Upgraded box brings hundreds of streamers, games, and apps to the big screen

Apple will launch a brand-new Apple TV box this autumn, according to Bloomberg. The new set-top box is "nearly ready to launch," according to sources speaking to Mark Gurman.

The new model will replace the Apple TV 4K, which first launched in late 2022, with a redesigned Siri Remote Control that charges over USB-C, support for HDR formats like Dolby Vision and HDR10+, gigabit Ethernet for a wired internet connection, and the ability to make FaceTime calls on the big screen, to name just a few features.

The Apple TV 4K available to buy from your local Apple Store is powered by the A15 Bionic system-on-a-chip, silicon that originally launched with the iPhone 13 back in September 2021.

So, what's next for the Apple TV 4K? According to those with knowledge of the as-yet unannounced box, Apple will equip its next box with a faster system-on-a-chip to add support for its rebooted Siri AI helper announced earlier this summer.

This Artificial Intelligence (AI) assistant can securely access information stored on your device — like text messages, emails, and notes — to help you remember forgotten addresses, names, and other tidbits. Siri AI can also take action based on what you're seeing on-screen, adding numbers to your contacts or events to your calendar.

According to Bloomberg, Apple is working on a redesigned remote to ship with its new Apple TV 4K box.

Previous rumours have suggested the Find My functionality available with Apple accessories like AirPods and AirTag, allowing iPhone owners to pinpoint the location of a misplaced item with a real-time countdown, could be incorporated into the Apple TV remote. Elsewhere, whispers from within the company suggest Apple's N1 chipset, which handles Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6, and Thread support in iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone Air.

Sources speaking to Mark Gurman suggest this incoming hardware has been signed off and finished "for months," but Apple has held off a worldwide launch until its next-generation Siri is available.

Unless there is a major hiccup, Apple is expected to roll out its rebooted Siri as part of its next major operating system releases — iOS 27, watchOS 27, tvOS 27, iPadOS 27, and macOS 27 — this autumn. You can already test these features with the beta releases.

Apple increased the price of its Apple TV 4K boxes last month, increasing the entry-level model with 64GB of built-in storage from £149 to £199 (a £50 step-up), while the top-of-the-line 128GB model with gigabit Ethernet rose from £169 to £249 (a whopping £80 increase). It wasn't the only hardware that saw a price rise, with Apple's most affordable Mac ever, the MacBook Neo hiked by £100 — just a couple of months after its launch.

Apple has announced a new leasing scheme in partnership with Klarna, dubbed Apple Upgrade, which is designed to make it easier to purchase one of its newest gadgets. It lets you spread the upfront cost over multiple months, with the ability to upgrade to a newer model, pay off the remaining debts, or hand back the device during the loan period.

Elsewhere, Apple is purportedly working on a new HomePod smart speaker to spotlight Siri AI. The HomePod mini hasn't been refreshed since October 2020, so it's long overdue an update.

The next HomePod mini could be getting a surprisingly big upgrade under the hood, with an Apple Watch S9 chip or newer expected under the bonnet. That's not the only rumoured improvement, either. Reports also point to Apple's new N1 chip making an appearance, better sound quality, a newer Ultra Wideband chip for faster and more precise device finding, and even a fresh red colour option to brighten up the lineup.