Apple Is Developing The Ultimate Home Entertainment Bundle To Launch This Year

A few years after the release of the third-generation Apple TV 4K and the second-generation HomePod, it seems Apple is readying a refresh for both of these popular home electronics. While the company has been pretty quiet about its home initiatives, it seems this trend is about to change when these two updated devices hit the market in the coming months.

Citing a source familiar with the matter, MacRumors says Apple is still on track to release a new Apple TV 4K and a HomePod 3 later this year. If the source is correct, Apple will be building up the hype for the rumored expansion of its home entertainment products in the years ahead, which will reportedly include a smart home hub, expected for 2026.

Still, 2025 is expected to be a big year for the Apple TV and the HomePod, as the two products desperately need an upgrade to maintain their competitiveness in the home market.

The current Apple TV 4K features the A15 Bionic chip and support for HDR10+. While rumors only point to a "newer chip" coming to the next update, Apple could add the A18 processor to the set-top box. If that ends up being the case, nothing is stopping Apple from doubling the amount of RAM on this device, which might eventually lead to Apple Intelligence support.

In that case, the Apple TV would become a viable home for the new Siri expected for 2026 and other conversational Apple Intelligence features. Apple is also expected to add Wi-Fi 7 to this set-top box with its own proprietary Bluetooth and Wi-Fi chips.

Even better for consumers, analyst Ming-Chi Kuo thinks Apple could lower prices for this device to make it more competitive. For the HomePod, Apple will likely add its own custom Wi-Fi chip and a better system-on-chip to handle everyday tasks. There are rumors that the speaker could even get a display to show basic information, so an improved processor would also fit perfectly alongside these rumors.

While I currently have the latest Apple TV 4K and a pair of HomePod 2 speakers, I can't wait to upgrade my experience with newer models. These two devices together offer the pinnacle of the Apple ecosystem, as no matter how powerful my TV is, no smart TV is as fast or features an operating system as easy to use as tvOS. With big features expected to be released later this year as part of tvOS 26, Apple will continue to keep up with the latest display and audio technologies with some of its most underrated products.

Also, as mentioned above, improved specs will help lead to the release of the delayed Apple Intelligence features, including the new Siri. If that's the case, Apple could be nearing the launch of its smart home hub, which was likely impacted by those very delays. That said, if Apple can greatly improve the specs of these home products at a cheaper price point, these devices should be instant hits.