Future Apple products like the iPhone 13 could become more expensive thanks to chip shortages and higher supplier prices

According to Nikkei Asia's sources, TSMC, Apple's main chip supplier, is reportedly raising its manufacturing prices to address the ongoing global semiconductor shortage This means that Apple will have to pay more for chip production and may pass those costs on to consumers

Over the past two years, chip shortages have dramatically affected both production and prices of most mainstream high-tech products, making it virtually impossible to purchase devices like the PS5, Xbox Series X, and various PC components (such as the Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080) As a result, many of the affected products have been bought up by duffers to resell for two to three times the original market price

And while we have been cautiously hoping that this will have little impact on Apple's future devices, it is now beginning to look inevitable

According to Nikkei sources, the price change will be "significant" and will primarily affect Apple's most popular devices, such as the iPhone and MacBook

Apple's products already carry premium prices, primarily due to the high-quality components and materials that make up its devices For example, Cupertino's A-series chip supplier, TSCM, produces components that are on average 20% more expensive than its competitors

Now that its rivals have raised their prices, it is rumored that TSCM is likely to follow suit in order to maintain its premium position in the market And since Apple will likely have to pay more to produce its products, this could mean higher prices for Apple devices as a result

Sources also said that the increase in manufacturing prices is a move by TSMC, which is trying to weed out clients who are trying to order more chips than they need to ensure they get a spot on the production line

"We are all in for a big shock, and all account managers need to talk to their customers to see if they can renegotiate some of their contracts," a chip executive reportedly told Nikkei

And while details on whether and when the change will affect Apple consumers are unclear, sources speculate that the tech giant will raise retail prices on high-end models around next year to balance out the impact on mid-range and more affordable products We speculate that this may be the case

We expect the iPhone 13 to be revealed at an upcoming Apple event in the next few days Therefore, it probably won't be long before we see if Apple raises the price of the next iPhone due to this tricky chip situation