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Apple TV HD With Original Siri Remote is Now Vintage

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Apple this week added the Apple TV HD with the original Siri Remote to its vintage products list. The device became vintage on June 30, according to an internal memo obtained by MacRumors, but the public-facing list was only updated recently.

Apple-TV-HD-Siri-Remote-Without-Menu-Ring.jpeg

When the Apple TV HD was first released in 2015, it came with a first-generation Siri Remote without a white ring around the Menu button — only units that shipped with this ring-less remote are now considered vintage. Apple added a white ring to the Menu button in 2017 to make the button more prominent when picking up the remote.

Apple TV HD units that shipped with a Siri Remote with a white ring (which is still considered the first-generation Siri Remote) or the second-generation Siri Remote (silver with a circular trackpad) have not been classified as vintage.

A device is classified as vintage after five years have passed since Apple last distributed the device for sale. Vintage products are typically ineligible for repairs at Apple Stores or Apple Authorized Service Providers, unless parts are still available.

Apple continues to sell the Apple TV HD (originally known as the fourth-generation Apple TV) for $149. Beyond changes to the Siri Remote, the device has not received any hardware upgrades since being released nearly seven years ago.

A new Apple TV is planned for release later in 2022, according to analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, and it could feature an A14 chip and an increased 4GB of RAM.

Article Link: Apple TV HD With Original Siri Remote is Now Vintage
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2022/07/17/apple-tv-hd-with-original-siri-remote-now-vintage/
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dantracht said:
Yet it's still being sold. Um.....huh?

That being said, I have one in my kitchen that still works quite well.
Click to expand...
I think the point is it's the one with the remote that didn't have the highlighted menu button. The main unit is still exactly the same though. The one on sale has the 'newer' style remote - so in effect they are discontinuing the old remote :)
 
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Good riddance to that horrific touch remote, pain in the ass to use and teaching new owners especially older people how to use it and treat it like a laptop touchpad was really annoying. The current updated version is how it should have been done from the start.
 
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So some AppleTV HD with the A8 SoC are now considered vintage while other AppleTV HD with the same A8 SoC are NOT considered vintage due to a very minor revision of the damned remote?

Damn what a useless way of labelling things :D
 
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As pointed out they still are selling them. I bought mine on launch day and the Apple TV hasn't changed or evolved since then. The addition of the TV App and folders where the biggest changes. And that was it. For 6 years. The remote has changed but the newest one is still flawed. Apple has put very little work in this product. Oh you can pair other controllers now, but that should of been done soon after launch day.
 
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I’ll buck the trend…

With a silicone case on it, I really like the Siri remote (with big trackpad)

Briefly tried the newest one and really dislike the loud click sounds and “trackpad on buttons” solution.

Could live with either but prefer the older remote (silicon case required though!)
 
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Good. That remote is hot garbage. I lost the stupid thing in a couch cushion and just used the app on my phone for almost a year until we moved and the dumb thing came tumbling out while we were playing furniture Tetris.
The new version with scroll wheel is a thousand times better even if the wheel is next to useless. For ergonomics alone I wold take it over those piece of junk any day of the week.
 
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But wasn't the next model exactly the same remote, just with a circle painted on it? To be honest I'm surprised they haven't made that remote (with the circle) vintage too and anyone bringing in or wanting to replace one bring directed to the latest model. To be honest I'm surprised Apple even bothered keeping a stock of the old, non-circle remote.
 
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Interesting. Just makes you ask a bunch of questions.

How many other Apple products have made the vintage list while still being sold ?

Is ineligibility of repair the main thing that happens when something goes on the vintage list ?

So if you buy the Apple TV HD with old remote tomorrow could the standard apple warranty end up being potentially useless if you need a repair within the next year ? at least on the remote ? or can they potentially not be able to do or decline to do repairs on any of it ?
 
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That POS remote is right up there with the hockey puck mouse. When first using the AppleTV remote it occurred to me that I would always need TWO remotes on hand - the AppleTV remote and the TV's remote (for no other reason than to just turn the TV on and off). Epic fail right out of the gate. Trying to use the remote only got worse after that because of its disgusting ergonomics and later dropping it and having the glass fracture only added to the grief. Hated that remote (and the arrogance/incompetence that went into it's design) with every fiber of my being...
 
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psylence2k said:
Interesting. Just makes you ask a bunch of questions.

How many other Apple products have made the vintage list while still being sold ?

Is ineligibility of repair the main thing that happens when something goes on the vintage list ?

So if you buy the Apple TV HD with old remote tomorrow could the standard apple warranty end up being potentially useless if you need a repair within the next year ? at least on the remote ? or can they potentially not be able to do or decline to do repairs on any of it ?
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I think it's a legal construct yes - Apple must maintain the ability to provide a replacement unit for up to 5 years after the product is discontinued - I think it's a Californian regulation.

At some point the Apple TV HD came with the amended remote which has a white ring and indentation around the Menu button to make it easier to find in the dark - I think it came with the original 4k model in 2017.

And it was further replaced in April 2021 with the silver Siri Remote that comes with the newest 4k models.

I believe anyone who bought an OG model needing a replacement remote will get the one from the model which had the updated one.

I haven't bothered to go back and check the articles relating to this but it's all in there - basically you won't get left behind with this as the Siri Remote will work with it.
 
Just got married and my wife had one, albeit shattered remote with a piece of clear packing tape on top. Just hooked it up this weekend in my 15 year old sons bedroom. I told him if the remote stops working, just use his phone. He didn’t seem too bothered by that prospect.
 
MacRumors said:
Apple this week added the Apple TV HD with the original Siri Remote to its vintage products list. The device became vintage on June 30, according to an internal memo obtained by MacRumors, but the public-facing list was only updated recently.

When the Apple TV HD was first released in 2015, it came with a first-generation Siri Remote without a white ring around the Menu button — only units that shipped with this ring-less remote are now considered vintage. Apple added a white ring to the Menu button in 2017 to make the button more prominent when picking up the remote.
Click to expand...
Yet the older remote for real old Apple TVs is still on sale in the store for $19. Why in the heck is that still for sale???? :D

Most of us already know the latest Apple TV remote is the replacement for ATVHD and ATV4K 1st gen for quite awhile.
 
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