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Apple reportedly plans Oct. 13 event for smart home hub, new HomePod mini and Apple TV 4K

Bloomberg's Mark Gurman says Apple plans an Oct. 13 event to unveil a screen-equipped smart home hub, a new HomePod mini and an updated Apple TV 4K, all built around Siri AI.

AI News Feed · 2026-10-05 23:43

Gurman had previously reported that the three products would launch on Oct. 13, but at the time he made no mention of an event. Whether the home devices warranted a keynote or a quieter release had been a subject of speculation.

John Gruber argued they did. He said there was "No way" that the rumored HomePad would be released through a press release alone, writing that "if this is coming, it has to be unveiled with a keynote video and some sort of media event with hands-on demos." Gurman's latest newsletter states plainly that "Apple is planning to hold an event on Oct. 13."

If the event proceeds, press invitations would be expected within a day or so, 9to5Mac reported, unless new chief executive John Ternus changes how Apple introduces its products.

For the Apple TV 4K, two upgrades are rumored. The first is Siri AI, which Apple presented in June as a cross-platform revamp that works the same regardless of device. The new Siri debuted on iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch and Vision Pro, but has never been mentioned for Apple TV or HomePod. Among the OS 27 updates shipped last month, tvOS and HomePod software are the only ones missing the new Siri. On tvOS, the assistant is expected to bring increased intelligence around TV shows and movies, better content recommendations, an improved InSight feature and the ability to answer general world knowledge questions.

The second upgrade is the chip. The current Apple TV 4K has not been updated since 2022, and that model carries an A15 chip that debuted in 2021. Rumors point to the new model using an A19 or A19 Pro chip. Leaker Aaron Perris found a reference in Apple code to a hardware model with the identifier "AppleTV18,1"; the same 18,1 numbering scheme was used for the iPhone 17 line, pointing to an A19-class chip. 9to5Mac said it expects an A19 Pro rather than an A19, because the latter does not support customizing Siri AI's voice pace and expressivity, and Siri AI is a focal point of the new Apple TV.

Apple's last event took place nearly a month ago and featured the iPhone 18 Pro, the iPhone Duo and other products.