Apple TV Remote app for iOS snags fresh icon in update

Posted:
in iOS edited March 2019
Apple on Tuesday pushed out a minor refresh of its Apple TV Remote app for iOS, and with it a new icon bearing a stylized silhouette of the company's minimalist Siri Remote.




Apple TV Remote version 2.2 is light on feature additions, but the update does include a rare icon change that more accurately reflects the software's capabilities.

Taking the place of Apple TV Remote's old iconography -- a black box with an Apple TV logo -- is a gray squircle featuring a simplified rendering of Apple's Siri Remote. The two-tone icon is accomplished in a now familiar art style that is pervading the company's online promotional material and documents like product manuals.

In addition to the icon change, Apple says the update includes general performance and stability improvements.

Launched in 2016 as an iOS companion to the Siri Remote, Apple TV Remote effectively turns iPhone into a remote control for Apple TV hardware.

Like its physical counterpart, the app enables gesture-based browsing, voice search and gyroscope-based game control. Further, with access to the iOS keyboard, Apple TV Remote enables faster text entry for app logins and in-app search bars.

The most recent major update to Apple TV Remote landed in September with support for password autofill, compatibility with new portable device screen sizes and a new Control Center widget.

Apple TV Remote is a free 14.2MB update from the iOS App Store.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 29
    crowleycrowley Posts: 10,453member
    Ew.  Do not like.
  • Reply 2 of 29
    I prefer the inverse of this.. black background with white or gray remote and either white or gray buttons depending on the color of the remote.
  • Reply 3 of 29
    mcdavemcdave Posts: 1,927member
    Just use the one in control centre.
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 4 of 29
    New icon.... but still no volume control???
    #priorities
    commentzilla
  • Reply 5 of 29
    mattinozmattinoz Posts: 2,299member
    zenwaves said:
    New icon.... but still no volume control???
    #priorities
    The oval button is volume controll?
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 6 of 29
    kent909kent909 Posts: 731member
    Apple just can't do anything right anymore.  /S
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 7 of 29
    flydogflydog Posts: 1,123member
    Everyone keeps bashing on this icon, but it's pretty good considering an eight-year-old made it.
    hmurchisonmonstrosity
  • Reply 8 of 29
    Wonder why they didn't change the Control Center Icon to match.
  • Reply 9 of 29
    CheeseFreezeCheeseFreeze Posts: 1,247member
    I don’t understand why the iOS remote app works by replicating a dumb traditional remote.

    You literately have a fancy $1200 touch device in your hands, simulating a $20 device.
    Why doesn’t the remote replicate a simplified view of the AppleTV’s view so you can directly tap on items with the convenience of a phone, instead of having to swipe up, left, right and down, swiping too far or not enough all the friggin’ time?


    mattinozSolin2itivguytokyojimuwattouk
  • Reply 10 of 29
    SoliSoli Posts: 10,035member
    I can’t believe people are bitching about a fucking icon. 🤦‍♂️


    Why doesn’t the remote replicate a simplified view of the AppleTV’s view so you can directly tap on items with the convenience of a phone, instead of having to swipe up, left, right and down, swiping too far or not enough all the friggin’ time?
    I like that idea. I’m trying to think of issues that might arise but i can’t think of any in terms of buttons being replicated on an iPhone or iPad.

    The only issue I can shoehorn in is having it in portrait mode might be a bit small, but I don’t think that is a significant issue. Apple could also offer a simple toggle between the simplified Apple TV UI as a remote and the Siri Remote UI for those that prefer a certain type or if a UI is less than ideal.
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 11 of 29
    CheeseFreezeCheeseFreeze Posts: 1,247member
    Soli said:
    I can’t believe people are bitching about a fucking icon. 🤦‍♂️


    Why doesn’t the remote replicate a simplified view of the AppleTV’s view so you can directly tap on items with the convenience of a phone, instead of having to swipe up, left, right and down, swiping too far or not enough all the friggin’ time?
    I like that idea. I’m trying to think of issues that might arise but i can’t think of any in terms of buttons being replicated on an iPhone or iPad.

    The only issue I can shoehorn in is having it in portrait mode might be a bit small, but I don’t think that is a significant issue. Apple could also offer a simple toggle between the simplified Apple TV UI as a remote and the Siri Remote UI for those that prefer a certain type or if a UI is less than ideal.
    That’s a good point. You kinda want the phone-remote to be portrait mode. I like your suggestion to leave it up to the user to choose their favorite interaction - landscape (direct touch) or portrait (remote style).


  • Reply 12 of 29
    I find the hand remote frustrating when the light are out you can't tell which way the remote is facing and I'm always hitting the wrong button and going off on another tangent then getting up turning the light on grrrrr not much thought into that one maybe put braille on the buttons  
    StrangeDays
  • Reply 13 of 29

    So we are now bitching about an icon? JFC!

    It actually looks neat and the app itself is much better than the physical remote.

    watto_cobra
  • Reply 14 of 29
    Still waiting for a mute function.  
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 15 of 29
    mattinoz said:
    zenwaves said:
    New icon.... but still no volume control???
    #priorities
    The oval button is volume controll?
    We're talking about the iOS app - not the physical remote - and no, there is still no volume control via the app.
    commentzilla
  • Reply 16 of 29

    So we are now bitching about an icon? JFC!

    It actually looks neat and the app itself is much better than the physical remote.

    You can't change the volume via the app, so I have to disagree with you.
  • Reply 17 of 29
    zenwaves said:
    New icon.... but still no volume control???
    #priorities
    zenwaves said:
    We're talking about the iOS app - not the physical remote - and no, there is still no volume control via the app.
    zenwaves said:
    You can't change the volume via the app, [...]

    I’m pretty sure that’s intentional: Unlike the Apple TV remote, the iPhone doesn’t have an IR emitter - and many (most?) TVs/Receivers don’t provide for volume control via HDMI-CEC.  Including UI elements in the app which are intended to control such “external” (i.e. not related to the functionality of the Apple TV device) behaviors, seems it would just lead to confusion and frustration on the part of users.

    Reference:
    https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT205225
    StrangeDaysfastasleepwatto_cobra
  • Reply 18 of 29
    jcs2305jcs2305 Posts: 1,336member
    I don’t understand why the iOS remote app works by replicating a dumb traditional remote.

    You literately have a fancy $1200 touch device in your hands, simulating a $20 device.
    Why doesn’t the remote replicate a simplified view of the AppleTV’s view so you can directly tap on items with the convenience of a phone, instead of having to swipe up, left, right and down, swiping too far or not enough all the friggin’ time?


    Where do I find a Siri remote for $20.00?  I could use a spare...


    watto_cobra
  • Reply 19 of 29
    jcs2305jcs2305 Posts: 1,336member
    zenwaves said:
    New icon.... but still no volume control???
    #priorities
    So you want an IR blaster in your phone?  Please let us know how the control you are asking for can be done without IR capabilities?



    StrangeDayswatto_cobra
  • Reply 20 of 29
    zenwaves said:
    mattinoz said:
    zenwaves said:
    New icon.... but still no volume control???
    #priorities
    The oval button is volume controll?
    We're talking about the iOS app - not the physical remote - and no, there is still no volume control via the app.
    It's the one thing I really HATE about the app. It's so stupid. Why not have the same controls that are on the actual remote?
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