Apple TV and HomePod Price Increase Explained: Should You Wait?
Apple raised prices across much of its product lineup today, with the steepest hikes hitting Macs and smaller increases landing on Apple TV and HomePod hardware, Ars Technica reported. Apple cited rising memory costs as the cause. The timing is awkward: both the next Apple TV 4K and a new HomePod mini have reportedly been sitting finished for months, held back not by manufacturing problems but by Apple waiting on a more capable version of Siri before it ships them.
Confirmed per-unit dollar increases for the Apple TV and HomePod were not available in published reports at the time of writing. What is confirmed is that both products cost more today than they did yesterday, Ars Technica noted, and that buyers paying those higher prices are purchasing hardware already excluded from the platform Apple is building toward.
Apple's memory-cost rationale fits some products better than others. A streaming box and a compact speaker are not memory-intensive devices the way a MacBook is. What the increase reflects, intentionally or not, is that Apple has nothing newer on shelves at the old price points, with successors reportedly in advanced testing and waiting on a software release.
Apple TV price increase arrives as replacement hardware waits on Siri
Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reported in late May that the hardware for both the next Apple TV 4K and HomePod mini has been complete for months, with units already in active use among Apple employees at the company's Cupertino campus, MacRumors relayed. Apple is holding the launch until a more personalized version of Siri is ready to ship alongside them. As of three days ago, both devices were described as being in "very advanced testing," 9to5Mac reported.
The age gap between current hardware and what's coming is worth spelling out. The Apple TV 4K runs an A15 Bionic, the chip Apple shipped with the iPhone 13 in 2021. The HomePod mini runs an S5, the same silicon as the Apple Watch Series 5, now several watch generations behind. Earlier rumors indicated the next Apple TV would move to an A17 Pro, the oldest chip that supports Apple Intelligence, MacRumors noted in late May. The HomePod mini is expected to receive an S9 or newer chip, though it remains unclear exactly how that chip would handle the full new Siri feature set.
Siri AI wasn't mentioned at all for tvOS 27 during WWDC, likely because supporting it is expected to require new hardware rather than a software update to existing devices, 9to5Mac observed. Buyers paying today's higher prices are purchasing hardware that, based on available reporting, is not expected to support the Siri and Apple Intelligence features the replacements are being built around.
That chip gap matters differently for living-room devices than it does for phones. Most people replace a streaming box or a smart speaker every four to six years. A chip that sits outside Apple's AI roadmap at purchase stays that way for the life of the device.
What the new models are expected to add
Not much, by Gurman's own framing. His summary for both products: "don't expect much" beyond newer chips and Siri upgrades, per MacRumors. The next Apple TV 4K is expected to look identical to the current model. The Siri Remote may be "refreshed in some form," though Gurman offered no specifics on what that would mean in practice, either visually or functionally.
The expected feature list for the new Apple TV 4K is short: Siri AI access, a revised remote of unspecified scope, and broader Apple Intelligence features, 9to5Mac summarized. Previously rumored additions include Apple's N1 chip for Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6, and Thread support, MacRumors noted in late May, though those remain unconfirmed.
For the HomePod mini, Siri access is likely the only major new feature, according to Gurman's reporting relayed by MacRumors. Other previously rumored additions include improved sound quality, a newer Ultra Wideband chip, Wi-Fi 7 via the N1 chip, and a red color option, though none of those are confirmed. No exterior redesign is expected for either device.
The revamped Siri both devices are waiting on is expected to ship as part of iOS 27, iPadOS 27, and macOS 27 this fall. Following beta testing, the new Apple TV 4K and HomePod mini should be available to purchase around September, roughly three months from now, MacRumors estimated in late May.
Who should buy now, and who should wait
If you need a streaming box right now: The current Apple TV 4K handles video playback, HomeKit control, and Apple TV+ without issue. Found at a discount from a third-party retailer below the new Apple Store price, it's still a reasonable buy. At full price direct from Apple, you're paying a premium for hardware that reports suggest will be superseded this fall.
If Siri AI or Apple Intelligence features matter to you: Wait. The replacements are reportedly finished and in advanced testing, with a September launch window tied to Apple's software release cycle, MacRumors estimated in late May. Buying now means starting with hardware that, based on current reporting, is not expected to support those features.
If you're specifically considering the HomePod mini: This is the harder call. For buyers who want a compact speaker with basic Siri functionality and no interest in Apple Intelligence, the current model at a discount still works. For anyone who expects the device to serve as a smart-home hub or keep pace with Apple's Siri platform over the next few years, waiting makes more sense. The new version is reportedly built and sitting ready. The holdup is a software release, not a supply chain.
On the rumored extras: A UWB chip in the remote, new color options for the HomePod mini, Wi-Fi 7 support interesting, but none of these should determine a purchase decision. The central question is whether the device is genuinely needed before fall. If not, the answer is clear enough.
What comes next for Apple's home lineup
The new Apple TV 4K and HomePod mini are expected this fall, 9to5Mac reported three days ago, with the launch window almost certainly tied to the September rollout of iOS 27 and the revamped Siri shipping with it. They won't arrive alone: a new full-size HomePod and an all-new smart home hub are also expected this year, both held back by the same Siri dependency, MacRumors noted in late May. The robotic arm accessory for the Home Hub, a separate product entirely, is not expected until 2027 or 2028, 9to5Mac noted.
None of these fall updates reinvent what the Apple TV 4K or HomePod mini fundamentally do. A chip upgrade and a smarter Siri are the whole story. What they represent is the entry point to Apple's AI-powered home platform going forward, which is precisely what makes today's price increase land the way it does. The current hardware gets more expensive on the same day the reports confirm it won't be the platform Apple is building toward.
For most buyers, three months is worth the wait.
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