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Here's the Upcoming Apple TV 'Remote' App

santaliqueur said:
Perfect, this will work well with the new Apple TV 4th generation coming out at the end of October!

Oh wait, it's 2016. This is the app we should have had at launch. It's been fun paying Apple several thousand dollars to be a beta tester the past few years.
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You obviously haven't used Apple products for long or you're very forgetful... OS X launch anyone. Ouch, now that was Beta testing.

Apple rarely gives a full set of wanted/desired features with their products straight off the bat. Just look at the iPhone too, no native apps, no cut/copy/paste, no 3G etc.

A general rule of thumb for tech in general, buy when a product matures up to a point where it meets your needs. Luckily I have very little need for the iPhone app and have been enjoying the AT4 for a number of months, so I'm glad they didn't hold it's release back waiting for this app.

http://www.macworld.com/article/1151235/macs/apple-rolls.html
 
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Very disappointing. When this new app was announced late 2015 (or early 2016, I forget), I was hoping for a totally new approach where ATV4 and the iPhone would create added value for each other. But it's just the same as the old app: a counter-intuitive technical way of trying to mimic the remote. Why does Apple not try something more original instead of just showing ugly black buttons?

I can imagine so many cool features where both devices are integrated:
- support for handoff and continuity
- while watching ATV4, the iPhone could automatically show additional info about what your watching. How cool would it be if IMDb were to pop up when watching a movie? Or the suggestion to install a related iOS app for a TV Show?
- for years, TV makers have tried to create interaction with their audiences, but we're still stuck with SMS voting. Why not introduce something new there?
- support for Airplay streaming from ATV/iPhone to multiple speakers
- Listen to headphones connected to your iPhone when watching ATV4
- etc

Again, very disappointed with this new version.
 
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No volume button? WTF is this obsession of Apple to remove essential things from their products??
 
I guess it is because of no IR in the phone. So there really isn't much they can do about it. The Apple TV remote uses IR so if you can think of a way that the phone can be used as a remote for the TV then please elaborate. This is not really an intentional omission, although it is a shortcoming for the new app for sure.
 
Benjamin Frost said:
I know this article is principally about the app, but the Apple Remote is too symmetrical.

How do you find the right end in the dark?

Perhaps I could have phrased that better...
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Same here and I agree that most people will grab the remote the wrong way a lot of times.
(I did)

Then came the Eureka moment.

Just look at it when you pick it up. We all have a split second , or?..........................
 
maverick98A said:
Will it be compatible with the older Apple TVs?
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According to CNET, it will control Gen 2-Gen4 ATVs just as the current Remote app does. The new version is designed with ATV4 features in mind though.

Since OS 10.12 will be Siri compatible, I'm curious if the Siri commands can be use when using Remote with iTunes on a Mac instead of the GUI. That would be pretty slick (maybe... given the limitations of voice control with and intentionally misspelled band names). Right now it can be kind of a chore scrolling though Remote's interface. Also would be nice if Remote added a way to view "recently added" music like iTunes does.
 
I hope this lets you wake the Apple TV as currently you have to at least find and wake it using the standard remote.
A bit pointless really!
 
Chupa Chupa said:
According to CNET, it will control Gen 2-Gen4 ATVs just as the current Remote app does. The new version is designed with ATV4 features in mind though.

Since OS 10.12 will be Siri compatible, I'm curious if the Siri commands can be use when using Remote with iTunes on a Mac instead of the GUI. That would be pretty slick (maybe... given the limitations of voice control with and intentionally misspelled band names). Right now it can be kind of a chore scrolling though Remote's interface. Also would be nice if Remote added a way to view "recently added" music like iTunes does.
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As far as I can tell, the words in the article are correct - only Gen4. I have both 2 and 4 and the app only sees 4.

For those with access to the release notes, the info there also includes supported information.
 
hagar said:
- while watching ATV4, the iPhone could automatically show additional info about what your watching. How cool would it be if IMDb were to pop up when watching a movie? Or the suggestion to install a related iOS app for a TV Show?
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I don't disagree with the sentiment that Apple should be creating a more integrated feel but if it did this outside of the remote app? It would be utterly interminable. Even if it did it automatically inside the remote app, it would lose it's appeal pretty quickly. I only see a use case via a button press, and then why wouldn't I ask Siri?

I'm more for quicker access to tv remote functions without needing to unlock/hunt through springboard. Something in control center. Probably an iOS11 thing if they bring extensions in there then.
 
Keane16 said:
You obviously haven't used Apple products for long or you're very forgetful... OS X launch anyone. Ouch, now that was Beta testing.

Apple rarely gives a full set of wanted/desired features with their products straight off the bat. Just look at the iPhone too, no native apps, no cut/copy/paste, no 3G etc.

A general rule of thumb for tech in general, buy when a product matures up to a point where it meets your needs. Luckily I have very little need for the iPhone app and have been enjoying the AT4 for a number of months, so I'm glad they didn't hold it's release back waiting for this app.

http://www.macworld.com/article/1151235/macs/apple-rolls.html
Click to expand...

I've been using Apple products since the IIgs. Nearly 30 years. You seem to be talking about feature sets, while my biggest complaint is released products not working. It would be nice to go for a run with the Apple Watch and have the workout session still be there when I'm done. It fails more often than not. It's trash. Hopefully watchOS 3 fixes this, because the Watch is unusable for me. The original iPhone was fine because we didn't know what we were missing with native apps and copy/paste and 3G. That stuff was great when we got it, but I liked the phone just fine. At least it worked. Apple is growing too fast and needs to Snow Leopard the whole company.

Your gently condescending tone is a nice reminder for me to be polite on these forums.
 
Ed217 said:
As far as I can tell, the words in the article are correct - only Gen4. I have both 2 and 4 and the app only sees 4.

For those with access to the release notes, the info there also includes supported information.
Click to expand...

Did you mean to say "incorrect"? Otherwise your sentence doesn't make sense.

All I can say is, it's a beta, an early one at that. Of course the release notes are only for the released version, not future ones.

I see zero logic for Apple to neuter the Remote app as a lot of people own multiple generation ATVs (Gen 3 which is still on the sales lis as well as use their Macs with the Remote app. It would piss off more customers than were originally annoyed Remote didn't work with ATV4 at launch. Moreover Remote encourages people to use multiple Apple products. Limiting functionality to a single product category and generation makes no sense at all. It only serves to alienate and frustrate, not grow the user base.
[doublepost=1467118964][/doublepost]
ryanwarsaw said:
I guess it is because of no IR in the phone. So there really isn't much they can do about it. The Apple TV remote uses IR so if you can think of a way that the phone can be used as a remote for the TV then please elaborate. This is not really an intentional omission, although it is a shortcoming for the new app for sure.
Click to expand...

That's not totally true. A lot -- most made today -- of A/V receivers have built-in AirPlay and can be controlled via app.
 
Ploki said:
I'm pretty sure the volume control on Apple TV is software done. And even then if its not, you could very easily enable that in the software. Furthermore, it controls your TV via HDMI-CEC, which again, is software.
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I know in my setup if I put my hand over the IR blaster on the siri remote the volume control buttons don't work so I don't think it's using HDMI-CEC for this feature but rather the built in IR blaster of the remote. And yes I do have HDMI-CEC enabled on both the apple tv and my tv so my guess is that apple is using HDMI-CEC to figure out what IR codes to blast to the TV to adjust the volume but I'm not 100% sure how it is actually working.
 
shaneakus said:
So, the new app doesn't control iTunes like previous versions of the app? Bummer if not because I have several AirPlay speakers that I like to run simultaneously. Gonna be a pita without the remote app.
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I really don't think that's the case, and do think it will still control an iTunes library on a Mac. In the video, you can still see the "Devices" button that is in the current app. He doesn't press it as he's only demonstrating the ATV controls, but I imagine pressing it would show the other ATVs and iTunes library on his network, if he has them.

I really doubt they're taking this functionality away.
 
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Chupa Chupa said:
Did you mean to say "incorrect"? Otherwise your sentence doesn't make sense.
[doublepost=1467118964][/doublepost]
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No. Only Gen4 is supported. The app is a substitute for the Gen4 remote, which only works with Gen4.

"overhauled to make it easier than ever to control a fourth-generation Apple TV with an iPhone"

See the release notes for more information.
 
I assume it will carry all the bugs from the current version forward. Random refusals to connect, keyboard that activates only when it feels like it...
 
bassjunky said:
I really don't think that's the case, and do think it will still control an iTunes library on a Mac. In the video, you can still see the "Devices" button that is in the current app. He doesn't press it as he's only demonstrating the ATV controls, but I imagine pressing it would show the other ATVs and iTunes library on his network, if he has them.

I really doubt they're taking this functionality away.
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Would someone with the beta mind checking this? Just whether your shared iTunes library shows up when you click 'Devices'. I'm surprised Apple hasn't said anything about it.
 
jclo said:
I press on the wrong end of the Apple Remote approximately 100 percent of the time when I'm trying to pause a show or fast forward or something. It's hard to tell, especially when you just reach over and grab the remote without really looking. Probably one of my biggest annoyances with the remote.
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Maybe we could get a "Raise to Illuminate" for some key backlighting on a future remote? I realize this would kill the battery life but at estimated 3 months it has a little to spare. Or they could make the remote a hair bigger so it fits in the hand better. And besides, the "Raise to.." feature is something they are starting to take seriously now with Apple Watch and iOS10.
 
MacRumors said:



At its recent Worldwide Developers Conference, Apple unveiled an all new "Remote" app for iOS devices, which has been entirely overhauled to make it easier than ever to control a fourth-generation Apple TV with an iPhone.

In the video below, we took a look at the Remote app to give MacRumors readers an early glimpse at what's in store. The new Remote app, which connects to an Apple TV via Bluetooth, mimics the exact layout of the Siri Remote for a navigation experience that's streamlined across different input methods.

COMING.....everything is COMING.....in the fall....next year....When will they make a WDDC where the actualy HAVE something to sell? And not ONLY for US, but for the whole world!
The rest of the world had to wait five years for a NOT US speaking SIRI. Apple pay?? In 4 country's.
Apple has nothing! Exept for the 40 bugfix updates a year. Remember when IOS and OSX only had updates for new functions in stead of BUGS?



Article Link: Here's the Upcoming Apple TV 'Remote' App
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