The topic Report: New Apple TV, HomePod mini set to launch this fall; Siri Remote ‘refresh’… is currently the subject of lively discussion — readers and analysts are keeping a close eye on developments.
This is taking place in a dynamic environment: companies’ decisions and competitors’ reactions can quickly change the picture.
If you’ve been following rumors consistently, you likely know that a next-generation Apple TV 4K and HomePod mini have been on the cusp of release for quite some time.
These refreshes have been held back for many, many months because they were designed to launch in tandem with the new Siri and Apple Intelligence updates. That software is now scheduled for this fall, following numerous delays.
Gurman’s reporting doesn’t specify what new chips will be going into which new products. However, it’s largely believed that the Apple TV 4K will be getting a bump from the A15 chip to the A17 Pro chip, and the HomePod mini will get a bump from the S5 chip to the S9 chip.
A17 Pro will give Apple TV 4K the juice to run Apple’s models locally, but the S9 chip most definitely cannot, so any new Apple Intelligence features on HomePod mini would likely be reliant on cloud streaming.
Outside of the newer chipsets, the new Apple TV 4K may come with a new Siri Remote, though it’s unclear how substantial the changes will be. It could be an internal refresh or an all-new design:
There is, I’m told, a possibility the remote will be refreshed in some form, but the box itself will look similar to the current version, which is an incarnation of the 2010 industrial design. (And even the remote update could just be a minor change inside the accessory, rather than something noticeable.)
While we can’t say for certain until WWDC actually takes place, it does sound like Apple finally has its AI rollout in order. Largely in thanks to its new deal with Google to use licensed Gemini models on Private Cloud Compute, some level of internal reorganization, and a lot more time to work on it.
If all goes according to the data plan, though, updated versions of the Apple TV 4K and HomePod mini should be debuting this fall.
Are you going to pick up a new Apple TV 4K or HomePod mini? Do you even care about Apple Intelligence? Let us know in the comments.