Apple has spent time testing hands-free microphones on its next Apple TV 4K box and a speaker inside the companion remote control. Both additions would eliminate two of the small daily frustrations with the streaming setup, according to reporting from Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.
Today, talking to Siri on an Apple TV requires pressing a button on the remote or shouting at a paired HomePod across the room. Adding an internal microphone array straight onto the Apple TV box would let people trigger voice searches or playback controls without picking up the clicker first.
Finding that clicker is the other problem Apple appears to be solving. Apple has tested embedding a tiny speaker inside the Siri Remote itself. While current models support a basic location-tracking tool via iOS, a dedicated speaker would let the remote ping out loud when it slips between sofa cushions or winds up under the coffee table.
Whether both features survive prototype testing into the retail hardware remains unconfirmed. Hardware companies frequently experiment with living-room voice setups before deciding against the acoustic interference caused by placing microphones inches away from an entertainment console.
Long Overdue Refresh
The current Apple TV 4K rolled out in 2022, leaving the product line untouched for four years. That gap makes a refresh well overdue, particularly as Apple reshapes its home hardware around upgraded artificial intelligence features.
Earlier reporting indicated the next streaming box will run on a faster A19 chip, providing the processing power necessary for the company's updated Siri platform. Higher onboard performance would also give the box enough overhead to act as a stronger home hub.
Apple is expected to unveil the hardware during its "Welcome Home" media event on October 13. The company is reportedly preparing to announce the streaming player alongside an updated HomePod mini 2 and a brand-new smart display provisionally referred to as HomeView or HomePad.
Store dates will likely split across the coming weeks. The smart display is tipped to land in mid-November, but the new Apple TV 4K and HomePod mini 2 could hit store shelves as early as October 30.
HTFiled by The Home Tech Desk
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