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Liked by 6 people Hoping there will be a Black Friday discount. The thing is only shipping a week or two before Black Friday, so I've decided to wait until then in case there's a price drop or some other promotion.

The 4th-gen Apple TV 4K has been launched at an eye-opening price of $299 (and only a little less on Amazon). You do get some new features for your money, including built-in microphones, an upgraded remote, and support for surround sound with the HomePod mini 2. But the tech world consensus appears to be that almost nobody should buy this model, especially given you’ll get Siri AI support with a 2nd- or 3rd-gen box. You can buy entire large-screen TVs for less.

Tech journalist Glenn Fleishman put together a chart showing that the price increase is well above inflation when upgrading from almost any of the previous models. That’s true from the 2nd-gen Apple TV, which went on sale at $99, through to the 3rd-gen Apple TV 4K at a launch price of $129.

But the same comprehensive chart also shows that things could have been very much worse. The very first Apple TV box went on sale at $299 way back in 2007. Adjusted for inflation, that’s the equivalent of $491 today …

Expand Close comments Expand Close comments Guides Apple TV 4K Author Ben Lovejoy benlovejoy Ben Lovejoy is a British technology writer and EU Editor for 9to5Mac. He’s known for his op-eds and diary pieces, exploring his experience of Apple products over time, for a more rounded review. He also writes fiction, with two technothriller novels, a couple of SF shorts and a rom-com!