The new Apple TV 4K is likely just weeks away ‣ Diverse Daily

Looking back, it’s almost hard to believe that it’s been nearly four years since Apple launched its current third-gen Apple TV 4K. After years of rumors and reports that the company is working on a brand-new model, though, it finally looks like the wait is almost over.

Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman has previously reported that Apple does indeed have a new Apple TV 4K coming, but the main thing holding the company back from releasing it was Siri. For a while now, the next Apple TV 4K has been expected to support Apple Intelligence and Apple’s new AI-powered Siri, which the company first showed off at WWDC 2024. However, Apple’s new version of Siri has faced numerous delays, and it wasn’t until WWDC 2026 this past June — two years after its initial announcement — that Apple finally confirmed it would launch this fall with iOS 27 under the name Siri AI.

Gurman has long reported that Apple wants to use its new Apple TV 4K as a showcase for Siri AI and new Apple Intelligence features, so despite reportedly having the hardware ready, the company has been waiting for its software to catch up. Now that Siri AI is set to launch this fall, Gurman reported earlier this month that a new Apple TV 4K is “nearly ready to launch,” with sources he spoke with at Apple saying it “will be ready this fall.” That means we could see a new Apple TV 4K launch in just a matter of weeks.

Further solidifying that a new Apple TV 4K is coming this fall, Gurman now reports that Apple is preparing for its launch, along with several other new home devices, by planning major revamps to its retail stores.

Apple Stores are preparing for a new Apple TV 4K

The company plans to rearrange parts of its stores to feature its new home products

Every fall, Apple typically makes changes to its retail stores, especially to make room for its new iPhones, Apple Watches, AirPods, Macs, and iPads. But this year is reportedly going to be a little different.

Beyond making changes to show off its new iPhones, including its first-ever foldable iPhone, Gurman reports that Apple’s retail merchandisers are organizing new store layouts to prepare for the launch of a wave of new home products this fall. That includes a new Apple TV set-top streamer and HomePod Mini, but also possibly Apple’s long-rumored smart home hub with a display, which would essentially be Apple’s answer to the Amazon Echo Show and Google Nest Hub.

As part of the retail changes Apple is preparing to show off these new home products, the company is reportedly planning to make “significant changes” to what it calls its “Avenues” in newer Apple Stores. These are the walls around the perimeter of the store that typically showcase Apple’s home devices and accessories, including the HomePod, Apple TV, AirPods, and Beats, along with third-party accessories.

The changes reportedly include completely rearranging these Avenues and adding new accessory bays to show off Apple’s new products.

Given that Apple’s new smart home hub will be unlike anything it’s ever released before, it makes sense for the company to prepare a dedicated space for shoppers to test it, in addition to displaying its new Apple TV and HomePod Mini. Gurman reports that Apple’s new smart home hub could launch anytime between October and early next year, while the new Apple TV 4K and HomePod should land this fall, possibly as early as September.

What should you expect from a new Apple TV 4K?

All signs point to a fall release

As for what you can expect from a new Apple TV 4K, the biggest rumored upgrades are an A17 Pro chipset and Apple’s N1 networking chip. The A17 Pro would be a decent upgrade over the third-gen Apple TV 4K’s A15 Bionic chip and should help make the new Apple TV 4K feel even faster, while also supporting Siri AI. As for the N1 networking chip, Apple designed it in-house, and it supports Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6, which would certainly be welcome upgrades.

I’ve long been holding out hope that this will finally be the year Apple launches a new Apple TV 4K, and given Gurman’s reports that a new model is nearly ready to launch and that Apple is even preparing its retail stores to showcase it, I’m feeling pretty optimistic that it’s actually going to happen.

Apple typically holds its big iPhone event every September, where it announces its latest iPhones and other products, so it’s possible the company could finally reveal the new Apple TV 4K then. If that’s the case, there are only a few more weeks to go before we could finally get our first look at a brand-new Apple TV 4K.