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Apple Cuts $599 Mac Mini, Delays Shipments Amid RAM Shortage

5/6/2026

35 7 Full Breakdown

Summary

Apple Removes Base

Apple removed the $599 base Mac mini and eliminated high-memory options for Mac mini and Mac Studio, citing a RAM shortage.
The cheapest M4 Mac mini costs $799 with 16 GB RAM, and delivery has stretched to 5-6 weeks for that model and up to 12 weeks for other models.
Tim Cook told investors during the Q2 2026 earnings call that supply constraints will last months because of AI demand, and Apple reported $111.2 billion revenue.

Summary

Apple Loses Lead

Apple lost its status as TSMC's biggest customer, with Nvidia now leading.
After Cook’s memory-cost warning, Micron shares rose over 4.8% on May 1 to a 52-week high, and it posted Q2 revenue of $23.86 billion (up 196% YoY) with adjusted EPS $12.20 (up 682% YoY).
Analysts lifted Micron’s price targets to $660, $535 and $1,000 while the firm announced a $5.4 billion buyback, a 30% dividend hike, and stock up roughly 120%.

History

Historical Context

Apple launched the first Mac mini in 2005, the first compact Mac built on Intel processors introduced during the 2006 Mac transition. The device’s low-cost design created recurring memory bottlenecks, a pattern echoed in the 2026 Mac mini line where CEO Tim Cook cites AI-driven RAM demand. Apple’s current M2 chip, fabricated by TSMC, contains 20 billion transistors, underscoring the foundry’s capacity pressure.

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Apple Removes Base

Apple removed the $599 base Mac mini and eliminated high-memory options for Mac mini and Mac Studio, citing a RAM shortage.
The cheapest M4 Mac mini costs $799 with 16 GB RAM, and delivery has stretched to 5-6 weeks for that model and up to 12 weeks for other models.
Tim Cook told investors during the Q2 2026 earnings call that supply constraints will last months because of AI demand, and Apple reported $111.2 billion revenue.

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