Apple's Mac lineup has seen dwindling supply in recent months due to more expensive and hard-to-get RAM, and now even the MacBook Air is seeing available stock dwindle. The MacBook Air is Apple's most popular laptop by far, even if the MacBook Neo is seeking to usurp that spot. Up until recently, it has remained relatively easy to find in all configurations, but that is no longer true.

As reported in the "Power On" newsletter from Bloomberg, the MacBook Air is harder to find due to AI‑induced RAM shortages. Customers ordering a MacBook Air may find long shipping times given the supply chain shortages. These problems are set to continue for the foreseeable future. New chip fabs won't be online until 2029 at the earliest, existing production lines are shifting to server‑side RAM production, and Apple's competitors are buying up what little inventory remains.

Apple isn't set to debut a new MacBook Air until the spring of 2027. It's going to be a tough period especially for the back‑to‑school season. While a brand‑new MacBook Air might be enticing, perhaps users could look at refurbished or used models if they need an upgrade in the short term. Otherwise, Apple is steering MacBook Air customers up market to the more expensive MacBook Pro, as there is still inventory of that product.

Apple CEO Tim Cook has called the situation a "100‑year flood." It may be that Apple is going to face one of its most difficult challenges in years — a supply chain that no longer jumps at Apple's beck and call. Expect Apple products to be more scarce at a minimum through 2027.