Apple’s long-delayed refresh of its TV and smart speaker lineup is moving forward this fall, with both the next Apple TV 4K and HomePod mini confirmed to launch in October 2026. The current Apple TV 4K arrived in October 2022 (four years ago), while the HomePod mini dates to October 2020 (six years ago). The entire delay stems from Apple’s redesign of Siri itself, the company refused to launch these products until the redesigned AI assistant was ready.
A19 Pro and S9 Chips, Wi-Fi 7, and October Launch Confirmed
According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, the new Apple TV 4K is expected to use an A19 or A19 Pro chip, a major step up from the current A15 Bionic. The HomePod mini will move to an Apple Watch S9 chip or newer. Both devices are expected to include the N1 wireless chip for Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6, and Thread support. The Apple TV is also getting 8GB or 12GB of RAM, doubling the current 4GB. Neither device will receive a major design overhaul.
Gurman reports that Apple retail stores are already preparing shelf changes to accommodate these products and adding accessory bays to showcase them. The timing suggests an October announcement, likely alongside other 2026 releases: a 14-inch MacBook Pro with M6, an M6 iMac, and an iPad mini with OLED.
Why Siri’s Redesign Held Everything Back
The hardware itself has been ready for months and is already in active use by employees at Apple’s Cupertino headquarters. What held the launch: Siri. Apple could not ship products around a redesigned AI assistant until that assistant was complete. The new, more personalized Siri is expected to debut alongside iOS 27 and related OS updates later this year.
I am told the hardware for the next Apple TV set-top box and HomePod mini has been done for months and that both devices are already in active use among employees at the company’s headquarters in Cupertino, California.
This constraint reveals how deeply Siri’s overhaul was tied to Apple’s entire smart home strategy, making both devices hostage to a single software component.
Better Chips, Faster Networking, No Major Redesign
The HomePod mini is expected to support at least some Siri AI and Apple Intelligence capabilities when paired with a compatible iPhone. The Siri Remote may receive a refresh, though details remain vague. HomePod mini rumors also point to improved sound quality, a newer Ultra Wideband chip, and a red color option.
Current pricing already reflects the wait, the Apple TV now starts at $199 (up from $129), and the HomePod mini sits at $129 (up from $99). New models will likely ship at these price points or higher.
The Smart Home Hub May Arrive at the Same Time
The scale of Apple’s retail store preparations suggests a third device is launching alongside these two: the long-rumored smart home hub with a 7-inch display. That device will reportedly run homeOS, a new operating system based on tvOS, and it will be available in both tabletop and wall-mounted versions. A simultaneous three-product launch would mark Apple’s largest smart home push since it first prioritized the category.
