The Next Apple TV 4K and HomePod mini May Look Surprisingly Familiar
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We’ve been waiting a long time for a new Apple TV 4K — and even longer for a second-generation HomePod mini — but by all accounts, they are finally just around the corner. However, if you were hoping for a redesign of either device, prepare to be disappointed, as it looks like the only significant changes will be on the inside.
New code found by MacRumors contributor Aaron Perris includes images of the upcoming devices, and to nobody’s real surprise, they look nearly identical to the third-generation Apple TV 4K and the original HomePod mini.
The current Apple TV 4K was released in 2022, and while it featured a few small but noticeable changes from its predecessor — most significantly a slight reduction in height and the removal of the letters “tv” from the top in favor of a simple Apple logo, styled much like most of Apple’s other products — it was still the little black square puck that we’ve seen for years.
The next Apple TV 4K — likely just dubbed the fourth-generation model — is expected to be a similarly featureless black box. In fact, all indications suggest it will look even more like the 2022 model than that version did to its 2021 predecessor.
That said, the unassuming exterior will belie a much more powerful core. Recent leaks have suggested Apple plans to jump to an A19 chip, putting it on par with at least the iPhone 17, although it’s not yet clear if that will be the base version or the A19 Pro.
Still, that would be somewhat consistent with the third-generation model, which used the A15 Bionic from the prior year’s iPhone 13 lineup. That was a nice leap ahead from the second-generation version of the set-top box, which came out in early 2021 with 2018-era A12 Bionic. That’s likely why Apple refreshed it only 18 months later; presumably it’s learned from that mistake and plans to keep the Apple TV 4K more future-proof going forward.
That more powerful chip means we’ll likely see integrated Siri AI support, which could also lean into some HomeKit improvements, given that the Apple TV 4K doubles as a home hub. Apple is also widely expected to use its N1 chip to provide Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6, and improved Thread support.
Meanwhile, the HomePod mini will retain its orb-like design with the biggest exterior change being some new colors. Perris’ info suggests it will come in green, pink, blue, white, and black, although Apple might come up with some more creative names for those. The HomePod mini launched in 2020 solely in space gray and white. It was refreshed the following year in orange, yellow, and blue, although the underlying hardware remained identical.
In the summer of 2024, Apple replaced space gray with midnight in what was arguably one of the most subtle product refreshes in history (although it didn’t stop Apple from issuing a press release to laud the “new” color, presumably hoping it would goose sales a bit).
Thankfully, the new shades this time around should be accompanied by some even more significant hardware changes. The HomePod mini is expected to get a new chip — possibly an S9 or newer, as it’s traditionally run on Apple Watch silicon — but it’s also possible Apple might pack in a more substantial upgrade, as it’s expected to have at least some support for Siri AI.
Several reports over the past 18 months have suggested that the new Apple TV 4K and HomePod mini have been ready to go for some time, alongside a much-rumored smart home hub, but that Apple had been forced to hold them back until Siri got smart enough. The good news is that time appears to have arrived, and with Siri AI now live in iOS 27, it shouldn’t be much longer before Apple’s home ecosystem joins in the fun.
[The information provided in this article has NOT been confirmed by Apple and may be speculation. Provided details may not be factual. Take all rumors, tech or otherwise, with a grain of salt.]
