New Apple TV 4K May Add Hands-Free Siri and a Remote Speaker

It wasn’t long ago that rumours began swirling that Apple would hold events this October. Now, Apple has confirmed the first one, which takes place tomorrow. The second, though, is yet to be confirmed. 

That means we’ll likely see three products at the October 13 event: a new smart home hub, a HomePod mini, and a refreshed Apple TV. 

The two most interesting changes coming to the Apple TV aren’t about picture quality or processing power, but how you can talk to it and how you find the remote.

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We might see three new home devices arriving on October 13, and more Macs following later this month.

TechloyOgbonda Chivumnovu

The two main upgrades with the refreshed Apple TV

According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, Apple has tested built-in microphones for the Apple TV, so you can speak Siri commands to the box without using the remote. It has also tested a new Siri Remote with a built-in speaker, so you can find it when it’s lost between the couch cushions.

Right now, if you want to use Siri on Apple TV, you have to speak into the Siri Remote or a paired HomePod. That’s fine until the remote is buried under a blanket or the HomePod is in another room.

Built-in microphones on the Apple TV box itself would let you say “Hey Siri” from across the room. They would also make the Apple TV a more capable smart home hub, letting you control thermostats and lock doors by voice without hunting for the remote.

The current Siri Remote has a basic “Find” feature, but a built-in speaker would be a big upgrade. It could play an audio alert to guide you to the remote, whether it got kicked under the couch or hidden in a drawer by a child.

The specs

The new Apple TV 4K is reportedly getting an A19 chip and 8GB of RAM, enough to support Siri AI and Apple Intelligence features.

The new HomePod mini is expected to come in pink, white, green, blue, and midnight. Its main upgrade is a newer chip for Siri AI support.

Apple has trailed Amazon and Google in the smart home for years. The HomePod struggled, and the Apple TV hasn’t been updated since 2022. This is Apple’s attempt to catch up. The new HomeView smart display is reportedly the headline product, while the Apple TV and HomePod mini are the supporting cast, extending Siri AI into more rooms of the house.