21) May 1, 2026