With the lack of actual feature improvements over the prior generation, I'm thinking this was just a way for Apple to increase the price to help compensate for the increased RAM/CPU costs these days. Sitting on the shelf next to to the 2022 model, the 2026 doesn't look compelling at all, but once the 2022 stock is gone, the new price will be the only option.

We're still using a 2017 model AppleTV 4k. Since getting the better Function101 remote replacements, Its still doing everything we need and we don't feel the need to upgrade.