Apple's online store is displaying clear signs of the global memory crunch affecting hardware procurement this year. Third-party storage peripherals from vendors like SanDisk and LaCie are either vanished from inventory or carrying steep price hikes. While some units remain on physical shelves, the digital storefront tells a different story. Currently, only Apple's proprietary Mac Pro upgrade kits show stable stock levels.

The pricing shifts are stark. A SanDisk Extreme 1TB SSD, previously retailing around $120, now lists near $360. This isn't isolated shelf management; it is a supply chain symptom directly linked to massive data center expansion and the insatiable hardware demands of deployed AI systems. Since Macs remain standard equipment for creative and engineering teams managing large datasets, external storage is often the only viable workaround for expensive internal RAM. For ML teams relying on local scratch space, this volatility complicates budgeting.

Industry analysts warn this instability will ripple through consumer electronics over the coming year. However, the pressure isn't originating solely from servers. As vehicles evolve into autonomous computing platforms, memory requirements are skyrocketing alongside AI infrastructure. Micron projects some electric vehicles will soon require up to 300GB of storage to handle self-driving logic, creating new competition for silicon resources. For engineering teams provisioning workstations this quarter, expect procurement to get tighter. The silicon squeeze is tangible, and it is hitting the exact hardware where models get built and data gets processed. Apple declined to comment on the inventory discrepancies.

Source: CNET