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Roku Raises Prices of Streaming Devices By Up To 60%

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Why This Matters

Roku's recent price hikes on its streaming devices reflect ongoing supply chain challenges caused by the AI data-center boom, impacting affordability for consumers and potentially shifting market dynamics. Despite the increases, Roku aims to maintain competitiveness by offering value-added bundles and affordable options, signaling resilience amid industry shortages. This development underscores how the AI-driven chip shortage is influencing consumer electronics pricing and availability.

Key Takeaways

Roku has raised prices on several streaming devices, blaming memory and component shortages tied to the AI data-center boom. The Roku Ultra jumped from $100 to $150 and the basic Streaming Stick rose from $30 to $40. The Desk reports: In a phone call with The Desk on Friday, a Roku executive said the company made the tough decision to raise prices on its streaming hardware to address shortages in computer memory and other components caused by the artificial intelligence rush. [...] Still, the executive who spoke with The Desk on Friday said the company believes its hardware is still competitive against other streaming TV hardware because Roku devices are still priced aggressively compared to the Apple TV and other expensive streaming hardware, and the company remains focused on looking at ways to add value to its Roku platform before and after it enters a customer's home. "We are doing our best to have great deals like what we have going on right now," the executive said. "Roku is even upping the price for a bundle that includes a Streaming Stick Plus and a one-month subscription to Fox One," notes Ars Technica in a separate report. "As recently as July 20, Roku listed the bundle at $60 with a sale price of $25, according to the Internet Archive's Wayback Machine. Now, the bundle carries an $80 MSRP and $45 sale price."

Read more of this story at Slashdot.