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Google has raised the price of the Google TV Streamer 4K in the United States. The device, which replaced the Chromecast in the company's lineup, now costs US$150 instead of US$100. That is a price increase of 50 per cent, and the change has so far been announced for the US market. Google cites rising component costs to explain the hike. Those planning to buy may still find the device at the old price, but the situation could change quickly.
Google TV Streamer becomes significantly more expensive
Google has announced a price increase for the Google TV Streamer 4K, initially affecting the US market. From 31 August the device's price rose from $100 to $150. This represents an exact 50 per cent increase over the previous price. The company told 9to5Google that the change is due to rising component costs. Google also says it remains committed to delivering feature updates for its devices. The Google TV Streamer is a small device that enables a screen to run the Google TV platform. The product therefore serves a similar role to earlier Chromecast devices, although Google positions it as the successor to that line. The increase is not an isolated case in the media player market. For the Apple TV 4K, prices rose by as much as 67 per cent, Roku raised prices by up to 60 per cent, and Amazon Fire TV by up to 43 per cent. Even larger changes affected Walmart's Onn devices, where increases reached as much as 102 per cent. According to the source, the common reason for these changes is rising memory chip costs.
The price may also rise in other countries
So far Google has officially announced the increase for the United States only, but a similar change could appear in other countries. One source predicts that Google TV Streamer prices may soon rise outside the US as well. In some markets the device can still be bought at the previous price. In the United States the Google TV Streamer is still available for $100 on Amazon. Outside the US the product can be found at the previous prices from Google and selected retail partners. It is unclear how long retailers will keep the old prices. If the increase is introduced in further markets, current stock could prove to be the last chance to buy the device more cheaply. The Google TV Streamer itself was not previously regarded as particularly cheap hardware. In a 2024 review FlatpanelsHD called it a decent streaming player, but noted its relatively high price compared with the hardware used. The new price of $150 could therefore further worsen its price-to-performance ratio.
Google TV Streamer 4K has risen in price in the US from $100 to $150, an increase of 50 per cent. Google cites rising component costs as the reason for the hike. In other markets the device may still be available at the old price, but similar changes could also occur outside the US. If Google decides to roll the increase out to other countries, buying before the price change could prove much more advantageous.
source: flatpanelshd
