Apple is set to refresh its home devices, including the HomePod mini and Apple TV 4K, with new hardware aimed at enhancing Siri’s functionality across the home, complemented by an upcoming central smart-home hub.
Apple is preparing a wider refresh of its home devices after clearing a major obstacle in Siri development, according to 3DNews. The company’s HomePod mini and Apple TV 4K are expected to be among the first products to benefit, with updated hardware aimed less at raw performance than at making the new generation of Siri usable across the home.
For the HomePod mini, the reported changes are modest but important. 3DNews says Apple plans to replace the current S5 chip with an S9 or newer processor, and may add fresh colour options. The speaker is also expected to gain Apple’s new N1 wireless chip, first seen in the iPhone last year, which should improve connectivity. Apple’s own product materials show the HomePod mini already supports voice recognition for multiple family members, personalised requests and smart-home control, and the reported chip upgrade appears designed to bring those features into line with the redesigned Siri experience.
The Apple TV 4K is also due for an update, with the existing A15 Bionic reportedly giving way to an A17 Pro. That is not a cutting-edge chip by smartphone standards, but it should be sufficient for a television box and would allow Apple to extend Siri AI and some Apple Intelligence features to the set-top box. 3DNews also says Apple is expected to change the remote control design. Apple’s current support materials already show Siri is deeply embedded in Apple TV navigation, search and playback control, which makes the assistant upgrade strategically important.
The broader plan goes beyond both devices. According to 3DNews, Apple is working on a central smart-home hub in two forms: one wall-mounted with a magnetic system, the other attached to a speaker base in the style of Google Nest Hub. The hub is said to feature a 7-inch square display, run a new homeOS and support FaceTime, Siri and smart-home controls. It is expected to use an A18 chip and could arrive between October and early next year, potentially alongside the HomePod mini and Apple TV refresh.
Apple is also said to be planning a new full-size HomePod with a more capable processor for Siri support, although no launch window has been given. Looking further ahead, 3DNews reports that the company is targeting early 2027 for a security camera and a smart video doorbell. If accurate, that would mark a shift from software support for the smart home to Apple building more of the hardware itself.
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