Apple MacBook prices surge in UAE, Pro model up Dh1,300

Apple has raised MacBook prices in the UAE, with the 14-inch MacBook Pro with M5 now starting from Dh8,499, up from around Dh7,199 in March — a Dh1,300 jump. The 13-inch M5 MacBook Air has moved from Dh4,599 to Dh5,499, while the 15-inch model increased from Dh5,499 to Dh6,299. The MacBook Neo 256GB now starts at Dh2,999 (up Dh400) and the 512GB version at Dh3,499 (up Dh500). Apple cited spiralling memory and storage costs linked to rapid AI data-centre expansion. A company spokesperson said: "The rapid expansion of AI data centers has created an extraordinary surge in demand for memory and storage. We have never seen a component price increase this much, this quickly." Outgoing CEO Tim Cook told the Wall Street Journal that price increases were "unavoidable," describing the spike as a "hundred-year flood."