Major technology companies, including Apple and Microsoft, have raised prices across several hardware product lines. They claim these changes are necessary because the cost of memory and storage components has risen to an unsustainable level.

包括 Apple 和 Microsoft 在內的大型科技公司，已調高了數個硬體產品線的價格。他們聲稱這些調整是必要的，因為記憶體與儲存組件的成本已上升至不可持續的水平。

The current instability in the semiconductor market is mainly caused by the rapid growth of artificial intelligence (AI) data centers. Large infrastructure firms have bought huge amounts of memory (DRAM and NAND flash), which has created a severe shortage for consumer electronics. Because manufacturers like Micron, Samsung, and SK Hynix are focusing on more profitable enterprise components, memory prices have quadrupled over the last nine months. Consequently, the industry is facing a crisis of rapidly increasing costs.

目前半導體市場的不穩定主要由人工智慧 (AI) 資料中心的快速成長所引起。大型基礎設施公司購買了大量記憶體 (DRAM 與 NAND 快閃記憶體)，導致消費電子產品出現嚴重短缺。由於 Micron、Samsung 和 SK Hynix 等製造商專注於利潤較高的企業級組件，記憶體價格在過去九個月內翻了四倍。因此，整個產業正正面臨成本快速增加的危機。

In response, Apple has increased prices for its Mac and iPad ranges by 15% to 42%, depending on the model. For example, the MacBook Neo now costs $699, and the Mac Studio M3 Ultra has increased by $1,300. Although iPhones are not affected yet, analysts believe that the memory needed for 'Apple Intelligence' may lead to future price hikes. Similarly, Microsoft has raised Xbox console prices by $100 to $150 and stopped selling the 2TB model. Other companies, such as Valve and Sony, have reported similar problems.

作為回應，Apple 將其 Mac 和 iPad 系列的價格調高了 15% 至 42%，具體視型號而定。例如，MacBook Neo 現在價格為 699 美元，而 Mac Studio M3 Ultra 則增加了 1,300 美元。雖然 iPhone 尚未受到影響，但分析師認為 "Apple Intelligence" 所需的記憶體可能會導致未來價格上漲。同樣地，Microsoft 將 Xbox 主機價格調高了 100 至 150 美元，並停止銷售 2TB 型號。Valve 和 Sony 等其他公司也報告了類似的問題。

Despite these issues, Apple has an advantage because of its size and strong relationships with suppliers, which allow it to negotiate better prices than smaller competitors. Furthermore, Apple's partnership with Google to use Gemini AI is seen as a way to improve products without spending as much on infrastructure as other companies. However, the market reacted poorly to the news, and Apple's share price dropped significantly after the announcement.

儘管面臨這些問題，Apple 憑藉其規模和與供應商的強大關係，使其能比小型競爭對手協商到更好的價格。此外，Apple 與 Google 合作使用 Gemini AI 被視為一種在無需像其他公司投入如此多基礎設施成本的情況下，即可提升產品的方法。然而，市場對此消息反應冷淡，Apple 的股價在宣布後大幅下跌。

The consumer electronics industry is currently facing a supply crisis that has made old pricing models ineffective, and costs are expected to remain high until 2027.

消費電子產業目前正面臨一場供應危機，導致舊有的定價模式失效，且預計成本將維持高位直到 2027 年。