Rumors point to an updated version of the HomePod mini and a new Apple TV 4K coming this year. What’s holding them up? The same thing that’s been giving Apple problems for years: AI.
Here’s what to expect from these two smart home accessories, and why Apple’s struggles with artificial intelligence have kept them off the market.
AI may be delaying new HomePod mini and Apple TV 4K hardware
While fresh iPhone and MacBook models launch annually, there are longer gaps between other Apple products. These are in categories where the tech isn’t evolving quickly, so Apple couldn’t really improve on something released a couple of years earlier.
There’s no better example than the HomePod mini. This smart speaker launched in 2020, and still works well enough. But it’s apparently not up to the AI-enhanced version of Siri coming this fall with iOS 27 and macOS 27. So the HomePod mini 2 is in development.
And the same is supposedly true for the Apple TV 4K that first hit store shelves in 2022. It’s apparently in need of better hardware to handle the smarter Siri version. Expect a 2026 revamp.
HomePod mini 2 and a smarter Siri
Apple’s Siri voice assistant got left behind in the AI revolution. Compared to Google Gemini or OpenAI ChatGPT, it’s as dumb as a bag of hammers. But leaks coming from Cupertino point to Siri getting a considerable upgrade in the fall.
Thanks to an AI upgrade, expect Siri to be far more conversational, capable of handling follow-up questions, understanding personal context and carrying out more complex multi-step tasks.
That should be ideal for the HomePod mini 2. Smart speakers are designed for voice control, and giving Apple’s an AI chatbot makes it vastly more useful.
Instead of requiring pre-programmed commands like “Turn off the kitchen lights,” users may be able to speak more naturally with requests like “Set the house for bedtime,” with Siri understanding that it should dim lights, lock doors, adjust thermostats and arm security systems. Rumors also suggest Apple wants Siri to better recognize different users, understand daily routines and become more proactive.
And, of course, a chatbot can be a fount of knowledge on everything from weather forecasts to TV trivia.
Upgrading Apple TV 4K 2026 with AI
Apple’s new AI features will reportedly extend beyond Siri, and there’ll surely be benefits for the Apple TV 4K models expected later in 2026.
The streaming device could get much better at recommending content, for example. Instead of just opening the Netflix app, a user could ask for “Funny sci-fi movies I haven’t watched already.”
And an Apple TV 4K that’s fully integrated with AI should be able to handle “Jump back to the scene where they first meet the Sith lord.”
More hardware improvements
These new AI features should be enabled with faster processors in both devices. The HomePod mini 2 might be upgraded to an S9 chip — a significant upgrade for the current S5. At the same time, the 2026 version of the Apple TV 4K 2026 could jump from the A15 to the A17 Pro processor.
Of course, the smart speaker will get upgraded audio quality — Apple today can deliver better sound than it could in 2020. And Apple’s new N1 wireless chip is expected to enable Wi-Fi 7 and Thread. Plus, the second-generation Apple Ultra Wideband (UWB) chip should enhance proximity features like Handoff.
The faster processor in Apple’s video streamer should make it better at playing Apple Arcade games thanks to hardware-accelerated ray tracing for more console-quality graphics. Wireless networking upgrades are likely for it, as well.
Hopefully, the 2026 Apple TV 4K will support Dolby Vision 2. This promises to automatically optimize the TV’s picture quality based on what’s being watched and the viewer’s environment.
When to expect the new Apple TV 4K and HomePod mini 2 launch date
It should be obvious that the signature features of the 2026 Apple TV 4K and the HomePod mini 2 will be AI-related. Which means the devices cannot launch before September, when Apple starts rolling out its artificial intelligence features in iOS 27, macOS 27, etc.
Perhaps the devices will get a mention at WWDC 2026, but it’s more likely Apple won’t say a thing until its big event in September when the iPhone 18 Pro models get unveiled.
As for pricing, Apple is probably hoping to keep the costs the same. If it can, the 2026 Apple TV 4K will have a starting price of $129, and the HomePod mini 2
will come in at $99.
Ed Hardy has been writing full-time about tech for 25 years, and using it for much longer than that. His intro to Apple was a Macintosh SE/30 (which he still has), but now he uses a 13-inch iPad Pro as his primary computer.
That’s because he’s a “tablet first” type of guy. Rather than use a Macbook, he connects a keyboard case to the iPad. And instead of a desktop Mac, he connects his tablet to a 27-inch display and full-size keyboard. (So don’t try to tell him that everyone has to use a Mac to be productive.)
Before coming to Cult of Mac, Ed wrote for NotebookReview, TabletPCReview and Brighthand, as well as other sites.
