One of Apple’s unique traits in the AI and DRAM shortage saga is that, unlike hyperscalers, the Cupertino firm doesn’t need to rely on proprietary data center infrastructure or keep up with expansion and upgrades with billions of mandatory investments. With little capital expenditure burdens on its shoulders and the ability to generate billions in its Q3 2026 earnings , one analyst is thoroughly impressed, but believes a new AI roadmap will quell rising memory costs.
Apple’s 9-month record for capital expenditure fell 28 percent to $6.8 billion, according to KIWOOM Securities analyst Seung-hyuk Kim. The California-based titan is able to maintain these low costs through a hybrid AI infrastructure model that uses its own servers and external cloud partners like Google, taking an entirely different approach from the raging investments hyperscalers are making out of fear of failing in the AI race.
However, Seung-hyuk Kim notes that Apple’s supply constraints and memory costs have begun to mount, with examples such as the MacBook Neo, which was supposed to ship in droves, reported to have its tally drop by 40 percent in 2026 due to a lack of A18 Pro chips. The same problem will branch out to the upcoming iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max , with Apple finding out that, irrespective of how much liquid cash you’re sitting on, it matters little when you can’t pay for it.
With demand almost certainly set to drop due to rising memory costs, Seung-hyuk Kim believes the solution is to develop an AI roadmap that enables recurring service subscriptions while encouraging hardware upgrades. Despite Apple’s Services arm missing analyst expectations, the division still brought in $30.74 billion in revenue, slightly lower than the $31 billion reported in Q2 2026, ending a 14-quarter growth streak.
While Apple’s Services momentum doesn’t necessarily look broken, a slowdown is a negative sign, which is why Seung-hyuk Kim recommends Siri AI integrations become paramount going forward. These services can be bundled with iCloud+, giving subscribers more options while also putting up pricing tiers depending on the kind of computing users require.
With the DRAM crisis expected to persist until 2028, Apple has already adapted to the market changes, such as introducing a new leasing program where you can save $547 off $1,099 when upgrading to an iPhone 17 Pro for 12 months. After the time expires, users can send it back to Apple to start a new lease on an iPhone 18 Pro.
News Source: KIWOOM Securities
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