Apple TV 4K is expected to receive its first hardware refresh in nearly four years, with reports pointing to a fall 2026 launch. Bloomberg reported in late July that a new Apple TV and Home Pod mini are "nearly ready to launch" as part of Apple's broader smart home push. The current third-generation Apple TV 4K debuted in October 2022 with the A15 Bionic chip.

The clearest expected hardware upgrade is a move from the A15 Bionic to the A17 Pro, the same chip introduced with iPhone 15 Pro. Beyond making tvOS faster, A17 Pro is the oldest iPhone-class chip capable of supporting Apple Intelligence. Bloomberg says the next Apple TV will support Apple's new Siri, potentially bringing other Apple Intelligence features to the television.

The new Apple TV 4K is also expected to use Apple's N1 wireless networking chip, which could bring support for Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6, and Thread. The current model is limited to Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.0. Apple is also reportedly considering a refreshed Siri Remote with improved Find My support.

Price remains one of the biggest unanswered questions, especially after Apple recently increased the price of the existing Apple TV 4K from $129 to $199 for the 64GB model. With inventory changes happening quickly, waiting may be the best option for consumers.