This morning Apple took the Apple Online Store offline – and it was available again around 9:15 am. At first there was no innovation, but Apple apparently started a new campaign regarding the Apple TV. When purchasing an Apple TV HD or Apple TV 4K, the customer receives a gift card worth 50 euros.
Apple TV 4K and HD
The offer is valid for both the old Apple TV HD (in store for 159 euros) as well as for the Apple TV 4K (209 Euro im Apple Store). However, the billing is a bit strange: The customer buys the Apple TV for the full price – and here a special discount of 50 euros is deducted. In addition, the customer purchases a gift card worth 50 euros. This also becomes difficult with a possible return: Here the customer is billed for the gift card afterwards, but the full price of the Apple TV is refunded. The offer is limited to two devices per buyer and runs until August 15, 2022. The gift card cannot be used by the customer to reduce the purchase of the Apple TV, but can only be redeemed against a future Apple Store purchase.
Sale before launch or discontinuation?
It is still completely unclear where Apple wants to go with the Apple TV: modern televisions come with many functionalities such as support for Apple TV+ and AirPlay directly, without the need for a set-top box or a stick. Only the App Store is a major unique selling point of the Apple TV. Unfortunately, the company does not announce how many customers actually choose an Apple TV.
Therefore, it has been rumored for many years that Apple will bury the Apple TV as the market for such add-on solutions dwindles. Whether the price campaign is a first harbinger of a possible cessation will only become apparent in the coming months. It is also possible that Apple will launch a new version of the Apple TV in the fall and want to empty the warehouse beforehand.