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Apple has started another wave of price increases for its devices, and this time those planning to buy an Apple TV 4K will feel it most. Although the company also raised prices on Macs, iPads and HomePod speakers, it is the TV set-top box that recorded the largest percentage rise across the portfolio. Apple says the decision is down to a sharp increase in the cost of RAM and SSDs, which are currently among the most sought-after components in the world. It's all due to massive investments in developing artificial intelligence and building new data centres. For customers, though, it means one thing: Apple hardware is becoming noticeably more expensive.
Apple TV 4K price rises by as much as 55 per cent. Apple points to parts shortage
Apple has confirmed that the price increases cover many device categories, but the biggest changes affect the Apple TV 4K. The model with 64 GB of storage now costs US$199, whereas it previously sold for US$129. An even bigger increase hit the 128 GB version, which rose from US$149 to US$249. That represents an increase of up to 55 per cent, the highest among all products covered by the new pricing. Apple says the decision is not about raising margins, but stems from an unprecedented rise in component costs. According to the company, the electronics market is currently under enormous pressure due to the rapid expansion of artificial intelligence infrastructure. The construction of new data centres has led manufacturers to snap up RAM and SSDs en masse, causing record price hikes for those components. Apple emphasises that for a long time it absorbed the additional production costs itself, but it is no longer possible to maintain previous prices. As a result, customers will pay significantly more for devices that until now were among the cheapest in the company’s range. Interestingly, despite the relatively small amount of storage used in the Apple TV 4K, this device has been hit hardest by the price rises. For those planning to buy, it means current store stocks may be the last chance to purchase the device at the old price. Once stocks run out the new rates will apply. It’s another example of how severely the parts shortage is affecting the consumer electronics market.
Macs and iPads are also getting pricier, but iPhones remain unchanged
Price increases are not limited to the Apple TV. The new prices also affect the MacBook Neo, MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, iMac, Mac mini, Mac Studio, iPad Air, iPad Pro, HomePod, HomePod mini and Vision Pro. Apple did not give a single common reason covering every device category, but said all the changes stem from the same issues with availability and the costs of key components. It is worth noting, however, that the company chose not to raise prices for its most important products, namely the iPhone and AirPods. According to industry reports, Apple is deliberately keeping smartphone prices at current levels, offsetting rising production costs by raising prices of less popular devices. That keeps flagship phones more competitive on the market. The situation with the Apple TV 4K is much worse. After the new increases the device now costs the same as the NVIDIA Shield, while being noticeably more expensive than the competing Google TV Streamer, which is priced at around $75. The gap between the platforms is therefore becoming very large. At the same time, there are growing signs that Apple is preparing a new generation of Apple TV with support for Apple Intelligence, Siri AI and a more powerful processor. The current price hike could therefore also be part of preparations for the launch of the next model. For consumers this makes the choice harder. On one hand, the current Apple TV is significantly more expensive than it was a few months ago, and on the other a new generation could appear in the near future. As a result, the purchase decision is much less clear-cut than before.
Apple has significantly raised the prices of many of its devices, but the biggest change was for the Apple TV 4K, whose price rose by as much as 55 per cent. The company attributes the decision to a sharp rise in the cost of memory and storage media, driven by the expansion of artificial intelligence infrastructure. Meanwhile, prices of iPhones and AirPods remain unchanged.
source: flatpanelshd
