The global memory shortage hits the MacBook Air

The global memory chip shortage, driven by demand from AI companies, is now constraining Apple's MacBook Air supply, with delivery times pushed to late August or September for some configurations, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Apple is responding by raising prices, sourcing memory from Chinese suppliers, and delaying its back-to-school promotion, while marketing materials now emphasize the MacBook Pro base model and warn that the MacBook Air is subject to availability.

The global memory chip shortage is affecting the availability of Apple’s most popular Mac, according to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman https://www.bloomberg.com/news/newsletters/2026-08-02/apple-subscriptions-macbook-air-shortages-apple-to-make-glasses-health-device-msbvajjp?accessToken=eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJzb3VyY2UiOiJTdWJzY3JpYmVyR2lmdGVkQXJ0aWNsZSIsImlhdCI6MTc4NTY4MTM3MiwiZXhwIjoxNzg2Mjg2MTcyLCJhcnRpY2xlSWQiOiJUSjVBVzFSMjRVOEQwMCIsImJjb25uZWN0SWQiOiJDNEVEQ0FFMUZBMDU0MEJFQTI0QTlGMjExQzFFOTA4MCJ9.n9QvaBQdmko-iUwRDtJDb80m1WResV5qfUXFhpPz-GI&leadSource=article-gifting . Gurman said the shortage — caused by the demands of chip-hungry AI companies — had already affected Apple’s more niche computers, the Mac mini and Mac Studio. But it seems the company is now struggling to keep the MacBook Air in stock, with retailers saying that supply seems to be more constrained than ever before. Indeed, anyone trying to buy a MacBook Air from the Apple website will have to wait until the back half of August — or for certain configurations, until September. Gurman says Apple is working to address the issue by raising prices https://techcrunch.com/2026/06/25/apple-raises-mac-and-ipad-prices-spares-iphone-for-now/ and sourcing memory from Chinese suppliers. Meanwhile, the company delayed its latest back-to-school promotion from June. And for the first time, the marketing material is more focused on the base model of the MacBook Pro. It even warns https://x.com/DylanMcD8/status/2082207887535808720 , “MacBook Air subject to availability.”