Fetch TV has increased the price of the Fetch Gen4 Mighty set top box by $100, telling WhistleOut supply costs are to blame.
“The decision to adjust the price on our Fetch Gen4 Mighty device was made after careful consideration of PVR market dynamics and the rising costs associated with creating a unique high-quality product in relatively low volumes on a global level," said a Fetch spokesperson.
"The device includes several specialised, high-performance components, such as a constantly-spinning, shock-resistant hard disk, which is essential for its real-time PVR functionality. The scarcity of these components has directly impacted our production costs."
This isn't the first time the Mighty has gone up in price. The device launched at $449 in 2022, and subsequently increased to $499 a couple of years later, and now sits at $599. Fetch TV says the current price adjustment will allow further investment into the platform, content, and user experience.
The increase has hit most Fetch TV retailers, although the extent varies. JB Hi-Fi is selling the Mighty for $549, Harvey Norman for $595, and MyDeal for $599. Only the majority owner of the platform, Telstra, holds a cheaper rate. At the time of writing Telstra is still selling the Fetch Gen4 Mighty for $396 on a 24-month plan, and the telco confirmed it has no plans to increase this price.
Fetch isn't the only supplier tackling rising manufacturing costs. MacRumors projections suggest the iPhone 17 will also go up by $50 - $100USD due to tariffs on device components. Both Microsoft and Sony increased the price on existing consoles like the Xbox Series X, and the PlayStation 5 earlier this year, with Microsoft citing "given market conditions and the rising cost of development". It is likely these market conditions refer to Donald Trump's aggressive (and still hypothetical) tariffs on Chinese-made goods.
The proposed (and subsequently delayed) 145% tariff imposed on importing Chinese goods into the US is likely the cause of the increase in hardware costs across the board. While Australia isn't directly affected by the exchange, analysts suspect the global increases by manufacturers are in part due to currency fluctuations, and in part are being used to dampen the overall effect on US consumers.
This article has been updated since its original publication to include comment from Telstra.
Anula Wiwatowska
Offsite Editorial Lead | Instagram
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