Apple seemingly discontinues Apple TV 'Remote' app

AppleInsiderAppleInsider
Posted:
in iPhone edited October 2020
Apple recently pulled its first-party Apple TV "Remote" app for iOS from the App Store, leaving users who have not downloaded the title to rely on integrated controls provided in Control Center.




Introduced in 2016 as an alternative solution to Apple's dedicated Siri Remote, the Remote app for iOS allowed iPhone users to navigate Apple TV's menus via touch and voice controls.

As of this writing, Remote is no longer available for download on the App Store, suggesting it has reached end of life. Further, nearly all references to the app have been scrubbed from the company's website, with support pages now directing users to enable remote control functionality in Control Center.

The change comes some two years after Apple baked Apple TV remote control functionality directly into iOS 12.

Detailed in a support document, Apple TV Remote is automatically added to Control Center with current versions of iOS. Like the erstwhile Remote app, the Control Center version mimics the Siri Remote and tacks on support for Apple TVs in different rooms. It also gains search button and refined layout.

Apple rarely updated the Remote app, though it did rate a new icon last year.

9to5Mac spotted the change on Tuesday.

While Remote for Apple TV is seemingly dead, Apple still maintains the iTunes Remote app for controlling playback of Apple Music, iTunes and the Apple TV app on a Mac or PC.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 31
    pulseimagespulseimages Posts: 600member
    Will Apple be debuting a new Apple TV before Christmas? 
    gregoriusmScot1
  • Reply 2 of 31
    anantksundaramanantksundaram Posts: 20,404member
    I had gotten around to rarely using the remote app. Obviously, I was far from the only one. 

    It was almost as badly minimalist as the regular remote...
    lkrupprazorpit
  • Reply 3 of 31
    montrosemacsmontrosemacs Posts: 118member
    Where is the freakin' MUTE button Apple?
    Japheygregoriusmchristophbwilliamlondonrazorpitbuttesilverwatto_cobra
  • Reply 4 of 31
    urashidurashid Posts: 127member
    They still show Apple TV Remote App in the list of "Free Apps from Apple"



    gregoriusmwatto_cobra
  • Reply 5 of 31
    digital_guydigital_guy Posts: 162member
    Well .. here's (U.S.) link, though as article mentions, it seems gone ► https://apps.apple.com/us/app/apple-tv-remote/id1096834193?l=en
  • Reply 6 of 31
    djames4242djames4242 Posts: 651member
    Well that’s stupid. I do mostly use control center, but the app does something I find very useful that isn’t in control center. The app has a details label you can tap that’ll show you what’s currently playing with a slider showing the content length and the current position.

    AFAIK, this isn’t something you can do with control center and it’s nice to see what my kids are watching, or how much time is left on my show without bringing up the playback position on-screen.
    williamlondonrazorpitkuduapplguywatto_cobra
  • Reply 7 of 31
    JapheyJaphey Posts: 1,767member
    pulseimages said:
    Will Apple be debuting a new Apple TV before Christmas? 
    Yes please!
    StrangeDayswatto_cobra
  • Reply 8 of 31
    jpellinojpellino Posts: 697member
    I was able to re-download it from my purchased list. FWIW
    spock1234bonobobwatto_cobra
  • Reply 9 of 31
    ivanhivanh Posts: 597member
    The only reason I bought APPLE TV was the Remote app ion which I could have a virtual keyboard to ease searching for everything like those from Apple TV+. Thanks to AppleInsider, I’m not going to replace the next APPLE TV box. It’s no fun to use the physical Apple TV remote to search / select alphabets on a line. Siri is unlikely a suitable substitute or the app. 
    spock1234christophbwilliamlondonsvanstrom
  • Reply 10 of 31
    zcherrieszcherries Posts: 4member
    Whenever I try to control my older generation Apple TV through Control Center, it can't find it. But the Remote app allows me to control it. Guess this is their subtle way of saying I need to shell out more money to upgrade. I've been waiting for years for a newer version to upgrade to though. 
    williamlondon
  • Reply 11 of 31
    machaymachay Posts: 11member
    ivanh said:
    The only reason I bought APPLE TV was the Remote app ion which I could have a virtual keyboard to ease searching for everything like those from Apple TV+. Thanks to AppleInsider, I’m not going to replace the next APPLE TV box. It’s no fun to use the physical Apple TV remote to search / select alphabets on a line. Siri is unlikely a suitable substitute or the app. 
    Have you activated the virtual keyboard notifications that appears on your iPhone when you search on Apple TV. It replaces the “app” keyboard and dynamically notifies you when needing to type an entry into ATV. iPhone>>settings>>notifications>>Apple TV Keyboard. 
    williamlondonDogpersonrazorpitfastasleepStrangeDayswatto_cobra
  • Reply 12 of 31
    jimh2jimh2 Posts: 614member
    The provided AppleTV remote sucks and is way to fragile for a remote. The only way I will use the AppleTV is with the app so if it were to away it will be relegated to the pile of no longer used electronics. 

    I have found myself using my Nvidia Shield more and more as it has the apps I used on the AppleTV and their remote is outstanding only because it has the buttons you need and no crappy touch pad area for navigation. 

    I have thought many times about buying my parents and in-laws AppleTV’s but did not because the remote will be nothing but a complaint every time I see them and I predict they would just give up on using it. 
    kingofsomewherehot
  • Reply 13 of 31
    thrangthrang Posts: 1,008member
    I've got to think this in advance of a new app and likely new ATV... 
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 14 of 31
    mike1mike1 Posts: 3,283member
    djames4242 said:
    Well that’s stupid. I do mostly use control center, but the app does something I find very useful that isn’t in control center. The app has a details label you can tap that’ll show you what’s currently playing with a slider showing the content length and the current position.

    AFAIK, this isn’t something you can do with control center and it’s nice to see what my kids are watching, or how much time is left on my show without bringing up the playback position on-screen.

    Dragging down from the top of the Control Center remote does the same thing.
    razorpitdjames4242StrangeDayswatto_cobra
  • Reply 15 of 31
    mike1mike1 Posts: 3,283member
    For most things, I use the TV's remote control. I do use the remote app occasionally. The only thing I don't like about using Control Center remote is that it disappears if you do something else. The app doesn't remain open. So you have to go to Control Center to open it again. Not a big deal, though.
    razorpitwatto_cobra
  • Reply 16 of 31
    MacProMacPro Posts: 19,727member
    Where is the freakin' MUTE button Apple?
    "Hey Siri... STOP"  Mutes our Apple TV,  we are using HomePods as the sound source. 
    edited October 2020 StrangeDayswatto_cobra
  • Reply 17 of 31
    Ladue70Ladue70 Posts: 1member
    Function 101 button remote is far superior.  The easy 15 second replay is worth the cost of admission!  I rarely used the voice option, but the original Apple remote can still be used if needed.
    docno42watto_cobra
  • Reply 18 of 31
    neilmneilm Posts: 987member
    ivanh said:
    The only reason I bought APPLE TV was the Remote app ion which I could have a virtual keyboard to ease searching for everything like those from Apple TV+. Thanks to AppleInsider, I’m not going to replace the next APPLE TV box. It’s no fun to use the physical Apple TV remote to search / select alphabets on a line. Siri is unlikely a suitable substitute or the app. 
    I use a surplus Apple wireless keyboard for text entry. As a bonus, the cursor keys provide easy navigation.
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 19 of 31
    fastasleepfastasleep Posts: 6,417member
    ivanh said:
    The only reason I bought APPLE TV was the Remote app ion which I could have a virtual keyboard to ease searching for everything like those from Apple TV+. Thanks to AppleInsider, I’m not going to replace the next APPLE TV box. It’s no fun to use the physical Apple TV remote to search / select alphabets on a line. Siri is unlikely a suitable substitute or the app. 
    You didn’t need the Remote app to do this to begin with, and as noted in the article the functions of the app are replaced with the Control Center feature anyway. 

    jimh2 said:
    The provided AppleTV remote sucks and is way to fragile for a remote. The only way I will use the AppleTV is with the app so if it were to away it will be relegated to the pile of no longer used electronics. 
    Some people are clearly not reading the article and getting upset over nothing. 
    StrangeDaysdocno42watto_cobra
  • Reply 20 of 31
    fastasleepfastasleep Posts: 6,417member

    thrang said:
    I've got to think this in advance of a new app and likely new ATV... 
    Not sure why you’d think that. An ATV is expected in the not distant future, but this certainly doesn’t seem to indicate that by any means. 
    watto_cobra
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