All articles tagged with #memory shortage
A global memory shortage is forcing Apple to trim configurations and rethink pricing across its lineup, removing RAM options for the Mac mini and Mac Studio and potentially downgrading the iPhone 18. Reports also flag a split iPhone 18 launch in spring 2027 to smooth demand amid higher memory costs, with broader production constraints affecting upcoming Macs like the MacBook Neo.
Sony forecasts a decline in PS5 hardware sales for FY26–27 due to a memory shortage driven by generative AI demand, which is lifting component prices and constraining supply. The company expects hardware profitability to stay roughly flat year over year, hints at possible PS6 pricing changes, and is pursuing AI initiatives with Bandai Namco, while the wider industry faces continued memory-cost pressures and occasional console pricing shifts.
Sony and PlayStation leaders outline an AI strategy that centers on human creativity, using proprietary tools to speed up production, enhance animation and visuals, and personalize experiences while pursuing AI-driven revenue; a Bandai Namco pilot tests generative AI for creators, and Sony emphasizes AI as an enhancer, not a replacement, even as memory shortages and tariff pressures affect the tech and entertainment supply chains.
Sony says its PS5 sold 1.5 million units in its latest quarter, down 46% year over year, after price increases raised the console to as much as $649.99. The company cites macroeconomic pressures and a memory shortage, and now forecasts roughly a 6% drop in annual gaming revenue, with memory costs a key risk amid a weak hardware market that also hit rivals like Xbox and Nintendo.
Xbox chief Asha Sharma says memory costs will impact the pricing and availability of Project Helix, with no launch timeline yet, as a RAM shortage driven by AI data centers squeezes memory supply and influences next-gen console plans and Game Pass strategy.
Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman says insiders warn a worldwide memory shortage driven by AI is delaying Apple’s next Macs, with the Mac Studio now targeting an October release and the touchscreen MacBook Pro possibly arriving next year; the entry-level MacBook Neo appears less affected, while RAM costs rise across devices and may not level off soon.
Bloomberg's Mark Gurman says the next Mac Studio is expected around October and the touchscreen MacBook Pro could slip to late 2026 or early 2027 due to a global RAM shortage.
Sony will temporarily suspend accepting orders for CFexpress and SD memory cards from March 27, 2026, due to a global memory shortage and other factors, with no clear timeline to resume; the move affects Sony Store and authorized dealers and follows Western Digital's earlier supply squeezes in the memory market.
US retailers report a rare price dip for Corsair Vengeance DDR5 RAM on Amazon amid a continued memory shortage, but broad consumer relief remains unlikely in the near term as enterprise AI and data-center demand pressure supply. Google's TurboQuant AI compression could reduce memory needs in data centers, potentially easing the shortage over the long run, though prices for most DDR5 options are still elevated and broader hardware costs affect PC building.
Valve maintains a 2026 launch for its second-gen Steam Machine, Steam Controller, and Steam Frame, saying earlier blog-post hints of delays due to memory/storage shortages were addressed and all three are still expected this year; ongoing RAM demand from AI and tariff conditions are noted as headwinds. The Steam Machine is a 6-inch portable Linux-based mini PC designed to run Steam Deck games on a TV.
A global memory shortage tied to AI-driven demand could push Sony’s PS6 beyond its 2027 target, with Phison CEO Pua Khein-Seng warning the crunch could last up to 10 years and affect devices from phones to consoles. He argues AI GPUs requiring large SSDs could consume a significant portion of NAND capacity, driving prices higher. Sony says it has secured components through 2026, but the outlook beyond that remains uncertain, leaving a PS6 delay plausible even if some still expect a launch around the current window.
Valve says the Steam Deck OLED may be intermittently out of stock in some regions due to memory and storage shortages, tying its supply issue to a broader RAM/storage crunch that has delayed other hardware; Valve has discontinued the 256GB LCD Steam Deck and aims to launch new hardware in the first half of 2026.
Memory shortages driven by AI data-center demand could push Sony’s next-gen PlayStation release to 2028 or 2029, while Nintendo may raise the Switch 2 price this year, signaling a rare pause in Sony’s console cadence as memory supplies tighten (Bloomberg cites industry sources; no official comment yet).
Valve says it must revisit the exact shipping schedule and pricing for Steam Frame (and Steam Machine) due to ongoing memory and storage shortages, but still aims to ship in the first half of 2026 and hopes to price Steam Frame below the $1000 Index full-kit, with concrete prices and dates to be announced as circumstances allow.
Nvidia is not expected to release a new gaming GPU in 2026, as a worsening memory shortage driven by AI demand forces the company to allocate memory to AI servers and slow production of the GeForce RTX 50 lineup; its planned incremental RTX 50 update (Kicker) has been delayed, delaying the RTX 60 series, though the RTX 5090 remains in high demand. Gaming revenue has shrunk to about 8% of Nvidia’s nine-month revenue to October from 35% in 2022, while AI chips generate higher margins; analysts still rate NVDA as a Strong Buy with a $260 average target.