Apple iPad Mini 8 with A20 Pro, HomePod Mini 2 and Apple TV 4K 2 leaked
The Apple iPad Mini 8, the HomePod mini 2, and the Apple TV 4K 2 have leaked ahead of their expected official announcement. All devices appeared with official images in Apple’s code, confirming both their existence and some planned new features.
Among the most notable details of the Apple iPad mini 8 are an A20 Pro chip, a new speaker design, and a landscape-oriented front camera. The images also show that the next HomePod mini will be available in new colors such as green and pink.
There are also indications of an upcoming Apple TV 4K 2 model, so it looks like a new Apple TV is finally coming soon after a four-year wait. October is a typical month for Apple to announce products, so the new Apple iPad Mini 8, the HomePod mini 2, and the Apple TV 4K 2 could all be released in just a few weeks.
Apple iPad Mini 8: A20 Pro chipset, landscape camera and more
According to leaked code, the Apple iPad Mini 8 will be equipped with the A20 Pro chip, a redesigned front camera, and a new speaker system. The information comes from Apple’s own source code and also includes clear product images of the new iPad. Although the images only show the front of the device, and any design changes to the back or side view remain unknown, some modifications are nevertheless discernible.
The new Apple iPad Mini 8 features a front-facing camera in landscape orientation, making it the last iPad with this camera placement. Like the iPhone, it also has a small notch in the top of the display glass, presumably for the speaker. The volume controls and power button remain at the top of the device.
Mark Gurman of Bloomberg previously reported that the Apple iPad Mini 8 would be waterproof and feature a completely new, vibration-based speaker. The icons appear to confirm this claim.
Rumors suggest the Apple iPad Mini 8 will feature a slightly larger OLED display and other new features. Gurman expects a market launch at the end of October.
Apple HomePod Mini 2 in three new colors
The new Apple HomePod Mini 2 will have the same design as the original model and will be available in five colors. Apple’s own source code shows clear product images of the new speakers in all colors. The image below contains Apple’s own icons, which specifically refer to an “Apple HomePod Mini 2”.
The Apple HomePod Mini 2 will be available in green, pink, blue, white, and black. The current model comes in yellow, orange, blue, white, and midnight blue. The new blue is slightly lighter than the previous one.
Apple announced the first HomePod mini in October 2020 for $99. The 8.4 cm speaker was initially available in white and space gray and featured a spherical, fabric-covered design and a backlit touch surface for controlling playback and volume. Its S5 chip handled the audio processing, while a full-range driver, two passive radiators, and an acoustic waveguide provided 360-degree sound. It also offered Siri, smart home control, multi-room audio, stereo pairing with a second HomePod mini, and intercom messaging between Apple devices. Apple later increased the price to $129.
Rumors have been circulating for years that Apple is working on a new HomePod mini 2. A new chip will almost certainly be included in the device, as will support for Siri. The market launch is expected before the end of 2026.
Apple TV 4K 2
Furthermore, an image file of the as-yet-unreleased Apple TV 4K 2 has surfaced. This suggests that a new model will be released soon. The image specifically shows an “Apple TV 4K (4th Generation)” model.
The current Apple TV 4K is almost four years old – it was introduced in October 2022 with an A15 Bionic chip and 4GB of RAM. With an A17 Pro chip or newer, the next Apple TV 4K 2 will offer higher performance and hardware-accelerated ray tracing for improved graphics in games. It will also include Apple’s N1 chip for Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6 support.
Wi-Fi 7 offers higher bandwidth, partly because it allows data transmission over the 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, and 6 GHz bands simultaneously with a compatible device and router. Theoretically, Wi-Fi 7 is up to four times faster than the Wi-Fi 6 of the current Apple TV, but actual speed is limited by internet service providers and other factors.
Siri AI is expected to be the most important new feature of the next Apple TV, as tvOS 27 is slated to include a Siri app on the device. Siri AI is a significantly smarter and more personalized version of Siri, capable of answering almost any question. The upgrade to 8GB of RAM not only enables support for Siri AI but also for several other intelligent Apple features.
Along with the new Apple TV, a redesigned Siri Remote is also expected, but it is unclear what external changes there may be.
In June, Apple raised prices on 14 products, including the Apple TV 4K. The Wi-Fi model with 64GB of storage now starts at €229/$199, while the Wi-Fi + Ethernet model with 128GB of storage is available from €299/$249. It’s unclear whether the next Apple TV will retain these prices or become even more expensive.
October is a typical month for Apple to announce new products, so stay tuned, as the next Apple TV could be released in just a few days or weeks.
