If you were holding off buying an Apple TV player in the hope Apple would release a new one soon, the cost of the current streaming player has just massively increased. While it is unusual for hardware devices to increase in price, it is a sign of the current times.
What You Need to Know
- Apple has massively increased the cost of the current Apple TV 4K, making it far more expensive than when it launched.
- Some retailers haven’t updated their pricing just yet, so it’s still possible to find the older, lower price for now.
- A refreshed Apple TV is rumored for later this year, but past delays and now price increases are a cause for concern.
The Apple TV 4K (3rd Generation) was originally released in late 2022. As the Apple TV 4K launched at $129, it was seen as a cheaper Apple TV player at the time, replacing the more expensive Apple TV 4K (2nd generation).
Fast forward to 2026, and the Apple TV 4K (3rd Generation) is currently priced at $199 when buying through Apple. This marks a huge $70 price increase, and that’s for the cheaper Wi-Fi model.
If you are more interested in the Wi-Fi + Ethernet with 128GB storage version, the price has now jumped to $249. Considering this Apple TV Player was priced at just $149 last week, it has increased by $100.
While this probably won’t make shoppers feel any better, it wasn’t just the streaming player that increased in price today.
Apple has increased the price of many of its other hardware products, including Mac, iPad, and Vision Pro devices.
These price increases are a direct result of Apple’s own increasing costs. Specifically, the rising memory and storage chip prices.
You Can (For Now) Still Pick One Up At The Old Price
If you are absolutely intent on buying a new Apple TV player, then it might be worth considering picking one up via Best Buy or Walmart and very soon.
These retailers have yet to increase their prices to reflect Apple’s new pricing, making it possible (for now) to grab one at the older price.
Otherwise, you can continue to hold out for the rumored new Apple TV player that’s reported to arrive in the fall.
Word of warning, similar reports came through last year suggesting a new Apple TV player would launch in the fall 2025. That never happened, and it is still unconfirmed whether a new model will actually arrive later this year.
Not to mention, following today’s hardware price increases, the question now is how much will a new and more powerful Apple TV 4K cost if and when it does arrive?
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