Nintendo's Profit Warning Sparks Industry Concerns, Apple Faces Memory Chip Supply Pressure

The gaming giant Nintendo Co., Ltd. has recently issued a warning, stating that the continuously soaring prices of memory chips are severely squeezing its profit margins, leading to its largest single-day stock decline in 18 months. This signal has quickly triggered a chain reaction within the consumer electronics industry. Analysts point out that fellow hardware giant Apple may become the next entity to face pressure from this crisis.

Since the second half of 2025, the "super cycle" in memory chips, driven by the explosive demand for AI computing power, has caused prices of DRAM and NAND flash memory to surge dramatically. Manufacturers are shifting production capacity toward high-value, AI-specialized memory, leading to a sharp tightening in the supply of chips required for traditional consumer electronics. Data shows that the global consumer electronics manufacturer index has fallen by 12% since September 2025, while stock prices of memory manufacturers have skyrocketed by over 160%.

Nintendo's predicament serves as a warning for Apple. Apple CEO Tim Cook acknowledged during the earnings call on April 30th that the company expects to face "significantly higher memory costs." The financial report revealed that although strong demand for the iPhone 17 drove quarterly revenue to $111.8 billion, exceeding market expectations, Cook warned that supply shortages for popular models like the Mac Mini, Mac Studio, and MacBook Neo could persist for several months. He further indicated that pressure from memory costs is expected to intensify starting in June.

However, some analysis suggests that, unlike manufacturers like Nintendo, which are positioned in the mid-to-low-end market, Apple possesses stronger pricing power and supply chain control within the high-end segment. In the context of the industry-wide profit squeeze caused by rising memory prices, this resilience in the premium market might actually allow Apple to expand its competitive advantage against the Android camp. The market is currently reassessing Apple's investment value.