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 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 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 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 takes place on 13 October; pricing and storage options for the new Apple TV have not been reported.