Apple's iTunes Remote app updated with new, iOS 7-inspired design [u]
Apple on Monday released an update to its iTunes remote control app for iOS devices, bringing a new visual design and adding support for iTunes 11.1.
First spied --?in the form of a redesigned icon --?last month, Apple's Remote app has been updated to version 4.0, just the second refresh for the app this year. Apple says the update requires iOS 7, and is optimized for iPhone 5.
Apple chose to keep the feature list for Remote the same, aside from the version-bumped iTunes support, but rather focused on updating the app's user interface. Users can still control every aspect of iTunes playback on their Mac, and those with an Apple TV maintain the ability to use their iOS device as a remote control and keyboard for the living room media streamer.
The new visual direction matches that of Apple's other iOS media playback apps, namely Music and Videos, and sports a slightly darker blue hue for buttons and list controls. The app also features the same new, flatter icon seen earlier.
Remote's update leaves iBooks, iTunes U, Find My Friends, and Keynote Remote as the only first-party App Store apps that have yet to receive a visual overhaul for iOS 7, release just over one month ago. Keynote Remote is particularly neglected, having not seen an update of any kind since 2011.
Update: Apple on Monday also updated its AirPort Utility app with 64-bit support to take advantage of the iPhone 5s' A7 processor.
First spied --?in the form of a redesigned icon --?last month, Apple's Remote app has been updated to version 4.0, just the second refresh for the app this year. Apple says the update requires iOS 7, and is optimized for iPhone 5.
Apple chose to keep the feature list for Remote the same, aside from the version-bumped iTunes support, but rather focused on updating the app's user interface. Users can still control every aspect of iTunes playback on their Mac, and those with an Apple TV maintain the ability to use their iOS device as a remote control and keyboard for the living room media streamer.
The new visual direction matches that of Apple's other iOS media playback apps, namely Music and Videos, and sports a slightly darker blue hue for buttons and list controls. The app also features the same new, flatter icon seen earlier.
Remote's update leaves iBooks, iTunes U, Find My Friends, and Keynote Remote as the only first-party App Store apps that have yet to receive a visual overhaul for iOS 7, release just over one month ago. Keynote Remote is particularly neglected, having not seen an update of any kind since 2011.
Update: Apple on Monday also updated its AirPort Utility app with 64-bit support to take advantage of the iPhone 5s' A7 processor.
Comments
There's a lot wrong and missing in this version.
1. I can't find iTunes Radio. It still controls iTunes Radio if I start it from my computer, but there's no way to start it from my iPod Touch.
2. The colors for the track information and the time remaining bar are very odd. They are somehow based on the album cover, but they also fade from one color to another. This makes the information much harder to read.
3. AirPlay icon next to the volume control? I thought that they were banishing that icon to the Control Center?
Extremely buggy.
There's a lot wrong and missing in this version.
3. AirPlay icon next to the volume control? I thought that they were banishing that icon to the Control Center?
That Airplay icon is to control the remote device's (e.g. the Mac your are controlling) AirPlay setting. It's not for setting Airplay on the iOS device you are currently using. It's a remote app, remember.
I'm a bit surprised that Apple would prioritize the Remote app over iBooks for iOS.
That Airplay icon is to control the remote device's (e.g. the Mac your are controlling) AirPlay setting. It's not for setting Airplay on the iOS device you are currently using. It's a remote app, remember.
D'oh. You are correct.
Indeed. It's a very woosy, lame design with the darker blue.
Different people are working on it and it was less work. That said this feels very like pre-release software. It's terribly buggy. Shoddy by Apple's standards I would submit.
This is surprising.
Usually they choose to remove features.
The iPad version is terrible and clearly shows why having text as buttons is a fishy concept. Once you connect to a library Remote only shows Music, no option to change to movies or TV shows, not even under "More...". You have to tap the text label saying "Music in ..." to show these options or change the library or device. Design is now about how it does not work.
the remote app never "played" itunes radio. the remote app controls itunes on your desktop/laptop (and controls apple tvs).
if you want to play itunes radio from your ios7 ipod touch, use the builtin Music app.
no issues here. multiple ios devices, multiple libraries.
did you have to go so far as to go through the pairing process again (i.e., did you have type in an access code on each of the machines you wanted to control?) yikes.
Different people are working on it and it was less work. That said this feels very like pre-release software. It's terribly buggy. Shoddy by Apple's standards I would submit.
and maybe a catchup version... like all those shoddy podcast releases...
I was hoping for more... but then again, I'm hoping for a completely new interface that 'reverse airplay's' the navigation of appleTV to the iDevice Screen...
We do have to remember, there are a few million lines of code Apple is maintaining now for 'free.' I'm hoping release quality won't suffer from that decision.
the remote app never "played" itunes radio. the remote app controls itunes on your desktop/laptop (and controls apple tvs).
if you want to play itunes radio from your ios7 ipod touch, use the builtin Music app.
I know that Remote controls iTunes.
I like to play music over the big speakers streaming from iTunes, and I want to be able to control all of it through Remote app on my Touch. I can't change Radio stations from my Touch, and I should be able to. It does give me the "star / pause / skip" trio, which is a step up from the last version of Remote, but that's not what it should be able to do.
I don't play Radio on the Touch directly, because it loses connection to my AirPlay speakers when in my pocket.
They also missed the iTunes Radio control.
They should include headphone support. Say you play a movie on Apple TV, and you use Remote and your IOS device to use headphones wirelessly. Should work with multiple users as well.
Apple need to get a handle on Remote.
Im surprised how similar they both are, given that ones for touch and the others a mouse. Apples said a lot about UIs needing to be different, so it seems odd that the iPad screen shot looks almost identical to itunes on osx.
Text as buttons is my least favorite part about the new design direction. They were going for clarity but most everyone I know has found it to be confusing. This is a classic example of it at it's worst.