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Apple has released tvOS 27.2.1, and behind the low version number lies Siri AI for the 2021 and 2022 Apple TV 4K. However, users in this region who install the update won't notice this. The problem lies not with the Apple TV, but with the iPhone.
Siri AI was one of the main selling points for the new Apple TV 4K with the A19 chip, which has been available since November 13th. Back in October, Apple had already announced plans to bring the assistant to the older second and third generation models. With tvOS 27.2.1, this has now happened.
The requirements are outlined in Apple's Siri AI support document: tvOS 27.2.1 on a second-generation Apple TV 4K or later, and a paired device with Siri AI nearby. HomePod software version 27.2.1 was also released alongside the Apple TV update. All articles about the current generation are compiled on the tvOS 27 topic page.
Key Takeaways
- tvOS 27.2.1 brings Siri AI to the Apple TV 4K from the second generation onwards, including the 2021 and 2022 models.
- A paired device with Siri AI nearby is required, such as an iPhone with Apple Intelligence.
- Siri AI is not available on iPhone and iPad in the EU, so the basis for its use is lacking in Germany and Austria.
- Apple continues to announce Siri AI for the HomePod mini 2 only as a future software update.
Siri AI is now also available on older models
When Apple unveiled the new Apple TV 4K in October, they listed tvOS 27.2 as a requirement for Siri AI. The support document now lists tvOS 27.2.1, specifically for the second-generation Apple TV 4K and later models. The new model already received Siri AI with tvOS 27.2. This excludes only the first generation from 2017, which is no longer eligible for tvOS 27.
| Model | Published | Chip | Siri AI |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apple TV 4K (2nd generation) | 2021 | A12 Bionic | with tvOS 27.2.1 |
| Apple TV 4K (3rd generation) | 2022 | A15 Bionic | with tvOS 27.2.1 |
| Apple TV 4K (4th generation) | 2026 | A19 | from tvOS 27.2 onwards |
Siri AI carries the beta label on all models. What the older devices lack compared to the new one are the built-in microphones that allow Siri to be addressed without a remote control.
It's not possible without an iPhone with Siri AI
Apple TV doesn't work with Siri AI on its own. Apple requires a paired device with Siri AI enabled nearby. In its announcement for the new Apple TV, Apple elaborates: Anyone managing their home in the Home app needs an iPhone or iPad with Apple Intelligence, up-to-date software, and Siri AI in a supported language.
This is precisely where the problem lies in Germany and Austria. According to the support document, Siri AI is not available in the EU on iOS, iPadOS, and watchOS. While the assistant does run on Macs and Vision Pro in the EU, Apple does not list these devices as requirements for Apple TV.
Switzerland is not affected by the EU ban. However, Siri AI on Apple TV will initially only speak English, and Switzerland is not among the eight countries Apple announced for the launch in October. An overview of languages and devices is available in the Siri AI overview.
HomePod mini 2 is still waiting
Alongside tvOS 27.2.1, Apple has released HomePod software version 27.2.1. Apple has not yet described what changes this brings. The HomePod mini 2 product page still states that Siri AI will follow with a future software update, but no date has been given.
For buyers in this country, this changes little. Siri AI on the HomePod mini 2 is also tied to the iPhone, and therefore subject to the same EU restrictions as on Apple TV.
What the update brings in this country
It's still worth installing. The requirement on Apple TV is met with tvOS 27.2.1; if the situation changes on the iPhone, no further update for the box is needed. Until then, the existing Siri will remain.
For Apple TV owners in Germany and Austria, everything hinges on the iPhone. Bloomberg considers a waiting period of around five months, similar to the time it took for Apple Intelligence, to be the best-case scenario before Siri AI arrives on iPhones in the EU.
Would you use Siri AI on Apple TV in English once it's enabled on iPhones in the EU, or would you rather wait for German? Let us know in the comments which language you use on your TV.
