Apple isn’t done launching new products this fall. Rumors point to the much-anticipated HomePod mini 2 finally coming soon, along with a next-gen Apple TV 4K.
Here’s everything we know about these upcoming home-entertainment devices.
HomePod mini 2 gets a lot smarter
Apple’s HomePod mini is a compact smart speaker designed to deliver room-filling sound despite its small size. Beyond simply playing music and podcasts, it’s powered by Siri and serves as a smart home hub, allowing users to control HomeKit devices, send intercom messages, set reminders, and get quick answers using just their voice.
The original HomePod mini premiered in 2020 — a full five years ago. Thankfully, a replacement is on the way. And it’s rumored to be a considerable upgrade.
The current version uses a relatively ancient S5 chip (from 2019). The new model will use a processor powerful enough to handle Apple Intelligence and the new AI-enhanced version of Siri that’s supposedly on the way in 2026.
Audio upgrades are a safe assumption for the HomePod mini 2. While it’s a smart home accessory, playing music and podcasts is the speaker’s primary function, and Apple today can deliver better sound than it could in 2020.
Apple’s new N1 wireless chip is expected to enable Wi-Fi 7 and Thread. Plus, a second-generation Apple Ultra Wideband (UWB) chip is rumored, which should enhance proximity features like Handoff.
HomePod mini 2 release date and price
Unfortunately, no tipster has a definite HomePod mini 2 release date. That said, it’s widely expected this fall, which would get the product on store shelves in time for the holiday shopping season.
On the other hand, if it launches now, it’ll come without a signature feature: that smarter version of Siri mentioned earlier. So Apple might hold the device until the launch of AI-enhanced Siri.
The HomePod mini 2 price is also a mystery. It’s possible it’ll stay at the current version’s $99.
A new Apple TV 4K for 2025
Apple TV 4K is Apple’s premium video streaming device that delivers 4K Dolby Vision and HDR10+ picture quality with Dolby Atmos sound. It gives users access to the range of popular streaming services. As a bonus, its Apple A15 Bionic chip enables high-end gaming via the App Store.
The third-generation Apple TV 4K launched in late 2022, so it’s three years old. Rumors indicate that a replacement is in the offing, and many of the new features might sound familiar.
While one is for audio and the other for video, HomePod mini and Apple TV 4K have much in common. That’s why it’s no surprise that the upcoming version of the digital media player is expected to get many of the same improvements as the audio player. That includes a faster A17 Pro processor that’ll offer support for Apple Intelligence and the AI-enhanced version of Siri.
Beyond AI, a newer chip could bring hardware-accelerated ray tracing for more console-quality gaming. That’s a boon for the many Apple Arcade games playable on Apple TV.
Hopefully, the fourth-generation Apple TV 4K will support the new Dolby Vision 2. This promises to automatically optimize the TV’s picture quality based on what’s being watched and the viewer’s environment.
It’s likely the digital media player will get the new Apple N1 wireless chip for support for Wi-Fi 7.
4th-gen Apple TV 4K release date and price
All the rumors point to a fourth-generation Apple TV 4K release date before the end of 2025.
The current version starts at $129. There’s no definite word on whether the price will change.
