Shubham Sawarkar
Apple has recently increased the prices of its HomePod Mini and iMac devices in the UK and some European countries. According to The Apple Post, the HomePod Mini’s price has gone from £89 to £99 in the UK, and similar €99 to €109 increases have been reported in countries such as Austria, Ireland, France, Germany, Italy, and Spain (noted by MacRumors and 9to5Mac). In New Zealand, the HomePod Mini’s price went from NZ$159.00 to NZ$179.00, while it remained unchanged in neighboring Australia. The Netherlands, however, has been paying the increased €109 price since it became available in the country in March 2022.
The iMac has also seen an increase in price in the UK, with each pre-made configuration going up by £150. In France, iMac prices went up by €100 for the base model and €110 for the other models, though they remained the same in Germany and Ireland. This price hike is unusual for Apple as the company typically raises its prices when introducing a new generation of products, such as the MacBooks and iPhones.
Apple has not yet commented on why the prices have been increased in certain locations. In the US, the HomePod Mini’s price remains at $99, the same price it launched at. While Apple did add new software features to its smart speakers this week, such as the ability to sense temperature and humidity, it is hard to argue that this justifies raising the price, especially since the hardware was already included.
Related: The full-size HomePod is back with new features
So, if you live in the UK or parts of Europe, you may have to spend a little more to purchase Apple’s HomePod Mini and iMac devices. These price increases seem to be selective and vary depending on location, with no clear pattern as to why they are happening. The reason behind these price hikes remains a mystery as Apple has yet to comment on the matter.
