---
title: "Apple has tested a built-in mic for the new Apple TV and a remote with a speaker"
description: "Gurman expects the new Apple TV 4K and HomePod mini to be available on 30 October, with both features still described as tested."
url: https://mactoreality.com/next-apple-tv-rumoured-with-built-in-mic-speaker-remote-and-a19-chip
published: 2026-10-11T19:15:24Z
updated: 2026-10-11T19:15:24Z
author: "Mac to Reality Newsdesk"
category: Rumours
tags: ["Accessories","Apple Intelligence & Siri","Home"]
publisher: Mac to Reality
ai_assisted: true
apple_heat_impact: 2
---

# Apple has tested a built-in mic for the new Apple TV and a remote with a speaker

*Gurman expects the new Apple TV 4K and HomePod mini to be available on 30 October, with both features still described as tested.*

**Key points**

- Apple has tested built-in microphones for the next Apple TV 4K so users can talk to Siri without the remote or a HomePod, Bloomberg reports.
- A refreshed Siri Remote with a speaker has also been tested, making a lost remote easier to find.
- Gurman expects the new Apple TV 4K and HomePod mini to be available on 30 October; HomeView follows in mid-November.

Apple has tested two new features for the next Apple TV 4K, its first update in years: built-in microphones and a refreshed Siri Remote with a speaker, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman reports in his [Power On newsletter](https://www.bloomberg.com/news/newsletters/2026-10-11/apple-smart-home-launch-oct-13-plans-homeview-has-mid-november-release) on 11 October.

The microphones would let users speak Siri commands directly to the set-top box, without talking into the remote or a paired HomePod as they must today. That could also let the Apple TV act as a simple smart home controller for things like thermostats and door locks without reaching for the remote, [The Verge](https://www.theverge.com/tech/1009397/apple-tv-refresh-built-in-mic-remote-speaker) notes.

A speaker in the Siri Remote would make it easier to locate when it slips between sofa cushions, by playing a sound. The current remote only offers a basic Find feature.

## Expected on 30 October

Gurman expects the new Apple TV 4K and an updated HomePod mini to be available on 30 October, while the [HomeView smart display](https://mactoreality.com/homeview-to-launch-mid-november-ipad-mini-due-end-of-october) will not ship until mid-November. The new Apple TV is also expected to move to an A19 chip to power Apple’s upgraded Siri.

Gurman describes both features as tested rather than confirmed, so either could be left out of the final product. Apple’s [“Welcome home” event](https://mactoreality.com/apple-confirms-13-october-launch-welcome-home) takes place on 13 October; pricing and storage options for the new Apple TV have not been reported.

## Sources

- [Bloomberg: Power On newsletter, 11 October 2026](https://www.bloomberg.com/news/newsletters/2026-10-11/apple-smart-home-launch-oct-13-plans-homeview-has-mid-november-release)
- [The Verge: The new Apple TV could have a built-in mic and a remote with a speaker](https://www.theverge.com/tech/1009397/apple-tv-refresh-built-in-mic-remote-speaker)

*This report was written by the Mac to Reality newsdesk with AI assistance from the sources listed above, under the editorial policy at https://mactoreality.com/editorial-policy.*