- The next Apple TV could land in 2025 with a custom Wi-Fi chip
- It would replace the existing chip, which was made by Broadcomm
- It’s a risky move, but it can pay big dividends for your devices
The third-generation Apple TV 4K hit the market over two years ago, but according to new rumors, a successor is finally in the works – and it will likely benefit from a new Apple-made Wi-Fi and Bluetooth chip.
The new report from Bloomberg journalist Mark Gurman suggests that Apple is about to launch its own combined Wi-Fi and Bluetooth chip, replacing Broadcom’s chip found in many Apple devices today. This chip will first make its way to the Apple TV 4K set-top box and the HomePod mini, Gurman claims, both of which will be released sometime in 2025.
This type of component is essential for the Apple TV. Thanks to Wi-Fi, you can connect the set-top box to the Internet to download programs, play games and more. The Bluetooth connection allows you to pair accessories such as remote controls and controllers. If successful, the new chip will allow Apple’s smart home devices to “work more closely together and potentially sync data faster,” Gurman believes.
What other new features could a next-generation Apple TV get? Previous rumors pointed to an upgraded processor like the A17 Pro (which it would need for Apple Intelligence features). Respected analysts such as Ming-Chi Kuo have also previously suggested that a new Apple TV could also have a lower price than the current 64GB model of $129 / £149 / AU$219.
More bizarre rumors in April suggested that Apple might be planning to give a future Apple TV a built-in camera for gesture control. That would certainly make losing the remote less annoying, but those rumors (also from Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman) didn’t specify whether or not the technology would be for the next Apple TV or any future version.
Full speed ahead
The Apple TV and HomePod mini are not the only devices equipped with this new chip. Gurman says it will also come to the iPhone in 2025 and to the iPad and Mac in 2026.
Apple is making a big move into the smart home arena and will launch new products next year, Gurman says, including a home hub with a built-in display and a home security camera, so it makes sense for the company to introduce a new chip for these products in the coming months.
Apple has long sought more control over the components inside its devices. This mentality has contributed to the drive to develop the chips that have become known as Apple silicon, and is behind rumors that the company is switching from Qualcomm modems in its iPhones.
But the chip will bring another benefit, Gurman believes: it will be able to power Apple’s “thinner iPhones and wearable technology.” That suggests the sleek iPhone 17 Air, rumored for 2025, could be a direct beneficiary of Apple’s own chip.
However, it is not without risks. As with the switch from Qualcomm modems, Apple will have to rely on its own, largely untested technology for a crucial part of its devices. The iPhone 4’s Antennagate provides ample warning of what can happen if the wireless technology in people’s devices is disrupted.
But this is unlikely to slow down Apple. With new devices powered by Apple’s wireless chips on the way, we won’t have to wait long to see if they pass the test.