Apple is pricing the HomePod Mini and certain iMac configurations in Europe

Apple has decided to raise prices for the HomePod Mini and iMac in some countries, much to the surprise of customers who were not notified in advance. The speaker increased from £89 to £99 in the UK, and a similar increase from €99 to €109, was recorded in other European countries such as Austria, Ireland, France, Germany, Italy and Spain. In the case of the iMac, in the UK, each pre-configured configuration increased by £150. In France, iMac prices increased by €100 for the base model and by €110 for other models, but were unchanged in Germany and Ireland.

Apple continues its wave of price hikes into 2023

Apple has offered no official justification for these price increases, leaving customers and analysts to speculate about the reasons for the decision. Some theories suggest that they could be related to currency fluctuations as well as higher production costs, while others suggest that they could simply be price adjustments to maximize profits.

It’s important to note that these aren’t the first price increases Apple has implemented recently. The iPhone 14 entered the market at a higher price than its predecessor in some European countries, while the iPad Mini 6 received a €100 price increase a year after launch. Incidentally, in the Netherlands, the HomePod Mini only launched last year at the “new” price of €109, so Apple would have given some indication that a price increase was coming.

At this point, it’s unclear whether the price hikes will be permanent, or temporary, until the market stabilizes. What is certain is that they come at an inopportune time for many consumers in the current climate of economic uncertainty.

HomePod Mini recently received new functionality

It’s important to note that this price increase came shortly after Apple enabled new software features on the HomePod Mini, such as temperature and humidity sensors. However, the features were added via a software update, with hardware already included since the device’s launch two years ago.

Meanwhile, in the US, the HomePod Mini remains priced at $99, the same price it has been since its original launch. Neither the iPhone 14 nor other products in Apple’s portfolio have been affected by price increases in the company’s home country.