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Apple Increases HomePod Mini Price in Several European Countries
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If I were even remotely interested in smart speakers, I certainly wouldn't choose Siri. 
Two days ago I had to buy an Apple Pencil 1 gen for an iPad mini: a 2015 product sold 8 years after 120€, when until recently it cost 99€. There is no inflation or exchange rate on an old product that keeps its price and raises it when it is about to be canceled. The same happens with HomePod mini: a 26-month-old product resold with an increase of €10 to enable two sensors already present in 2021. I'm not talking about European prices because Apple deserves daily robberies just for the sake of blowing up the revenge plans it's implementing for the usb-c regulations. In America I think you've taken a taste to make you steal $ 2000 a year for a phone that is always the same (In fact no, it keeps getting worse), At least those of you who don't receive it as a gift (That on this forum, to read the messages, are the most), And think that the world must adapt to the fantasies of the management and the owners of Apple shares, otherwise this defense is not explained to the bitter end of a company that no longer knows what quality is, but continues to make it expensive.And I say this as a customer over thirty years of those phenomena in Cupertino.
Apple has lowered prices in the past, this includes device and App Store prices, due to currency exchange fluctuations.
Inflation is lowering, at least in some countries, but that doesn't mean we're seeing negative inflation (or deflation). Inflation remains high in many countries around the world.
Exchange rates and inflation can still be a factor as there are still materials, production, shipping, marketing, etc. costs involved with products – even older ones. As I stated, the recent HomePod mini price increase in various European countries has simply brought it up closer to (but is still less than!) Apple price in the U.S.
Usa prices do not include VAT, European prices do. So, no, the difference between the one sold in the US and the one sold in Europe cost roughly the same to the user.
Maybe it’s for the better. Look what happened to Tesla when they lowered their prices lol.
Kidding. But I think Apple has lowered prices of some things.
Disappointed with the price hikes. Similar situation for HomePod mini and iMacs in India.
This is exactly what happened in Japan.
Last April, the US dollar started to appreciate against basically all other foreign currencies, so despite the fact that their overseas labour costs and materials costs (also sourced overseas) did not increase by the same amount, they nevertheless increased prices in direct accordance with the US$'s rise.
In June, Apple raised prices by 25-40% depending on item, mid cycle, I might add.
But now, the exchange rate is falling below the June 22 level, but Apple have not reduced the price back down. again.
I know that the Japan Yen powered about 30% up against the dollar down to below 80 yen a dollar back in about 2010, Japan prices only even dropped at the introduction of new products.
Strangely, the salary of Japanese Apple Store employees did not increase... Odd that.
Prices can go up anytime... come down? Noooot so much.
They are your fantasies: the costs of production, marketing etc have been completely absorbed on a product presented 8 years ago and about to be decommissioned, also because if this were not the case, the company that succeeds in such a masterpiece would have failed for 5 years already, and I don't think this is Apple's situation or Cook's entire career. Apple is speculating enormously, inflation and exchange rates are excuses.
I don’t know. Apple is really good at creating demand, so the fact that people want their products, and therefore are saddened by any price increase, is not simply ‘whining’.
Imagine a world where hanging out with people you enjoy being with, would cost you money and your best ‘friends’ just raised prices for hanging out with them, you’d be saddened too.
I know it’s a crazy example, but companies like Apple are pulling on us psychologically, or at least on the ones of us that are vulnerable for it.
Being really good at creating demand while being also really good at charging the utmost for what you’re offering, will always mean that there’s negative energy around your price point. So whose fault is that. The creator of such demand, or the non-robotic people that whine when you increase prices.
Every time this happens I’m mad but then I’m forced to remember that if I take off our sky high VAT (22% for Italy) the price is unfortunately very much correct
The price of the HomePod Mini after tax is 109€ but the price before tax is 89,34 €.
$99 at the time of writing is 91,40 €, so technically speaking Apple is charging slightly less than the current exchange rate.
I swear tho, companies just use to set their prices at a 1:1 ratio back in the day
We used to complain about this but now I feel like I want to go back to that…
EDIT: I should clarify this is about Europe, I haven’t done the same math with the UK
The price of the HomePod Mini after tax is 109€ but the price before tax is 89,34 €.
$99 at the time of writing is 91,40 €, so technically speaking Apple is charging slightly less than the current exchange rate.
I swear tho, companies just use to set their prices at a 1:1 ratio back in the day
We used to complain about this but now I feel like I want to go back to that…
EDIT: I should clarify this is about Europe, I haven’t done the same math with the UK
If you take the £99 UK price, take off the 20% VAT (£79.2), and convert to dollars (98 US) you’ll be within a dollar of the US price for the homepod. You’re complaining about VAT, which is not something Apple can do anything about.