4 Ways Your Apple TV Is Changing In 2026

The last time consumers got news about Apple TV hardware was when the company announced the 2022 Apple TV 4K model. Its third-generation set-top box was released with up to 128GB of storage, an Ethernet port, Apple's A15 Bionic chip, and a USB-C Siri Remote. While rumors suggest a new Apple home entertainment product is on the horizon, the current model is still the best way to enjoy streaming services. As a bonus, it also gives you the complete Apple experience with Apple Fitness+, the Apple Music catalog, and games that can be played with an Xbox or PlayStation controller.

On the software side, Apple has been changing the Apple TV brand a lot. For example, the streaming service previously known as Apple TV+ has ditched the plus sign, and its app has also been tweaked to accommodate the platform's rebrand and iOS 26 changes. With all that in mind, we have some clues about the ways Apple TV is changing in 2026 and why it feels like it will be the year of smart home products for Apple.

Several reports in the past year implied Apple was readying a new Apple TV 4K (via MacRumors). The latest rumors suggest the company is adding the A17 Pro chip to this set-top box, which is the same processor available on the iPhone 15 Pro and iPad mini 7. According to Apple, the A17 Pro offers a huge performance boost, as the chip delivers faster CPU and GPU, as well as a Neural Engine that's up to two times faster.

While Apple could follow the trend in the previous generation and offer this device with one less CPU core, the A17 Pro that comes with the iPad mini 7 has a six-core CPU, with two performance cores and four efficiency cores. These devices gain a 30% processor boost and a 25% jump in graphics performance compared to the sixth-generation iPad mini with A15 Bionic.

That said, even though the Apple TV might not receive a redesign, improved internal specs could make this device even faster, smarter, and ready for the latest image and audio capabilities. As a bonus, it can become a proper hub for everything smart home-related.

If Apple adds the A17 Pro chip, the company could increase Apple TV's RAM to 8GB, which is the minimum required to handle Apple Intelligence. Even though Apple doesn't specifically mention this Apple Intelligence requirement, every device that currently supports its AI platform meets this minimum. More interestingly, devices that didn't support Apple Intelligence and got an upgrade recently, such as the iPad mini with A17 Pro, also had an increase in RAM from 4GB to 8GB due to the more demanding tasks. More RAM could also make the Apple TV handle multitasking better, improve game performance, and make general navigation smoother.

While users shouldn't expect Writing Tools or Image Generation on the Apple TV, it would make sense if this set-top box gets unveiled around iOS 26.4 next year, as that's when Apple is expected to launch an all-new Siri. Due to internal issues in testing and releasing a new personal assistant, several Apple product launches have been delayed.

Besides an improved processor and more RAM, another spec change that could be coming with the next Apple TV is Apple's proprietary N1 chip. This modem is responsible for connectivity functions, as it handles Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. Introduced with the iPhone 17, this wireless chip enables Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6, and Thread support. Apple says this chip is also responsible for improved and more reliable wireless functionalities, such as Personal Hotspot and AirDrop.

Although it's unclear if Apple might adopt the N1 chip in the new Apple TV 4K, this could be a great improvement over the current connectivity standards, as the third-generation Apple TV 4K features Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.0, and Thread technology only on the model with more storage. Another long-awaited feature for Apple TV users is a Siri Remote with a Precision Find chip, which would make sense for Apple to finally add to a newer model.

It's not just the Apple TV box that might change in 2026. After all, an improved Apple TV 4K can also lead the way for more changes to the Apple TV streaming under the hood. Even though Apple makes the app available on almost every device, watching Apple originals with a pair of HomePods and Apple's set-top box is a great experience.

With the release of a new Apple TV in 2026 and Apple pushing its sports offering, as it became the official streaming partner for the new Formula 1 season in the U.S., the company might announce a new sports tier or new sports functionality inside the app. Features like multi-cam support could become exclusive to the new Apple TV to lure new customers.

After all, with sports being the main driver of Apple TV subscriptions in 2025, and the company offering Major League Baseball and Major League Soccer as part of the Apple TV subscription, this is a great moment to push on a more capable set-top box, which can improve users' smart TVs and deeply integrate other Apple products with it.

Apple's set-top box continues to be the best device to improve your TV experience. After all, the Apple TV is fast, reliable, and full of apps, which all make it worth it even if you already have a smart TV.

That said, if someone gives you an Apple TV 4K this Christmas, you should definitely be grateful. However, if you're planning to buy one in the near future, I'd recommend waiting for the next generation, as the new model might introduce a new smart home era for Apple: one a lot smarter and with new features thanks to improved specs.

That said, other rumors suggest Apple wants to keep decreasing the Apple TV price, and if it turns out to be right, the company will offer a better device with a lot more features at a more affordable price. The new Apple TV could be released in early 2026, and it might even be unveiled close to a third-generation HomePod, the HomePod mini 2, or Apple's rumored new smart home devices.