tvOS 14.5 beta code backs up rumors of redesigned Apple TV remote

AppleInsider

Apple may be working on a new Apple TV remote that ditches Siri branding, according to code discovered within the latest tvOS 14.5 beta.

Credit: AppleInsider

The company released the fifth beta of its upcoming tvOS 14.5 update on Tuesday. According to MacRumors contributor and developer Steve Moser, there's a small change that could signal an update to Apple's set-top box remote.

Specifically, Apple has removed mentions of the "Siri Remote" and has replaced them with "Apple TV Remote" across the entire operating system.

tvOS 14.5 beta 5 text changes: No more Siri Remote or DualShock (just playstation branding). And what is a gen3 Apple TV remote; the 4K Siri Remote with a white circle or a next gen remote? pic.twitter.com/14KzFfc5Yv

-- Steve Moser (@SteveMoser)

March 23, 2021

There are also mentions of a "gen3 Apple TV remote," which Moser contends could refer to either the remote shipped with the Apple TV 4K or a future unreleased variant.

Apple is rumored to be working on a next-generation "Apple TV 6" device with a refreshed remote and other updates. The device could also sport a new chipset and could feature a deeper focus on gaming.

OctoMonkey

Based upon the abject stupidity of Apple's remote control, I am expecting the next one to be a cube with a glass touch sensor on each side.
Would it be practical?  No
Would it be usable?  No
Would it have clean aesthetics?  Yes.  Nuff said!

jeffreytgilbert

The apple tv hd is $150
The apple tv 4k us $180
The intel mac mini is $300
M1 mac mini is $700

This next model should fit between the price point of an m1 mac mini and an apple tv hd and compete favorably with current gen game consoles. 

Xbox One X specs

$300-$500

Purportedly 12 tflops

SoC: Highly customized 360mm² AMD System-on-Chip built on 16nm FinFET

GPU: Polaris-derived GPU with 40 Compute Units at 1172MHz, 6TFLOPs of Compute Performance

CPU: Custom x86 "Jaguar Evolved" 8-core CPU at 2.3GHz, 4MB L2 cache

Memory: 12GB GDDR5 memory with 326GB/s bandwidth (12x 6.8GHz modules on a 384-bit bus)

The M1 integrates an Apple-designed eight-core GPU. Each GPU core contains eight "executions units (EUs)", which in turn contain eight ALUs per execution unit. In total, the M1 GPU contains up to 128 EUs and 1024 ALUs, which by Apple's claim can execute nearly 25,000 threads simultaneously and have a maximum floating point (FP32) performance of 2.6 Tflops. 

I’d love to see a fanless middle ground that wasn’t a giant eyesore in that premium price point over a 4k hdr model and under a full on mac mini. It seems like apple priced the mini high because they wanted to showboat like they did with the gold apple watch when it debuted. 

maclin3

Thank you Apple remote for helping me binge watch Cobra Kai, Schitt$ Creek, and all of Friends. It’s so frustrating to try to change the channel with this device I just leave it on the same show for a month at a time. 

Kuyangkoh

maclin3 said:

Thank you Apple remote for helping me binge watch Cobra Kai, Schitt$ Creek, and all of Friends. It’s so frustrating to try to change the channel with this device I just leave it on the same show for a month at a time. 

I have to use the old apple tv remote, so easy to change channels and don’t over swipes.....come on Apple

baederboy

jeffreytgilbert said:

The apple tv hd is $150
The apple tv 4k us $180
The intel mac mini is $300
M1 mac mini is $700

This next model should fit between the price point of an m1 mac mini and an apple tv hd and compete favorably with current gen game consoles. 

Xbox One X specs

$300-$500

Purportedly 12 tflops

SoC: Highly customized 360mm² AMD System-on-Chip built on 16nm FinFET

GPU: Polaris-derived GPU with 40 Compute Units at 1172MHz, 6TFLOPs of Compute Performance

CPU: Custom x86 "Jaguar Evolved" 8-core CPU at 2.3GHz, 4MB L2 cache

Memory: 12GB GDDR5 memory with 326GB/s bandwidth (12x 6.8GHz modules on a 384-bit bus)

The M1 integrates an Apple-designed eight-core GPU. Each GPU core contains eight "executions units (EUs)", which in turn contain eight ALUs per execution unit. In total, the M1 GPU contains up to 128 EUs and 1024 ALUs, which by Apple's claim can execute nearly 25,000 threads simultaneously and have a maximum floating point (FP32) performance of 2.6 Tflops. 

I’d love to see a fanless middle ground that wasn’t a giant eyesore in that premium price point over a 4k hdr model and under a full on mac mini. It seems like apple priced the mini high because they wanted to showboat like they did with the gold apple watch when it debuted. 

Where can one find a new intel mac mini for $300? Do you have a link?

Hank2.0

What I want is Apple to aggressively work with the manufacturers of universal remotes to make sure they all work seamlessly with Apple TV. For example, on my universal remote I can hold the "ENTER" button to get a TV app to start shaking but there is no equivalent to Apple's "PLAY/PAUSE" button ( ⏯ ) to get to the options.

Oh, and pretty please a mute button.

nicholfd

Hank2.0 said:

What I want is Apple to aggressively work with the manufacturers of universal remotes to make sure they all work seamlessly with Apple TV. For example, on my universal remote I can hold the "ENTER" button to get a TV app to start shaking but there is no equivalent to Apple's "PLAY/PAUSE" button ( ⏯ ) to get to the options.

Oh, and pretty please a mute button.

Sounds like you didn't train the Apple TV properly with the universal remote (or don't remember what universal remote button you assigned).  There is an option to assign ⏯ to a button during the learning process.

StrangeDays

Kuyangkoh said:

maclin3 said:

Thank you Apple remote for helping me binge watch Cobra Kai, Schitt$ Creek, and all of Friends. It’s so frustrating to try to change the channel with this device I just leave it on the same show for a month at a time. 

I have to use the old apple tv remote, so easy to change channels and don’t over swipes.....come on Apple

I actually retired my Harmony One in favor of the new remote. I don't like the shape, but I love Siri and the touchpad for swiping & scrubbing, which is so much better than clicking a D-pad. You can adjust the sensitivity in Settings.

StrangeDays

baederboy said:

jeffreytgilbert said:

The apple tv hd is $150
The apple tv 4k us $180
The intel mac mini is $300
M1 mac mini is $700

This next model should fit between the price point of an m1 mac mini and an apple tv hd and compete favorably with current gen game consoles. 

Xbox One X specs

$300-$500

Purportedly 12 tflops

SoC: Highly customized 360mm² AMD System-on-Chip built on 16nm FinFET

GPU: Polaris-derived GPU with 40 Compute Units at 1172MHz, 6TFLOPs of Compute Performance

CPU: Custom x86 "Jaguar Evolved" 8-core CPU at 2.3GHz, 4MB L2 cache

Memory: 12GB GDDR5 memory with 326GB/s bandwidth (12x 6.8GHz modules on a 384-bit bus)

The M1 integrates an Apple-designed eight-core GPU. Each GPU core contains eight "executions units (EUs)", which in turn contain eight ALUs per execution unit. In total, the M1 GPU contains up to 128 EUs and 1024 ALUs, which by Apple's claim can execute nearly 25,000 threads simultaneously and have a maximum floating point (FP32) performance of 2.6 Tflops. 

I’d love to see a fanless middle ground that wasn’t a giant eyesore in that premium price point over a 4k hdr model and under a full on mac mini. It seems like apple priced the mini high because they wanted to showboat like they did with the gold apple watch when it debuted. 

Where can one find a new intel mac mini for $300? Do you have a link?

Yeah he just made that up to bolster whatever argument he's struggling to make. The Intel Mac mini has started at $500 and $600 at different points in its life. With inflation from launch, there is no problem w/ its current price. It's cheap.

minicoffee

A couple principles I wish remote designers would incorporate: 1) remote orientation should be instantly understood by the user due to its feeling in the hand. Apple, Sevenhugs and Harmony all basically fail at this simple benefit. 2) usage in a dark room should be assumed - ideally the user shouldn't even have to glance at the remote, but if they need to, a dim eye-pleasing soft glow should indicate the buttons. This would diminish battery life a bit, but a larger battery isn't a big deal in a remote, and additional heft may me nice for hand-feel anyway. 3) buttons should have different shapes so they are easily deciphered by the fingers, when in a dark room.

elijahg

Let's hope the new remote is not some "courageous" design that turns out to be just as crap. Glad to hear they're ditching Siri, it's an embarrassing disaster and almost certainly why the HP failed. There's so much wrong with the AppleTV's remote and the UI itself it just needs starting over. The remote alone  is as much as some competitors' entire set-top boxes!