Apple TV 4K and HomePod Mini Price Increases 'Much More Striking' Than New Features
Daring Fireball 's John Gruber shared his first impressions of the new Apple TV 4K and HomePod mini 2 this week, and he concluded that the price increases the devices received are "much more striking" than any of the new features introduced. Prior to receiving price increases in late June , the previous Apple TV 4K started at $129 in the U.S., while the previous HomePod mini was priced at $99.…
Daring Fireball's John Gruber shared his initial reactions to the recent price hikes for Apple TV 4K and HomePod mini 2. Before the June price hikes, the previous Apple TV 4K launched at $129 in the U.S., while the HomePod mini was $99. The upgraded Apple TV 4K and HomePod mini 2 now cost $299 and $149, respectively, making them considerably pricier than they were four months ago.
The new Apple TV 4K is available only in one configuration with 128GB storage and Ethernet, so comparing it to the previous 128GB model is more accurate. That model initially cost $149 and rose to $249 in late June, making the new model $50 pricier. However, the minimum spend for a new Apple TV 4K has jumped to $299, a significant increase from $129.
Adding a pair of HomePod mini speakers as default audio output on the Apple TV 4K makes the total cost nearly $600, up from $350 before June. Gruber noted that this price jump, while not affecting his personal opinion on the value of the devices, is much more striking than any new features they offer. He believes the HomePod mini 2's price is fair, but acknowledges that the general public found the old prices too high, and now Apple has increased them further.
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