Apple's next Apple TV 4K is set to launch in 2026 with significant upgrades. The new model will feature the A17 Pro chip, a substantial improvement over the A15 Bionic in the current Apple TV. The A17 Pro, built on a 3-nanometer process, offers faster speeds and better efficiency. It also supports hardware-accelerated ray tracing for higher-quality graphics in games and hardware-accelerated AV1 decoding for streaming content.

The launch of the new Apple TV is reportedly tied to the release of smarter Siri features in iOS 27. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reports that Apple intends to debut these Siri features, powered by Apple Intelligence, in September 2026. The updated Siri features may require more RAM and a faster chip, potentially necessitating a RAM upgrade in the new Apple TV.

The 2026 Apple TV could also include Apple's N1 networking chip with Wi-Fi 7 support, offering faster and less congested connectivity. Additionally, the device may feature Bluetooth 6 for connecting controllers and earbuds. Apple's N1 chip also supports Thread, allowing the Apple TV to serve as a Thread border router and a Matter hub for smart home devices.