Apple’s new Apple TV 4K and HomePod Mini 2 both have chips that support Siri AI. Their software arrives on different schedules. According to The Verge’s reports from Apple’s October 13 event, the streaming box will ship with Siri AI in beta, while the speaker will need a later software update.
Both devices are available to preorder today. The Mini ships first, on October 30. The Apple TV follows on November 13.
| Device | US price | Chip | Siri AI availability |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fourth-generation Apple TV 4K | $299 | A19 | Beta at its November 13 launch |
| HomePod Mini 2 | $149 | S10 | Later software update, with no date given in the report |
Apple TV adds hands-free requests
The new Apple TV 4K has far-field microphones, so users can talk to Siri without holding the remote. Apple says Siri AI can understand natural-language requests for viewing recommendations. Its answers appear on the television as search results or text bubbles, rather than spoken responses.
Personal context requires an Apple Intelligence-capable iPhone. Apple’s example is a request to play a show a friend recommended by text. Siri uses information from the phone to find the recommendation.
The box also adds Find My to the Siri Remote. It can ring to help users locate it, and Bluetooth channel sounding supports precise location tracking through an iPhone. The new model has 128GB of storage, Ethernet, Thread and Matter support, plus Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6.
HomePod’s chip is ready before its AI software
The HomePod Mini 2 moves to the S10 chip, but buyers will wait for Apple to enable Siri AI. The upgrade requires an Apple Intelligence-capable iPhone. Apple says existing first-generation HomePod Minis will not receive Siri AI.
Apple’s examples for the updated assistant include checking a calendar to set a birthday reminder and finding music recommendations in text messages. Personal context on the Mini will use voice recognition to restrict access to the user’s information.
Siri AI on both new devices is planned for English in the US, UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, South Africa and India.
The Mini’s other changes include lights that match a song’s album art and a persistent AirPlay connection that lets it act as a Mac’s default speaker. The Verge reports that the Mac audio capability works on models with Wi-Fi 6E or higher. Apple describes the speaker’s sound as the same as the original Mini’s.
The new Apple TV can pair with four compatible speakers for surround sound. Buyers can use four Mini 2s, four second-generation full-sized HomePods, or one pair of each. Each pair must use matching speaker models. This four-speaker capability is exclusive to the new Apple TV.
