HomePod and Apple TV Absent from WWDC 2026: The Real Message Apple Is Sending

The problem isn’t just software

The current HomePod mini still relies on an S5 chip, which originated in the Apple Watch Series 5. The second-generation HomePod uses an S7 chip. These components are still sufficient for playing music, setting timers, responding to simple commands, or controlling HomeKit accessories.

But AI requires something else: more memory, more on-device processing, better context awareness, and an architecture capable of interacting with Apple Intelligence models. The HomePod mini, in particular, was never designed primarily for AI.

The Apple TV 4K is in a different position, but not necessarily a more comfortable one. The current model, launched in 2022, uses an A15 Bionic chip and 4 GB of RAM. For video streaming, tvOS, Apple Arcade games, or its role as a HomeKit hub, it remains very capable. When it comes to hosting advanced Siri AI features locally, however, that’s another matter: Apple Intelligence is geared more toward devices with more memory and a newer chip.

The signal sent by tvOS 27 points in the same direction. According to documentation reported by MacRumors, the update drops support for the 2015 Apple TV HD and the first-generation 2017 Apple TV 4K, retaining support only for the second-generation Apple TV 4K and newer models. This isn’t direct evidence of a new set-top box, but it shows that Apple is gradually tailoring its software to support more modern hardware.

Siri AI is changing the logic of the smart home

With Siri AI, Apple is no longer just talking about a voice assistant capable of responding to isolated commands. The new features announced for developers on iOS 27, iPadOS 27, macOS 27, and visionOS 27 are moving toward a more contextual, more personal, and more deeply integrated assistant.

In a smart home, this is a major shift. Today, many HomeKit users rely on Siri for simple tasks: turning on a light, closing the blinds, triggering a scene, or adjusting a thermostat. In the future, the goal will be to be able to request more complex actions:

• “Dim the lights in the living room, but leave the one near the couch on.”
• “Set the house to ‘party mode’ except in the kids’ room.”
• “Why did the entryway camera send me a notification?”
• “Set up the living room to watch a movie.”

These requests require an understanding of the context, the devices present, the household’s habits, and sometimes what’s happening on the screen or in apps. This is precisely the type of use case that makes Apple TV and HomePod more strategic than before.

New Apple TV and HomePod mini models expected, but not confirmed

According to Mark Gurman at Bloomberg, as reported by 9to5Mac and MacRumors, among others, new models of the Apple TV 4K and HomePod mini have reportedly been ready for several months and are already in internal use, but have been held back for a joint launch with Siri AI and Apple Intelligence. This information remains speculation until Apple makes an official announcement.

If this information is confirmed, the next Apple TV could become much more than just a streaming box. With a newer chip, more memory, and improved connectivity, it could serve as a local AI hub for the living room: smarter recommendations, more precise HomeKit control, better camera management, and more natural voice interactions.

The future HomePod mini, meanwhile, could primarily focus on upgrading the basics: a better chip, newer connectivity, enhanced Matter and Thread integration, and more precise Handoff with the iPhone. Rumors also suggest a new Apple network chip, sometimes referred to as the N1. It would be used to manage wireless connections—Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and Thread—to improve home network stability and Matter/HomeKit interoperability.

However, don’t expect a small speaker to handle everything locally. Even with a newer S9-type chip, the HomePod mini would likely still rely on Apple’s Private Cloud Compute or another more powerful device for the most computationally intensive AI functions. This is a key difference from a future Apple TV equipped with a chip more akin to the iPhone Pro or Apple Silicon Macs.

Another caveat: Apple may continue to provide software updates for older HomePods without giving them all the AI features. Receiving a new version of HomePod Software doesn’t automatically mean access to Siri AI.

Europe Significantly Complicates the Timeline

For French readers, this is the most important point: Siri AI will not be available in the European Union at the launch of iOS 27 and iPadOS 27. Apple has officially confirmed this, explaining that the Digital Markets Act prevents it from offering this new version of Siri on iPhones and iPads in the EU upon release.

This distinction is crucial. It’s not just a minor delay: Apple has not announced a catch-up date for iOS 27 and iPadOS 27 in the European Union. This leaves open a key question for the smart home: if the HomePod, Apple TV, or a future home hub rely heavily on the iPhone or iPadOS for certain Siri AI features, what will European households actually be able to use at launch?

macOS 27 and visionOS 27 are not platforms designated by the DMA in the same way as iOS and iPadOS: Siri AI will therefore be available on them from launch, including in Europe. watchOS 27 remains a special case, since Siri AI on the Apple Watch would depend on a compatible iPhone. For Apple Home, this creates a fragmented landscape: the same product could be technically ready but offer a different experience depending on the region.

For HomeKit and Apple Home, the value of a new home hub will therefore depend less on its technical specifications than on the features actually available in each country.

The HomePad: The Missing Piece?

For several years now, Apple has reportedly been working on a home device with a screen, often referred to as the HomePad or home hub in rumors. The idea is simple: a compact screen to control the home, launch FaceTime, view cameras, manage HomeKit scenes, check the calendar, or interact with Siri in a more visual way.

Apple clearly lacks this type of product. Amazon has its Echo Show, Google has its Nest Hub, but Apple still doesn’t have a dedicated home display for Apple Home. The iPad can fill this role, but it isn’t designed to be a fixed, family-friendly hub that’s always available.

If Apple truly wants to make Siri AI useful in the home, such a device would make sense. It would combine voice, screen, camera, home recognition, and HomeKit control in a more natural format than a speaker alone.

A Cautious, Yet Risky Strategy

Apple’s strategy seems consistent: not to launch new HomePod or Apple TV products until Siri AI is ready. After years of criticism of Siri, Apple can’t afford to promise a smart home that responds poorly, misunderstands commands, or relies too heavily on the iPhone.

But this caution comes at a cost. While Apple waits, Amazon and Google are already dominating the market for connected screens and more visual home assistants. Their lead isn’t necessarily irreversible, as these platforms are also seeking the right balance between AI, privacy, cost, and real-world utility. But Apple is starting out with a noticeable lag in a strategic space: the living room.

The silence at WWDC 2026 therefore doesn’t mean Apple is abandoning the smart home. Rather, it suggests the opposite: Apple knows that the HomePod, Apple TV, and the future home hub will need to be reimagined around AI. The real question is no longer whether Apple will return to the living room, but whether Siri AI will be robust enough—and widely available enough in Europe—to justify this new generation of products.

What to Watch for Now

The coming months will be decisive for Apple Home. Four developments will be particularly important:

• whether or not a new Apple TV 4K with a chip better suited for AI will be released;
• the long-awaited refresh of the HomePod mini;
• the announcement of a HomePad or an Apple Home hub with a screen;
• European restrictions surrounding Siri AI and Apple Intelligence.