Apple code leaks reveal iPad mini 8, HomePod mini 2, Apple TV 4K

Images found in Apple's own code revealed a new iPad mini, HomePod mini, and Apple TV 4K on 25 September 2026, weeks before the products are expected to be announced. MacRumors contributor Aaron Perris discovered Apple's official images of the devices, confirming their existence and some planned features. The findings point to October launches, a common month for Apple to announce products.macrumors.com

The leak matters because it moves three long-rumoured products from speculation to visual confirmation, using Apple's own files rather than supply-chain guesses. Apple is expected to announce more hardware before the end of the year, following the debut of the iPhone 18 Pro and folding iPhone Duo earlier in September 2026. The images give the first look at design and colour choices Apple had not yet published.macrumors.com

What the leaked images show

The HomePod mini 2 will keep the same design as the original model, which debuted in late 2020, and will come in five colours: green, pink, blue, white, and black. The current model ships in yellow, orange, blue, white, and midnight. The new blue is slightly lighter than the current offering. Apple's own icons in the code specifically refer to a "HomePod mini 2."9to5mac.com

The colour change is the clearest visible difference for the speaker. The information originates from Apple's own code, which shows clear product images of the new models in all of their colours.

The iPad mini 8 will replace the seventh-generation model, which launched two years ago, upgrading from Apple's A17 Pro chip to the recently announced A20 Pro. That chip is also found in the iPhone 18 Pro, Pro Max, and iPhone Duo. The leaked images show only the front of the tablet, where Apple has moved the front-facing camera to the landscape edge.theverge.com

The iPad mini 8 upgrade

A groove on the top edge of the display, similar to the iPhone's, seems to indicate an added speaker. As previously reported by Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, the next iPad could also include improved waterproofing thanks to a new vibration-based speaker, and an OLED display like the larger iPad Pro features. Those two details come from Gurman's earlier reporting rather than from the images themselves.

Perris found an image labelled Apple TV 4K (4th generation), which appears to retain the same external design as the current model. The current Apple TV is nearly four years old, making this the first new Apple TV after a four-year wait. The leaked images do not reveal what internal upgrades the new box will include.

Where the images came from

Previous details uncovered by Perris include a potential upgrade to Apple's A17 Pro chip for the Apple TV. In 2024, Mark Gurman said the next Apple TV would use Apple's in-house Bluetooth and Wi-Fi chip, now known as the N1. Neither detail appears in the images found in Apple's code on 25 September 2026.

The HomePod mini line has been rumoured for several years. A new chip is almost certain to come to the device, along with support for Siri AI, and the product is expected to launch before the end of 2026. The original HomePod mini, announced in October 2020 for $99, is a 3.3-inch fabric-covered spherical speaker with an S5 chip, a full-range driver, two passive radiators, and 360-degree sound; Apple later raised the price to $129.

What remains unconfirmed

Details from the leaks are sparse, and no other details about the new products were gleaned from Apple's code beyond the images and labels. The findings give additional support to October launches being planned for the new products, though Apple has not announced a date. The MacRumors buyer's guide currently advises readers not to buy the Apple TV, HomePod mini, or iPad mini.