Code for Siri AI shows up on Apple TV hardware that cannot run it

The latest betas for Apple TV and HomePod have quietly added a new “Apple Intelligence Report” menu. It suggests that Apple plans to bring its AI-powered Siri to living-room devices that can’t run it today.

The find comes weeks ahead of Apple’s expected September event, where the company is expected to reveal what’s next for the Apple TV and HomePod line.

The toggle shows up only on the Home-device betas

Apple Home Authority saw the reporting toggle and posted screenshots on X on August 24, 2026. Apple Intelligence isn’t directly supported on today’s Apple TV and HomePod models, but both now have the reporting control once the device is running the tvOS 27 or HomePod 27 beta.

The menu does not appear when iOS 27 is installed on an iPhone alone.

The menu’s existence hints at Apple Intelligence coming to the company’s Home devices, likely this fall, alongside new hardware. Or perhaps some of the AI compatibility will be coming to existing Apple TV and HomePod products, but that seems less likely.

Betas close the gap that opened in June. Apple introduced its new Siri AI as a single, consistent assistant across devices, but didn’t give either the Apple TV or the HomePod any keynote attention at WWDC 2026.

That left Home products on the old Siri and out of sync with the rest of the lineup.

An earlier look at the tvOS 27 developer beta on June 23, 2026, found Apple Intelligence frameworks in the code, plus setup references tied to Siri AI on the HomePod. The HomePod and HomePod mini run a version of tvOS, so the same code indicates the assistant could potentially reach both.

The report also pointed out a reference to the N1 chip, Apple’s Wi-Fi and Bluetooth part, which is not present in any current Apple TV or HomePod models, pointing to unreleased hardware.

Even though the current HomePod and Apple TV may not support Apple Intelligence directly, both now have an Apple Intelligence reporting toggle in the latest betas.

This is purely speculation, but there are a couple of possibilities. Apple could be planning to use Private Cloud… pic.twitter.com/7SMcvQqlBr

— Apple Home Authority (@helloapplehome) August 24, 2026

New Apple TV and HomePod mini said to be close

Software hints match hardware rumors. Both are expected to get faster chips that support Siri AI, with Apple TV and HomePod mini refreshes expected to arrive this fall, around September or October, according to Mark Gurman.

There have been rumors that the Apple TV will be powered by an A17 Pro chip, the oldest silicon that can run Apple Intelligence, and the next HomePod mini is likely to come with an Apple Watch S9 chip or newer.

Gurman does not expect any major redesigns for either device, though the Apple TV could arrive with a new Siri Remote. It’s been a long wait.

The Apple TV 4K is from October 2022, and the HomePod mini from October 2020, and both saw price increases last month. The Apple TV now starts at $199, and the HomePod mini is $129.

The Siri AI these devices are waiting for is already in more widespread testing. On July 15, 2026, Apple released the iOS 27 public beta to give regular users a first taste of the rebuilt assistant, which is able to act on-screen, bring in personal data, and answer general-knowledge questions using Apple’s Foundation Models, Cryptopolitan reported.

In June, Cryptopolitan reported that Apple was routing cloud-based Siri queries through Google’s Nvidia Blackwell B200 chips after finding its own Private Cloud Compute was too slow for a modified Gemini model.

If you're reading this, you’re already ahead. Stay there with our newsletter.