John Gruber of Daring Fireball shared his first impressions of the new Apple TV 4K and HomePod mini 2 this week, concluding that the price increases the devices received are "much more striking" than any of the new features introduced.
Before price increases in late June, the previous Apple TV 4K started at $129 in the U.S., while the previous HomePod mini cost $99. The new Apple TV and HomePod mini 2 are priced at $299 and $149, respectively, so both devices are now significantly more expensive than they were just four months ago.
Because the new Apple TV comes in only one configuration, with 128GB of storage and an Ethernet port, Gruber's comparison is with the previous 128GB model, which launched at $149 and rose to $249 in late June. The new model is technically only $50 more expensive than that, but the minimum you can now spend on an Apple TV 4K is $299, up sharply from $129.
The increases compound for buyers who want a pair of HomePod mini speakers as the default audio output for an Apple TV 4K. Gruber calculated that the combination now costs $600, up from $350 before late June: "At the old pre-June prices, you could buy a 128 GB Apple TV and a pair of HomePod Minis for $350 ($150 + $100 + $100). Four short months later, with today's new models, that combination would cost $600 ($300 + $150 + $150). That price difference is much more striking than any of the new and improved features in the products."
Gruber still considers the new Apple TV 4K "worth it" at its current price and calls the HomePod mini 2's price "reasonable." He acknowledges, however, that the general consumer market already thought the old prices were too high, and Apple has now raised them further.
Source: MacRumors · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing