Apple readies 2026 Apple TV 4K refresh with A17 Pro chip, Siri AI pushback

Apple is planning a 2026 refresh of its Apple TV 4K. The device will retain the same black‑plastic, squircle housing as the 2022 model, but will be powered by a new A17 Pro processor built on a 3‑nm process. The chip adds hardware‑accelerated AV1 video decoding and ray‑tracing for games, and it is the earliest Apple‑made chip that supports Apple Intelligence.

The launch is being timed to coincide with the rollout of new Siri AI features in iOS 27, iPadOS 27 and macOS 27. Those features have been delayed from an early‑2026 target to September 2026, pushing the Apple TV release to the same window as the upcoming iPhone launch. The refresh is also expected to incorporate Apple’s N1 networking chip, bringing Wi‑Fi 7, Bluetooth 6 and Thread support, allowing the TV to act as a Matter hub and Thread border router. A RAM increase may be added to accommodate the smarter Siri functions. Pricing is unlikely to drop after a price hike on the 2022 model earlier in the year.