Remote for Next-Generation Apple TV to Include 'Touch Pad' for Scrolling

[Reason077]

That will force the 4K content to start catching on. Without companies adding 4K capable devices, 4K content won't ever grow.

There's also the issue that on most normal screens that aren't theatre-sized, 4K doesn't look all that much different to a good quality 1080p source.

I'd argue that moving to 1080p @ 60fps would offer a more tangible improvement (and thus better use of limited bandwidth) for most purposes than 4K would, especially for sports and the like.

 

[D.T.]

What I'd _love_ to see in terms of a replacement Remote app, is a library like view ON the remote device - not emulating the buttons and ring with a touch pad.

If the next ATV doesn't have a non-line-of-sight remote of some kind I'm DONe with Apple TV.

Definitely needs RF and/or WiFi. I occasionally use my iPhone as a remote because of the LOS issue (it's also a great WiFi based remote for our main AVR).

The current remote is the worst remote ever.

It's so small one minute you put it down , the next its in the other room playing Xbox one by itself. The amount of times I have had to tear the room apart trying to find...

Hahaha, that's hysterical Yeah, the one downstairs managed to slip through the sofa sections all the time. It disappears and I just bang on the sofa cushions and you can hear it hit the floor (where it starts partying with the dust bunnies...)

 

[JeffyTheQuik]

That remote sounds nice even though the current one is perfectly fine.

For me, I hate fast forwarding with the current remote. I'd like to see the original iPod scroll wheel (is that what it's called?) for positioning the video. With kids running about, sometimes I need to have the FF/REW a bit more refined.

 

[BenGieCruz]

This new remote needs a clickwheel! its the easiest way to scroll through a long list of movies!

 

[k1121j]

i hope it has buttons and not just a touch screen while its nice i don't like to have to look at the remote to use it and the swipe can often scrolls way more then you want it to .... Please Apple make sure it has buttons

 

[2010mini]

That will force the 4K content to start catching on. Without companies adding 4K capable devices, 4K content won't ever grow.

It doesn't work that way. The reason we have colour TV is because the gov't forced that standard on networks. The reason we have digital TV is yet again the gov't changing the standard.

If it was to tech companies to change the standard we would all be watching 3D Content on a regular basis by now.

 

[kodos]

I'm still using the little white remote control that came with my original (2006) MacBook. The remote is perfect for controlling my docked iPhone 4, which serves as a de facto Apple TV.

I loved the little white remotes with my Macbooks! I missed them when they stopped bundling them. One of the joys of having a Mac back then

 

[ncaissie]

My Gen 2 apple TV remote sucks.

 

[ohio.emt]

Amazon probably copied an Apple prototype Or apple has just "inspired"

Otherwise the new iremote too good

Copied a prototype?

 

[anthonymoody]

Makes sense.

What's most interesting to me about this is that the NYT is getting into the Apple Rumors Game.

 

[japanime]

Thats' quite a setup for TV

Not really. Just an old iPhone plugged into a TV. I don't like to throw away old but still perfectly useful tech.

I loved the little white remotes with my Macbooks! I missed them when they stopped bundling them. One of the joys of having a Mac back then

Indeed! I still have a couple of them still in their plastic wrappers (we had an all-Macbook office back then, and didn't need the remotes for all of them).

 

[odditie]

Best thing I ever did was programmed my old blu-ray player's remote for my Apple TV. Works fantastic and gives me additional functionality like skip forward and skip back.

 

[huntercr]

Why not just convert the circle to a click wheel? It'd be perfect.

I love the click wheel. You can scroll indefinitely, and as fast as you want; something you can't do on "touch pads."

I whole heartedly agree. When the Apple TV came out, I emailed Steve Jobs ( of course not expecting an answer ) about this very thing. I see it as a huge design miss. The touch pad is better for mobile devices, but the AppleTV has one major design difference... You want to be able to operate the remote without having to look at it. The clickwheel solves this.

 

[BillyBobBongo]

Just add a damn volume button, and I'll be happy!

 

[2010mini]

They can redesign the remote all they want but the real problem is still the fact that it takes me three remotes to use my Apple TV.

I need the TV remote to switch inputs from TV to the Apple TV, the Apple TV remote to control the content I want to watch, and my cable/TV remote to adjust the volume.

Maybe they've come up with some kind of super remote than control all my AV equipment but I kind of doubt it. And learning/smart remotes still require a PHD to figure out how to set up and configure them not to mention how expensive they are.

get a Harmony remote. Easiest setup in the world and can be had for about the same price as an Apple TV.

 

[arkmannj]

That will force the 4K content to start catching on. Without companies adding 4K capable devices, 4K content won't ever grow.

Chicken and the Egg... Content distributors don't want to be bothered with making and distributing 4k content until there are enough devices using it to be worth while; and Device makers don't want to be bothered with 4k until there is enough content to make use of it. I would like to see the AppleTV make use of 4K for a few reasons.

1) The scenario above has to have someone do their part to get the other parties on board.

2) Regardless, 4K content will come, I'd rather have an AppleTV ready for it, than need to buy another device in a couple years. (Futureproofing)

3) Many new TV's already support 4K, maybe an AppleTV that supports 4K can help with better upscaling content.

4) If it had the processing power for 4K... maybe just maybe it has the processing power to handle other tasks when running in 1080p... like apps


5) I LIKE it when Apple leads the industry once in a while. Apple isn't often the first to a party, but they usually make a game changing entrance. but once in a while It's nice when they are the first there.

I'm sure there are other reasons, but those just rolled off the top of my head.


As for the remote... I'd Love for it to be BT and to have a headphone port like the Roku... those two features are great.

 

[scott911]

how long until 4k is mainstream ? - I say it's soon.

I bought a $1200 mid range 1080p Sony about two years ago. Went bad and am getting it replaced. Now, a $1200 Sony is a 4K unit. I bet we'll see main brand 4K units as this year's hot black Friday promo item in just five months from now.

 

[Izauze]

delete

 

[OldSchoolMacGuy]

Aaaaaah, the Apple TV that has been rumored to be coming for the past 3+ years.

 

[thekeyring]

Why not just convert the circle to a click wheel? It'd be perfect.

I love the click wheel. You can scroll indefinitely, and as fast as you want; something you can't do on "touch pads."

Touchpads can mimic scroll wheels: Infinite scrolling by drawing a circle.

They also let you move a cursor in two dimensions, something beyond a click wheel's capabilities.

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I bought a $1200 mid range 1080p Sony about two years ago. Went bad and am getting it replaced. Now, a $1200 Sony is a 4K unit. I bet we'll see main brand 4K units as this year's hot black Friday promo item in just five months from now.

Affordable hardware will be nice. Hopefully TV stations will start broadcasting here in HD, too.

 

[4jasontv]

Agreed. Because I'm usually too lazy to find my ATV remote, I tend to use my phone with the remote app instead. Trying to swipe and move from one "channel" on the home screen to the next is really annoying...it often skips and goes two spaces over instead of one. That needs to be fixed.

Same issue here.

Also, I might be the only one, but I can't get the iPhone keyboard to work with my ATV3. I can type a word or two, and then it starts duplicating what I typed over and over. I can't seem to find anything online to fix it, so I only use the aluminum remote.

 

[Coleman2010]

A8 but no 4k?

so what...we're getting the app store for Apple TV then?

4K streaming would be the "killer app." I have four 4KTVs and two Sony 4K media streamers. I would buy a 4K Apple TV for each if the new Apple TV supports 4K streaming.

believe it or not, 4K content is still rather sparse. So why the push for that now

Umm... so it's not sparse.

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There's also the issue that on most normal screens that aren't theatre-sized, 4K doesn't look all that much different to a good quality 1080p source.

What low end 4KTV did you see that it doesn't look any better than 1080p? Even up converted 1080p content looks better than straight 1080p. I think you need to demo higher end models if you think they look the same.

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It kills me. Most of the people who poo poo 4K have never seen one and don't own one.

 

[alexjholland]

If the new box doesn't work with my Logitech Harmony remote, that's a definite barrier to purchase..

 

[2IS]

Should also make it RF.

 

[jm001]

What about this? Image

I would include Touch ID on the home button just so I don't have to keep typing in my password using the remote.