We’re at the end of the week, and out of the blue, three unreleased Apple products have now been leaked by MacRumors, and those products have long been rumored: the updated Apple TV/HomePod mini as well as the 8th-generation iPad mini. Aaron Perris, a contributor to MacRumors, has uncovered several images of all the aforementioned products. Let’s dive into what Perris has discovered.
Apple TV (4th generation)
The Apple TV 4K was last updated back in October 2022, so it will be exactly four years since Apple last updated this device. Based on the image above, the next Apple TV will retain the same design as the current iteration, but the biggest upgrades will be in the internals. Rumors suggest that the upcoming Apple TV could feature at least the A17 Pro chip, at least 8GB of RAM, and Apple’s custom-designed N1 networking chip, which provides faster Wi-Fi 7 speeds, Bluetooth 6, and Thread support. Having at least 8GB of RAM and at least the A17 Pro chip will allow this Apple TV to finally support both Apple Intelligence and Siri AI, which is expected to be the top feature for this device. A revised Siri Remote is also rumored for this product.
The Apple TV 4K comes in two models: a Wi-Fi (64GB) model and a Wi-Fi + Ethernet (128GB) model, and they originally started at $129 and $149, respectively, but with the price hikes that occurred in June, they now start at $199 and $249. It remains to be seen whether the prices for these Apple TV models will remain the same.
HomePod mini 2
Perris also uncovered what appears to be the new colors for what Apple references as the “HomePod mini 2”. Based on the image above, the new colors will be: green, pink, blue, white, and black. By comparison, the current model comes in yellow, orange, blue, white, and midnight. It also appears that Apple will use a slightly lighter blue for the upcoming model.
Perris doesn’t have any further new information when it comes to specs, but the next HomePod mini is rumored to feature a newer S-series chip as well as the N1 networking chip. Like the new Apple TV, Siri AI will certainly be the key feature for this HomePod mini.
The HomePod mini was originally introduced in October 2020 (almost six years ago), and it retailed for $99. However, with the recent price hikes, it now starts at $129. It initially came in white and space gray, but other colors were later offered the following year.
iPad mini (8th generation)
Of course, we can’t forget about the iPad mini, which was last updated in October 2024, so it’s been long overdue for an update, not only in tech specs, but also in design. Thankfully, Perris also uncovered clear product images for the unreleased iPad mini, though only for the front side.
The leaked images reveal that the next iPad mini will feature a landscape front-facing camera. This design change was introduced on the 10th-generation iPad from 2022, and it made its way to both the iPad Air and iPad Pro. This iPad mini will complete the transition of moving the front camera from the portrait side to the landscape side. Additionally, similar to an iPhone, there’s a small groove cut out along the top side of the display, which is presumed to be the new home for the speaker. Why? The next iPad mini is rumored to feature a new speaker design that will allow the device to be water-resistant. This would be great for users to bring the iPad mini outside, especially somewhere like the beach. Other than that, the design remains largely very similar.
Other features that are rumored for the next iPad mini are: either an A19 Pro or A20 Pro chip, a slightly larger OLED display, the N1 networking chip, and potentially either the C1X or C2 model for cellular models.
October can’t come soon enough, so it looks like we have even more to look forward to this season. Bookmark this page to stay updated on the latest news.
