Apple has spent years trying to make artificial intelligence a reason for consumers to buy new devices.
That strategy has become more important as rivals, including Google, Microsoft, OpenAI, and Meta, move quickly with consumer-facing AI tools
For Apple, the opportunity is clear. If AI makes the iPhone, iPad, and Mac more useful, it could help push users to upgrade and give Apple’s services business another long-term growth driver. And at the recent Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) 2026, the company launched several new upgrades, including updated Apple intelligence and a new Siri AI, as covered here by TheStreet.
But the same AI boom is creating problems for the iPhone maker. The surge in demand for artificial intelligence infrastructure is pushing up the cost of memory and storage chips, key components in phones, tablets, and computers. That means AI may not only help Apple sell new devices, but also make those devices more expensive for shoppers.