(Credit: Will Greenwald)
Apple is reportedly getting ready to launch the new Apple TV 4K and HomePod mini later this year.
According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, both products have been ready for months, and employees have been actively using them at the company’s Cupertino headquarters. The only thing delaying the devices' launch is the AI features they are supposed to work with.
Some of the AI features Apple announced for Siri at WWDC 2024 have yet to debut on its machines. The company is facing multiple lawsuits over the delay, and it recently settled a false-advertising lawsuit involving the feature, agreeing to pay $250 million to impacted customers.
Those AI features are also almost ready, and Apple may debut them this fall, according to Gurman. He adds that the refreshed HomePod mini and Apple TV 4K “were designed to launch in tandem with the new Siri and Apple Intelligence updates.” So if the software is ready, the compatible hardware shouldn’t be far away.
Apple last updated the Apple TV 4K with the A15 Bionic in 2022, while the HomePod mini has been using the S5 chip since its 2020 debut. The rumored refreshes slated for this year will mostly revolve around internal upgrades. The Apple TV 4K is expected to get the A17 Pro chip, while the HomePod mini is expected to get the S9 chip. Gurman’s report also mentions that Apple TV’s Siri Remote could get some internal changes.
The other product Apple has long been rumored to be developing is a rival to Meta Ray-Ban smart glasses. Codenamed N50, the product was previously expected to be unveiled late this year and made available early next year. Due to developmental challenges, the timeline has now been shifted toward the end of 2027, sources tell Gurman.
With its AI smart glasses, Apple doesn’t expect to just eat into Meta’s market, the report adds. Apple expects to disrupt the entire eyewear market and compete with brands that sell sunglasses between $200 and $500, such as Ray-Ban, Oakley, Chanel, Tommy Hilfiger, and Hugo Boss.