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    Looks like the next Apple TV will be the biggest upgrade in years; nevermind Apple Intelligence, all I see is gaming potential

    The next Apple TV cling coming in 2025 looks like a major upgrade with significant hardware boosts that could unlock serious console-quality gaming.

    In a major slip yesterday, Apple accidentally included hardware identifiers in its code, and MacRumors contributor Aaron Perris combed through the code and discovered some interesting details about the next Apple TV 4K coming this fall.

    For example, it looks like the device will use Apple’s A17 Pro chip that could enable Apple Intelligence in your living room and better games as the A17 Pro is about 15-30 percent faster in synthetic benchmarks than the current Apple TV’s A15 chip.

    The next Apple TV 4K vs. the current model

    Apple typically upgrades the Apple TV every three or so years. The current third-generation model was last updated in November 2022 with the A15 Bionic chip from the iPhone 13 series (2021) vs. the A12 Bionic from the iPhone XS series (2018), which powers the second-generation Apple TV.

    The upgraded processor enabled support for HDR10+ video. The third-generation Apple TV 4K also comes in two versions: Wi-Fi only (64 GB) and Wi-Fi + Ethernet (128 GB) with Thread radios for enhanced smart home features.

    If code leaks are anything to go by, the next Apple TV will bring the following benefits over the current third-generation model.

    Feature Current Apple TV (2022) Next Apple TV (2025)
    Chip A15 Bionic is fast enough for smooth 4K HDR video streaming and casual Apple Arcade gaming A17 Pro brings a major jump in processing and graphics power, along with a much faster Neural Engine for AI tasks
    AI No Apple Intelligence features Possible Apple Intelligence support for imagine capabilities, such as smarter navigation and content suggestions
    Wireless Broadcom Wi-Fi/Bluetooth Apple-designed Wi-Fi/Bluetooth for tighter Continuity integration and efficiency
    Camera No built-in camera Possible built-in camera for FaceTime calls and future gesture controls
    Gaming Basic Apple Arcade titles run fine High-end games with smoother graphics and frame rates
    Note: All listed features for the next Apple TV are based on and extrapolated from rumors and code findings.

    Performance boost: The A17 Pro debuted in the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max models (2023), and was later used in the seventh-generation iPad mini (2024). It utilizes TSMC’s 3nm process and sports a 6-core CPU (2 high-performance cores and 4 efficiency cores) and a 6-core GPU. In comparison, the A15 in the current Apple TV is built on a 5nm process, has a 6-core CPU (2 high-performance and 4 efficiency cores) and a 4-core GPU, and doesn’t support Apple Intelligence.

    Better gaming: The A17 Pro brings quite a leap in raw processing power from the current Apple TV’s A15 Bionic. As a result, the next Apple TV should be able to run much better iOS-style games with console-quality graphics.

    Apple Intelligence on the big screen: Thanks to the A17 Pro’s 16-core Neural Engine capable of 35 trillion operations per second, the next Apple TV may bring Apple Intelligence for the first time to the biggest screen in your home. One could imagine AI-powered suggestions tailored to your mood, on-screen information in real time, the ability to jump to “that funny part” of the movie, etc.

    Faster Wi-Fi and Bluetooth: The device would ditch Broadcom for an in-house wireless chip, dubbed “Proxima,” bringing faster Wi-Fi 6E for smoother streaming and Bluetooth 5.3 for more reliable Handoff and other Continuity features.

    FaceTime camera with gesture control: Earlier rumors mentioned the possibility of a built-in camera for FaceTime calls with support for in-air gestures.

    Apple might introduce the next ‌Apple TV‌ in September alongside the iPhone 17 lineup and an upgraded HomePod mini speaker, or in October alongside new Macs.

    Source link: https://www.idownloadblog.com/2025/08/14/apple-next-apple-tv-a17-pro-chip-gaming-apple-intelligence/

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    Next-generation ‌HomePod mini‌ is getting a big upgrade—here’s what’s changing

    Apple’s next-generation HomePod mini is set for a major performance boost, with hardware upgrades to make it smarter, faster and more connected.

    MacRumors reports that a slicker, smarter HomePod mini could be on the way as Apple’s got something brewing for its smart speaker. Apple accidentally included hardware identifiers in its code, and MacRumors contributor Aaron Perris discovered that an upgraded HomePod mini will run an unreleased Apple Watch processor.

    Aside from other rumored updates, the smart speaker could support Wi-Fi 6E via an in-house designed Wi-Fi and Bluetooth combo chip, dubbed “Proxima,” along with possible new color finishes. Expect the updated HomePod mini sometime between September and December—just in time for holiday home upgrades.

    HomePod mini 2 may be around the corner

    Codenamed B525, the next HomePod mini appears to be powered by an unreleased Apple S-series chip, similar to the processor running inside the Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Series 9 (and possibly also the upcoming Apple Watch Series 11).

    Concretely, strings discovered in Apple’s code seem to point to a 64-bit, dual-core processor built on the roots of the Apple A16 chip running in the iPhone 14 Pro, iPhone 14 Pro Max, iPhone 15, iPhone 15 Plus and the eleventh-generation iPad. The chip may have a 4-core Neural Engine under the hood for AI tasks.

    If true, that would be a big leap from the 64-bit dual-core Apple S5 chip in the current HomePod mini that first appeared in the Apple Watch Series 5 (2019). Other improvements for the HomePod mini 2 could include enhanced sound and Apple’s second-generation Ultra Wideband chip for more accurate device micro-positioning used for Handoff when you wave your iPhone nearby.

    HomePod mini 2 vs. HomePod mini comparison

    The current HomePod mini was released in November 2020 in white, space gray, blue, orange and yellow. In July 2024, Apple also introduced a midnight color option, which replaced the space gray version. The HomePod mini supports Wi-Fi 4 (also known as 802.11n) with dual-band support (2.4GHz and 5GHz), plus Bluetooth 5.0 (for features like Handoff but no Bluetooth audio functionality, unfortunately).

    The current model also supports Thread networking for better smart home. It can work as as a Thread border router, allowing it to connect directly to Thread-enabled smart home devices and extend the network within your home.

    If the next version does end up supporting Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3 via an in-house wireless chip, expect the benefits outlined in the table below.

    Feature HomePod mini HomePod mini 2 Real-world benefit
    Wi-Fi Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac) Wi-Fi 6E (including 6 GHz) Faster speeds, less interference, more stable streaming
    Bluetooth Bluetooth 5.0 Bluetooth 5.3 Longer range, improved stability, lower latency
    Audio Occasional lag in multi-room setups Ultra-low-latency sync Perfectly timed multi-room playback without echo or delay
    Smart home Commands can have small delays Snappier responses Faster, smoother HomeKit control and automations
    Future-proofing Limited headroom Ready for newer codecs/features Support for things like LC3 and higher-quality streaming

    Smoother streaming: Wi-Fi 6E’s 6 GHz band could bring faster streaming of music and podcasts with fewer dropouts due to less congestion from your neighbors’ networks. Of course, you would need a Wi-Fi 6E-enabled router as well.

    Better multi-room audio: Wi-Fi 6E enables lower latency, which may enable AirPlay to keep multiple HomePod mini 2 devices in sync around the house without noticeable lag when playing multi-room audio.

    Better smart home: Faster wireless networking means quicker communication with HomeKit devices, like cameras and sensors which would respond quicker to voice commands and trigger automations faster.

    Longer Bluetooth range: Bluetooth 5.3 boosts reliability and range for direct device pairing, which might make handing off music and podcasts from your iPhone or Apple Watch feel more instant.

    Future-proofing for new features: Both Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3 would future-proof the next HomePod mini for future Apple ecosystem features, such as lossless AirPlay, better audio handshakes or higher-quality Bluetooth audio (LC3 codec).

    Source link: https://www.idownloadblog.com/2025/08/14/apple-homepod-mini-2-changes-new-features/