Apple's upcoming HomePod mini is said to come with a new chip capable of supporting Apple’s latest AI-powered features.
The current Apple TV runs on the A15 chip
Apple's next-generation Apple TV and HomePod mini have been in the rumour mill for quite some time now, with both products overdue for an update. Apple has yet to confirm their existence officially, but Bloomberg's Mark Gurman has now offered hints about their possible launch timeline. The new Apple TV is claimed to feature a new chipset, and it may come with a new Siri Remote. The current Apple TV was launched in 2022 with the A15 Bionic chip. The existing HomePod mini runs on the seven-year-old S5 processor.
In the latest edition of his weekly Power On newsletter, Gurman said the new Apple TV set-top box and HomePod mini hardware are ready to hit the shelves soon. Development of both devices was completed a few months ago, and the new models are currently actively used by Apple employees at the company's headquarters in Cupertino, California.
The release of the new Apple TV and HomePod mini has reportedly been delayed because Apple originally planned to introduce the refreshed hardware alongside Siri and Apple Intelligence. These software updates, which have faced multiple delays, are now expected to arrive this fall.
The journalist claims that there will be no major changes for the Apple TV beyond an updated chip. The new model is said to address the performance issues of the current 2022 model Apple TV, which runs on a five-year-old A15 chip. Gurman notes that Apple may refresh the remote in some form, but the box itself will look similar to the current version, which is an incarnation of the 2010 industrial design. This hints at the possibility of Apple TV bundled with a new Siri Remote.
The new HomePod mini, internally known as B525, will reportedly get the same treatment. The key highlight of the new model will be a new chip capable of supporting Apple's latest AI-powered features, replacing the old S5 processor that debuted seven years ago.
All these rumours about Apple TV and HomePod mini hint at Apple refreshing its home-device lineup after years. The brand is also said to be working on a smart home hub featuring a display and facial recognition technology.
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