Nomad leather cover for Siri Remote review: Fixing Apple's missteps
Nomad has released some niche Apple accessories, but this one may be one of the most unique: an all-leather cover for the Apple TV's Siri Remote that holds an AirTag for easy locating. While it may be a bit superfluous for some, it's a great-looking add-on.
Our Siri Remote on the living room table with the Nomad leather cover
Heading into the review, we weren't oblivious to the litany of low-cost options that flood the pages of Amazon. At this moment, you can choose from any number of similarly effective covers, some for less than ten dollars.
For many, those are a much more approachable way to fix what is clearly an oversight on Apple's end. There's something to be said against spending $40 on an accessory for a $60 accessory.
Factor in the cost of an AirTag, you're spending as much as the Siri Remote itself costs. This absurdity is not lost on us. But that said, this cover is very cool.
Upgrade your Siri Remote
When Apple introduced the new Siri Remote, it did so to much chagrin. Many folks hated the last-generation Siri Remote and Apple was trying to make things right.
It ditched the glass touch surface, made the whole device thicker, rearranged the buttons, added a dedicated power button, and added new abilities. What it didn't do though was add any integration into the Find My app.
Nomad Siri Remote cover in use
Why Apple neglected to add this feature is beyond us. The all-metal body does pose issues for signal passage, but Apple would surely be able to find a solution as it designed the device.
At the time, Apple went on the record saying that the new device was larger and less prone to being misplaced. As we can attest, this is still very much an ongoing issue.
Soon devices began to crop up that bolstered the size of the remote while also adding a holder for an AirTag. But the bulk of those devices were cheap silicone, flung to market in a race to the bottom.
Our Siri Remote on the living room table
Nomad has taken an elevated approach to the Siri Remote cover with a thoughtful, elegant solution that expands functionality and improves appearances.
More leather for your Apple gear
Nomad has a habit of wrapping your favorite Apple gear in fantastic leather. There are watch bands, phone covers, and even a cover for Apple's MagSafe Battery Pack. It's no surprise that the Siri Remote was next on its list.
The cover has a molded plastic body, though you wouldn't notice from the outside. A velvety-soft microfiber lines the interior to cradle your Siri Remote.
Leather back of the Siri Remote cover is devoid of logos
Covering the outside is a vegetable-tanned leather in Nomad's Ashland Brown. As usual, Nomad has sourced this leather from the Chicago-based Horween tannery.
What's great about the leather is that, over time, it will develop a lovely patina. This patina will be unique to you and how you use your remote, allowing each cover to look one-of-a-kind.
Nomad keeps its branding simple with the Siri Remote cover. It's entirely free of logos on the outside, and only has a subtle stamp on the interior's microfiber.
Small recesses are located around the remote, allowing access to all buttons and ports. There's a small opening at the bottom where the Lightning port resides, a similarly-sized port on the side for the Siri microphone button, and a large opening at the top where the IR blaster hides.
AirTag in our Siri Remote leather cover
On the inside of this cover, there's a slot to place an AirTag. Technically, the AirTag is optional. You don't need it, but it does make the thickness of the cover itself unnecessary if you choose not to use one.
Trying to find our Siri Remote with an AirTag
In our case, we did add an AirTag. In the Find My app, we identified it as our TV remote and added an appropriate icon to match.
With the AirTag paired with the remote, you'll be able to locate it with the Find My app. If you lose your remote, you can manually go in and find it, or just ask Siri to ring the AirTag.
Trying to find our Siri Remote by playing a noise on the AirTag
After a limited time with the Nomad leather cover for Apple Remote, we didn't need to use the AirTag all that often. The added bulk of the cover makes it harder to lose, though certainly not impossible.
Should you buy Nomad's leather cover for Siri Remote?
Recommending something as pricey and niche as this cover isn't an easy task. We'd only suggest it to those who love the look of this cover or who have a propensity for losing the Siri Remote and want the best possible option to solve it.
Nomad Siri Remote cover in use
We've no qualms with the functionality of the cover, and it does a fantastic job at what it sets out to do. For our main living room remote, we happily bought the cover. But with such a high price tag, it makes picking one up for every room in the house a bit harder to justify.
This cover isn't for everyone out there and we'll admit the added bulk isn't always welcomed, but it sure does look nice.
Nomad leather cover for Siri Remote Pros
- Awesome look and feel
- High-quality, U.S.-based vegetable-tanned leather
- Hidden AirTag holder
- Easy to put on
- Clear access to all buttons and ports
- Develops its own patina
Nomad leather cover for Siri Remote cons
- High price tag
- Doubles the thickness of the remote
Rating: 4 out of 5
You can pick up the Nomad leather cover for the Siri Remote and AirTag from Nomad's website where it is currently on sale for $27.95 -- down from its full $39.95 MSRP -- for the company's anniversary sale.
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Comments
The previous generation Apple TV remotes were especially slippery and seemed sized for a child's hand. As soon as I slipped a case on the thing all of my major issues with the Apple TV remote went away. If you are hesitant about putting your Apple TV remote in a case take a look at the replacement cost of the remotes. They are not cheap. I definitely am a fan of Apple TV cases. If you want to splurge on a fancy one to match your home decor, or need to easily retrieve one that somehow found its way outside of the TV room, go for it.