Quick Summary
Google has raised the price of its TV Streamer in the US by 50%. That makes it $149.99 from today.
The UK is so far unaffected by the price hike.
Apple will soon host its iPhone launch event, with the presentation due next week on 9 September. And while it will likely focus mainly on its first foldable – the iPhone Ultra – plus the iPhone 18 Pro, there might be one or two other products announced at the same time.
One of them could be a new Apple TV 4K streaming box. It's been four years since the current version was introduced and with Siri AI likely to be at the heart of all Apple's devices, it will need an upgrade to run it effectively.
It also couldn't really be better timed, as one of the biggest rival devices has just suffered a mighty price hike.
As originally spotted by 9to5Google, the Google TV Streamer has risen by 50% in the US, from $99 to $149.99, and that dramatically reduces one of the advantages it has over Apple's equivalent.
The current Apple TV 4K starts at $199 and is still arguably one of the best media streamers on the market. It's beautifully built, offers exceptional image and audio quality, and the operating system is more simple than the Google TV experience, in my opinion.
The only issue I've ever really had with it is price. But with a major rival bumping up its own ticket by so much, that's far less of a concern.
Indeed, if Apple can release the Apple TV upgrade at the same price as the existing units, it becomes a complete no-brainer – especially if you are more picky about AV performance.
The one caveat is that the new Google TV Streamer prices seem to have hit the US only for now. It is still available for £99 in the UK, although there's no telling how long that could last.
It still makes sense for under £100 and you might want to capitalise while you still can.
Otherwise, it might be worth holding off for the expected Siri AI-powered Apple TV 4K, which could arrive in a matter of weeks. It'll also likely be the most powerful streaming device available at launch.
We'll bring you all the news as it happens, of course.
