If you have been waiting for the holiday season sale or hoping to buy a new iPhone or MacBook at a lower price anytime soon, Apple may not have good news for you. The tech industry is dealing with rising component costs, and the Cupertino giant is feeling the pressure too.

The company is facing rising memory-chip costs, while its growing AI ambitions are adding to its expenses. It has already increased prices on some devices to offset the pressure, and reports suggest the company may also hold back on offering big discounts and deals in the months ahead.Speaking after Apple's latest quarterly results, CEO John Ternus said the company had seen memory costs rise compared to the previous quarter, reports Reuters.

Apple reportedly managed to absorb some of the increase through inventory it had already purchased and lower costs of certain other components. However, it has also been increasing prices on some of its devices to make up for the higher costs.

And with memory chips expected to become even more expensive next year, the company may be reluctant to offer big discounts that could eat into its profits.Apple raises prices as memory costs climbIn September 2026, after the launch of iPhone 18 Pro series, Apple raised the price of the iPhone 17 by $100 in the US. In India, the price hike was even steeper.

The 256GB iPhone 17, which earlier cost Rs 82,900, now sells for Rs 99,900, a jump of Rs 17,000. Apple also increased prices on some MacBook models.

While these price hikes are already helping the company deal with rising component costs, the pressure may not ease anytime soon. Apple's CFO Kevan Parekh said during the earnings call that memory costs are expected to continue rising into next year.

The company is also said to be working with memory suppliers to make sure it has enough chips for its devices. TAI costs are adding to Apple's expensesMemory chips are not Apple's only concern.

The company's growing AI ambitions are also bringing additional costs. Its Siri AI features run partly on Google's cloud infrastructure, which means additional server expenses.

During the earnings call, CEO Ternus said Apple would introduce usage limits for features that rely on server-side AI models, including Siri AI and intelligent photo editing. The company is also looking at increasing iCloud+ subscription prices to help offset these expenses, although it has not announced any specific pricing changes.Apple faces pressure ahead of holiday seasonThe price pressure comes at a time when Apple is heading into the holiday shopping season, when demand for iPhones, Macs and other devices usually picks up.

But rising costs could make this season a little different. Apple expects its gross margin to fall to 45-46 per cent in the December quarter, compared to 47.9 per cent in the September quarter, partly because of more expensive memory chips.Despite this pressure, Apple has had a strong quarter. iPhone revenue rose 17 per cent to $57.58 billion, helped by strong demand for the iPhone 18 Pro lineup and higher selling prices.So, what does this mean for buyers?

Apple has not said it will cut back on discounts, but with memory chips and AI becoming more expensive, the company may be less willing to offer big price cuts on its devices. This could mean fewer attractive deals on iPhones and MacBooks during the holiday shopping season.- Ends