Apple cuts Apple TV pricing in 2015, later prices rise sharply for new Apple TV 4K

Joe Rossignol, reporting for MacRumors back on 9 March 2015: Apple CEO Tim Cook on Monday at the “Spring Forward” media event in San Francisco announced that Apple TV will now cost $69, discounted from its regular price of $99. The new price for the set-top box arrives on the heels of the announcement of HBO Now for Apple TV. The new price appears to apply to the third-generation Apple TV, as the company did not announce a new set-top box on stage at the Yerba Buena Center this afternoon. Basic Apple Guy posted a short clip of Tim Cook, on stage, announcing the price reduction. Cook said: And it’s got a very attractive entry level price of $99. But today, we would like to make it even more accessible for more people so they can take advantage of this great new content. So we are lowering the price today to $69. The audience greeted this with whoops and cheers. (This, despite it being a smaller media event — Apple always packs the front of the house with employee ringers. Whoops are cheers are one of the things Apple is missing out on with their post-COVID pre-filmed keynotes.) Apple continued selling the 3rd-gen Apple TV (not to be confused with “Apple TV 4K”, which restarted the generation counting in 2017 alongside the introduction of the iPhone X) for $69 until October 2016. Inflation adjusted, a $69 Apple TV box today would cost a little under $99. Even if we only consider the $99 price in 2015 dollars, that’s about $137 in today’s dollars. Round that up to $150 and it would still be half the price of the only Apple TV hardware Apple now sells: this week’s new 4th-gen Apple TV 4K. The new Siri Remote, with precision Find My support (and a speaker), is compatible with all prior generations of Apple TV 4K. So if you just want the new remote you can just buy the new remote. But it costs $59, which is almost as much as an entire Apple TV (with remote, of course) did in 2015.  ★ 

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. The new Apple TV and the 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. Since the new Apple TV is only available in a single configuration with 128GB of storage and an Ethernet port, it is more fair to compare it to the equivalent previous-generation 128GB model, which was initially $149 and went up to $249 in late June. This means the new model is technically only $50 more expensive, but the reality is that the minimum you can spend on a new Apple TV 4K is now $299, up significantly from $129. The price increases stack up if you want to use a pair of HomePod mini speakers as the default audio output on an Apple TV 4K. As noted by Gruber, it now costs nearly $600 to buy all of those devices, up from nearly $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)," said Gruber. "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." To be clear, Gruber said he still thinks the new Apple TV 4K is "worth it" to him at its current price, and he believes the HomePod mini 2's price is "reasonable." However, he acknowledges that the "general consumer market thought the old prices were too high," and now Apple has made even more price increases on top.Related Roundups: Apple TV, HomePod mini 2Tags: Daring Fireball, John GruberBuyer's Guide: Apple TV (Buy Now), HomePod Mini (Buy Now)Related Forums: Apple TV and Home Theater, HomePod, HomeView, CarPlay – Home & Auto TechThis article, "Apple TV 4K and HomePod Mini Price Increases 'Much More Striking' Than New Features" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums

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).

The new Apple TV 4K fixes some everyday annoyances, but the higher price tag means you should probably stick with your third-gen Apple TV 4K. (via Cult of Mac - Your source for the latest Apple news, rumors, analysis, reviews, how-tos and deals.)

Apple announced the fourth-generation Apple TV 4K earlier this week, introducing the A19 chip, built-in microphones for hands-free Siri, four-speaker HomePod surround sound, and an updated ‌Siri‌ Remote. It replaces the third-generation model introduced in 2022, bringing a number of internal changes while retaining the same basic design and most of the same entertainment features. The new model costs $299 and comes with 128GB of storage. ‌Siri‌ AI is also coming to the third-generation model, and the new remote can be purchased separately for existing devices. Apple says the assistant will be available in beta with tvOS 27.2 on second-generation and later ‌Apple TV‌ 4K models, including conversational entertainment searches, follow-up questions, and personal context through a compatible paired device. The new model's distinctive hardware benefit is direct voice input through the box's microphones; access to the voice assistant itself is shared. Whether you should upgrade therefore comes down to which hardware changes you will actually use. Configurations, Connectivity, and Price The differences in configurations, connectivity, and pricing between the third- and fourth-generation ‌Apple TV‌ 4K are as follows: ‌Apple TV‌ 4K (3rd Generation) ‌Apple TV‌ 4K (4th Generation) 64GB model: Wi-Fi only 128GB model: Wi-Fi and Ethernet Single 128GB configuration with Wi-Fi and Ethernet Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be) Bluetooth 5.0 Bluetooth 6 Gigabit Ethernet on the 128GB model only Gigabit Ethernet as standard Thread networking on the 128GB model only Thread networking as standard Original U.S. launch prices: $129 for 64GB; $149 for 128GB U.S. launch price: $299 for 128GB Final prices before replacement: $199 for 64GB; $249 for 128GB $299 for 128GB Now discontinued Available to pre-order Released November 4, 2022 Available November 13, 2026 Apple raised the older model's prices in June 2026, so comparing the new model exclusively with its predecessor's original launch pricing misses an intervening increase. Against the final price of the equivalent 128GB model, the new ‌Apple TV‌ costs $50 more. Against the previous entry-level configuration, it costs $100 more and includes twice the storage, Ethernet, and Thread connectivity. A15 Bionic vs. A19 The A19 chip brings a substantially newer chip architecture to the ‌Apple TV‌. Apple says the fourth-generation ‌Apple TV‌ 4K delivers the following improvements over the third-generation model: Up to 50% faster CPU performance. Up to twice the GPU performance. The table below lists capabilities of two chip architectures. A15 Bionic Chip A19 Chip Made with TSMC's 5nm (N5P) process Made with TSMC's third-generation 3nm (N3P) process Dynamic Caching Software-based ray tracing Hardware-accelerated ray tracing Mesh shading without the newer dedicated hardware acceleration Hardware-accelerated mesh shading Dedicated Neural Accelerators in each GPU core 16-core Neural Engine Updated 16-core Neural Engine architecture Display engine and image signal processor Updated display engine and image signal processor Dedicated AV1 hardware decoder Up to 4x multisample anti-aliasing Up to 8x multisample anti-aliasing Maximum 1D, 2D, and cube-map texture dimensions of 16,384 pixels Maximum 1D, 2D, and cube-map texture dimensions of 32,768 pixels Universal texture compression MetalFX denoised upscaling capability Depth bounds testing The A19 chip has a substantially better GPU than the A15 Bionic. Dynamic Caching manages fast on-chip GPU memory according to the workload. Hardware-accelerated ray tracing and mesh shading provide more advanced graphics-processing capabilities, while GPU Neural Accelerators supply dedicated hardware for machine learning calculations. While GPU improvements will be particularly useful for gaming, it is unclear just how much the full breadth of the chip architecture improvements will make a meaningful difference to the ‌Apple TV‌. Hands-Free Siri and HomePod Audio The new microphones and expanded ‌HomePod‌ support provide some of the clearest functional differences between the two devices: ‌Apple TV‌ 4K (3rd Generation) ‌Apple TV‌ 4K (4th Generation) No built-in microphone array in the box; microphone only in the ‌Siri‌ Remote Three built-in far-field microphones with voice isolation, alongside the microphone in the ‌Siri‌ Remote ‌Siri‌ voice input through the remote or another compatible device Direct hands-free activation using "‌Siri‌" or "Hey ‌Siri‌," with echo cancellation while audio is playing ‌HomePod‌ TV audio through a single speaker or stereo pair Four-speaker ‌HomePod‌ surround sound using matching front and rear pairs Automatic positioning, timing, and level calibration for the four-speaker setup Whole Room Audio mode distributes sound across four ‌HomePod‌ speakers The four-speaker configuration requires HomePod mini 2 or second-generation full-sized ‌HomePod‌ speakers. You can use four matching speakers or combine two matching front speakers with a different matching rear pair. For example, two full-sized HomePods can serve as the front speakers and two ‌HomePod mini 2‌ units as the rear speakers. First-generation full-sized HomePods and original ‌HomePod‌ mini speakers are excluded from this new four-speaker configuration. Existing owners should account for any speaker replacements or additions when considering the cost of upgrading. Whole Room Audio serves a different purpose from directional home theater sound, distributing audio more evenly around the room for music, sports, and more. Hands-free ‌Siri‌ support also has its own language requirements. Apple lists Mandarin Chinese, Dutch, English, Finnish, French, German, Hebrew, Norwegian, and Swedish, subject to regional availability. Siri Remote Differences The fourth-generation ‌Siri‌ Remote retains the familiar design and controls while making a misplaced remote easier to find: ‌Siri‌ Remote (3rd Generation) ‌Siri‌ Remote (4th Generation) Bluetooth 5.0 Bluetooth 6 Nearby finding through iPhone, with proximity guidance Find My with Precision Finding on a compatible iPhone Bluetooth Channel Sounding for precise location tracking Built-in speaker for playing a sound to locate the remote 66 grams 69.6 grams The older remote already supported nearby finding with an iPhone. The new remote's additional benefits are precise location guidance and an audible alert. Precision Finding uses Bluetooth Channel Sounding, providing precise tracking without requiring a UWB chip. Precision Finding requires an iPhone 17 or later, excluding the iPhone 17e, or an iPhone Air or iPhone Duo running the latest software. You can also ask ‌Siri‌ to find the remote through the ‌Apple TV‌'s built-in microphones and have the remote play a sound. The new ‌Siri‌ Remote is available separately for $59 and works with the third-generation ‌Apple TV‌ 4K, every earlier ‌Apple TV‌ 4K, and even the ‌Apple TV‌ HD. Design, Dimensions, and Weight Both generations retain the compact black enclosure and Apple logo. The principal visible changes are the microphone hardware and the repositioned front light. ‌Apple TV‌ 4K (3rd Generation) ‌Apple TV‌ 4K (4th Generation) Width 93 mm 93.24 mm Depth 93 mm 93.24 mm Weight Wi-Fi: 208g Wi-Fi + Ethernet: 214g 217g Status light Positioned toward the right Positioned in the center Packaging At least 90% fiber-based packaging 100% fiber-based packaging The new box weighs three grams more than the previous Ethernet model and nine grams more than the Wi-Fi-only model. The centered front light also indicates when the built-in microphones are listening for commands. Should You Upgrade From the Third-Generation Apple TV 4K? Most third-generation ‌Apple TV‌ 4K owners should keep their existing device. For ordinary streaming through television speakers, a soundbar, or an AV receiver, the new model does not add new capabilities. The maximum viewing resolution and HDR support remains the same. ‌Siri‌ AI's availability on the older hardware further reduces the need to replace a working device. The strongest reason to upgrade is a planned four-speaker ‌HomePod‌ system. If you already own two second-generation full-sized HomePods and want dedicated rear speakers, the new ‌Apple TV‌ enables a specific setup your existing model cannot provide. Include the cost of additional or replacement speakers when judging the upgrade. Hands-free control is another practical reason if you regularly use ‌Siri‌ and want to speak directly to the device. It is likely to be more useful when the ‌Apple TV‌ is directly in the viewing room than when it is installed in a separate equipment cupboard or rack. AV1 hardware decoding may justify the upgrade for a particular media library or playback workflow. Gaming enthusiasts may also value the newer GPU architecture, but the benefit depends on the games available for tvOS and how developers use the hardware. If locating the remote is a source of frustration, buying the $59 ‌Siri‌ Remote separately costs $240 less than replacing the entire ‌Apple TV‌. That purchase supplies the new remote features while retaining your existing device. Should You Buy the Third- or Fourth-Generation Model? For a new purchase, the fourth-generation ‌Apple TV‌ 4K is the stronger choice when the price difference is modest or you intend to use its exclusive features. Compared with the older 128GB model's final $249 Apple price, the $50 premium is easier to justify than the much larger difference suggested by comparing original launch prices. That being said, a discounted third-generation model remains a sensible purchase. The older model is particularly appealing when the saving is substantial and you are not interested in a four-speaker ‌HomePod‌ sound system. If you need Ethernet or want the ‌Apple TV‌ itself to provide Thread networking, choose the third-generation 128GB model or the fourth-generation model. A sufficiently large saving on the older 128GB configuration can outweigh improvements with the latest model that you would rarely use.Related Roundup: Apple TVBuyer's Guide: Apple TV (Buy Now)Related Forum: Apple TV and Home TheaterThis article, "Apple TV 4K 2022 vs. 2026 Buyer's Guide: All Differences Compared" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums

The newly announced Apple TV 4K delivers expected upgrades, but massive price increases make the streaming device nearly impossible to justify over alternatives like gaming consoles.

The new Apple TV isn't significantly better than the existing model, many users say, but it's more than double the price