Apple recently raised prices for external hard drives sold through its online store and retail locations, as detailed by Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. For instance, a SanDisk 4TB solid-state external drive now costs $1,200, up from approximately $500, while a 1TB model has jumped from $120 to $360. These steep increases are driven indirectly by surging AI-related demand for memory and storage chips, creating a severe supply crunch.

Vendors set the pricing for third-party accessories, but the impact on consumers is undeniable. Availability is also a major issue; most models are sold out online with no delivery or pickup options, though limited stock persists in physical Apple Stores at the inflated prices. Similar shortages and price hikes are evident at retailers like Best Buy and Amazon.

This supply crisis mirrors the one forcing Apple to raise MacBook Air and MacBook Pro prices by $100 earlier this month and the removal of the top 512GB RAM upgrade from the Mac Studio, all linked to manufacturers prioritizing lucrative AI data center contracts over consumer products. As Gurman notes, the situation is likely to worsen throughout 2026.