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Hands-On With the Redesigned Apple TV 4K Siri Remote

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Apple alongside the second-generation Apple TV 4K debuted a redesigned version of the Siri Remote, which is now available to customers with new Apple TV orders and as a $60 standalone replacement for the original Siri Remote.


We picked up the updated Siri Remote to see if it's worth picking up if you have an original Apple TV 4K or HD and are tired of the first iteration of the remote, which has several shortcomings.

Apple entirely overhauled the Siri Remote's design. It has an all-aluminum body that does away with the touchpad interface, instead adopting a touch-based clickpad and several additional buttons for control purposes.

siri-remote-2.jpg

The new remote is thicker than the prior version, and Apple has used that thickness change as an explanation for why the Siri Remote 2 doesn't need Find My. It's bigger, thicker, and shouldn't get as easily lost in couch cushions, though whether that's true remains to be seen and will vary from household to household.

siri-remote-3.jpg

Along with no Find My, the new remote does not feature a gyroscope or an accelerometer, so you can't play games with it. Apple now recommends gaming controllers for playing games rather than the standard remote.

The clickpad that Apple added can be used like a standard directional button, and you can also swipe around if you want, but you don't have to. It's much more versatile than the prior touch interface, and it's useful to be able to scroll/scrub through content using a circular swipe gesture.

siri-remote-4.jpg

The buttons are tactile and satisfying to press, and Apple has added dedicated mute and power buttons along with the standard buttons for play/pause, volume control, and more. Siri can be activated through a side button.

Like the prior Siri Remote, you can charge this one using Lightning, and other than the physical changes, it operates the same as the original remote so it should be intuitive for most Apple TV users. If you're fed up with the original Siri Remote, the updated version has the potential to be a good alternative if you don't mind the selling price. Get a new Siri Remote? Let us know what you think in the comments.

Article Link: Hands-On With the Redesigned Apple TV 4K Siri Remote
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2021/05/24/hands-on-apple-tv-4k-siri-remote/
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Can you confirm you can click left and right in multiple video apps to skip back and forth by 10 or 15 seconds? This is instead of using the scrub wheel.
 
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Their justification for not needing Find My support is hogwash. My girlfriend has never met a remote control she can't lose in the couch, and this is way less meaty than her previous victims (I of course _know_ I'm clumsy and always keep it on the coffee table).

That aside, it really is an improvement. Props to the team for making it much easier to use without needing to look at it, and allowing me to kill swipe gestures completely.
 
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The redesign that we've been waiting for. I used it this weekend and the experience is far better than the old one.

I don't mind to have removed the gyroscope and accelerometer, as Apple Remote is a terrible gaming controller anyway. But I still think that Apple should have added Find My-like feature to the Apple remote. Maybe not a U1 chip, but at least a little speaker triggered by Apple Watch/iPhone/Homepod...
 
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Within 24 hours of having the new remote I lost it 3 times. Not because it fell in between the cushions...because my 1 year old daughter grabbed it and hid it each time. It could have been in the trash can for all I know, hence find my support would be greatly appreciated.

Edit: not complaining, just justifying. The remote is a much needed upgrade!
 
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Fortunately, I have the Apple TV remote app on my phone that works just fine with a 10 second forward and backwards button. If I ever lose the functionality of that app, I will likely go for the remote. But at $60 it's a bit expensive for what I would want it for, scrubbing forwards and backwards.
 
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zinman said:
Within 24 hours of having the new remote I lost it 3 times. Not because it fell in between the cushions...because my 1 year old daughter grabbed it and hid it each time. It could have been in the trash can for all I know, hence find my support would be greatly appreciated.

Edit: not complaining, just justifying. The remote is a much needed upgrade!
Click to expand...
You have to tell her a scary story with a lesson to never hide it again. This has worked for hundreds of years in Germany.
 
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so many complaints here about the old Siri remote, everyone hailing the new one, and now you need support docs and video tutorials on how to use it, eg fast forwarding a video ... this is just hilarious to watch.
I do have 2 ATV 4k in the house, original Siri Remote and neither my wife nor I lose it or are complaining about its functionality, but everyone is different ...
 
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FaustsHausUK said:
Their justification for not needing Find My support is hogwash. My girlfriend has never met a remote control she can't lose in the couch, and this is way less meaty than her previous victims (I of course _know_ I'm clumsy and always keep it on the coffee table).
Click to expand...
Justification is that noone would want to use their remote battery to constantly ping Find My. I've owned an Apple TV 4K for 3 years and I think I charged the remote twice.
 
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azentropy said:
Just got mine an hour ago so haven't done anything with it yet. However I am perplexed with the included cable. Strange as to why would Apple include an USB-A to Lightning charge cable and not a USB-C to Lightning.
Click to expand...
something something saving the environment while upping our quarterly numbers.
 
Nice and stylish improvement, but not really pushing - we currently have an Apple TV HD (bought as "Apple TV 4" when it hit the market) and a 1st gen 4K in our home, and are quite satisfied with the older remote, nothing really to complain about.
I also just cannot imagine where a "Find My" feature might come in handy - never had to search that remote in the past and don't expect to be in such need in the future.
 
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Mick-Mac said:
Does this thing have backlit buttons? If not, epic fail.
Click to expand...
What do you need a backlit buttons for with something so bare?
I can see using it with a standard tv remote that has a whole number list and tons of buttons. But for something like this it’s all based on feel. why would you want a backlight? You want to charge it more Often?
 
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azentropy said:
Just got mine an hour ago so haven't done anything with it yet. However I am perplexed with the included cable. Strange as to why would Apple include an USB-A to Lightning charge cable and not a USB-C to Lightning.
Click to expand...
My guess is it's because the vast majority of people have multiple USB-A chargers laying around the house, on their TV sets, receivers, etc. whereas not everyone has USB-C.
 
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unashamedgeek said:
Can you confirm you can click left and right in multiple video apps to skip back and forth by 10 or 15 seconds? This is instead of using the scrub wheel.
Click to expand...

goobot said:
Yes
Click to expand...

Good to know - but this was always available on the old remote as well.

Always boggled my mind that people didn't know all the things the old remote could do. You could skip/forward back 10s and also a touch (without a click) would allow you move around just like the arrows on this new remote as well. I always thought the old remote got way too much hate.

That said - this design looks good. I'll be picking up one of the new ATVs... and if I like the remote I'll probably replace all of my remotes (have ATV 4ks on 3 other TVs).
 
I don't understand why, but several times I day I would sit on and interrupt what I was watching with the previous Siri Remote. It always seemed to be under me and in a position for the most annoyance. I had seriously grown flabbergasted as to why that was!

That hasn't happened once with the new one — After some time, I think it being larger makes it easier to be aware of and less prone to sliding... Plus just the fact that the updated click interface doesn't seem to depress every time I put pressure on it inadvertently while not knowing its near me is godsend.
 
Isn't this one missing the accelerometer, gyroscope, and built-in compass that the last one had though? I don't understand how that makes it "good" in any way as it effectively would mess up being able to play certain games, wouldn't it?
 
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I had one of those silicon Elgato cases for my previous ATV remote. Not only did it help with orientation iof the remote in your hand, but it helped keep it from sliding off the wooden arms of my chair. Any idea if there is a similar product for this new remote?
 
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friedmud said:
Good to know - but this was always available on the old remote as well.

Always boggled my mind that people didn't know all the things the old remote could do. You could skip/forward back 10s and also a touch (without a click) would allow you move around just like the arrows on this new remote as well. I always thought the old remote got way too much hate.

That said - this design looks good. I'll be picking up one of the new ATVs... and if I like the remote I'll probably replace all of my remotes (have ATV 4ks on 3 other TVs).
Click to expand...
I knew it existed and I used it but it or me failed to be consistent. So many times I'd go to click on the right side of the pad to have it only pause or do nothing and this is the same even when I held my finger there for a moment to see the skip icon. Or other times I slide my finger to get to the edge and it already took off scrubbing.
 
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