The rapid evolution of Artificial Intelligence technologies has sparked an unexpected crisis in the tech world. The massive memory and storage requirements of AI infrastructures have created a severe supply-demand imbalance across the industry. One of the most tangible impacts of this trend is the sudden and sharp spike in external drive prices at Apple Stores. The tech giant has begun reflecting rising storage costs directly onto its retail sales.
AI Consumes Storage: SSD Prices Skyrocket
According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman in his Sunday “Power On” newsletter, Apple has updated external drive pricing on both its website and in physical stores. The adjustments are staggering: for instance, a 4TB SanDisk SSD that previously retailed for approximately $500 has surged to nearly $1,200. Similarly, the 1TB model from the same brand has jumped from $120 to over $350.
While $1,200 for a 4TB external SSD is considered exceptionally high, Gurman notes that Apple’s influence over these specific prices is limited. As suppliers raise their wholesale rates, Apple—purchasing from these vendors—is forced to pass those costs to the consumer. Beyond pricing, supply chain constraints mean consumers are also struggling to find any external storage units in stock at Apple locations.
A Global Market Strain
This issue is not exclusive to Apple Retail. High AI demand for components like RAM and SSDs is affecting nearly every player in the sector. Data from platforms like Amazon reveals that even mechanical hard drives (HDDs) are seeing limited availability and rising costs. Industry experts do not expect a short-term resolution.
- AI Chip Demand: As long as the need for AI-specific silicon remains high, production capacity will be strained.
- Long-Term Costs: Consumers are predicted to face elevated hardware costs until global manufacturing capacity significantly increases.
Rising costs and dwindling stocks are set to make tech shopping increasingly difficult in the coming period. What do you think about this dramatic spike in external storage prices? Will this push you toward cloud storage services, or will you continue to use physical drives despite the steep costs? Share your thoughts in the comments!
