Leaks reveal a new Apple HomePod mini, iPad mini, and Apple TV 4K

New Apple HomePod mini colors and an iPad mini with an improved chip and camera position are now available.

New details about upcoming Apple hardware have emerged from leaks within Apple's own code. These leaks suggest updates to the HomePod mini, iPad mini, and Apple TV 4K are imminent. The next HomePod mini is expected to retain its original design but feature new, more subdued color options. The iPad mini 8 will reportedly receive a significant performance boost with the A20 Pro chip, an upgraded front-facing camera moved to the landscape edge, and potentially an OLED display with improved waterproofing. The Apple TV 4K is also slated for an update, possibly including the A17 Pro chip and Apple's in-house N1 connectivity chip, though its design is expected to remain largely unchanged from the current four-year-old model.

The unannounced hardware refreshes signal Apple's continued strategy of iterative updates across its product lines, focusing on chip performance and subtle design refinements. The move of the iPad mini's front-facing camera to the landscape edge suggests a user-centric design shift, likely anticipating more frequent use of the tablet in landscape orientation for video calls and content consumption.

These leaks indicate Apple is not only refreshing its existing hardware but also potentially bringing more advanced display technologies like OLED to its smaller iPad models, aligning them more closely with the Pro lineup. The inclusion of in-house connectivity chips in devices like the Apple TV points to Apple's ongoing vertical integration efforts to control component costs and enhance performance.