Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Siri integration restricted to 8 countries, separate remote for other countries.

A

AppleMooseMan

macrumors regular
Original poster
Sep 11, 2012
150
46
Doesn't seem like many noticed this but there's two new remotes for the new Apple TV. One with Siri integration for supported countries and one without, for the countries that don't support it.


"The Apple TV Remote comes in two flavors—one with Siri built in and the other with onscreen search capabilities. The Siri Remote is available in the following countries:

  • Australia

  • Canada

  • France

  • Germany

  • Japan

  • Spain

  • United Kingdom

  • United States
Apple TVs in all other countries are packaged with the Apple TV Remote."


https://developer.apple.com/library..._PG/index.html#//apple_ref/doc/uid/TP40015241
 
Major fail. But I would put this on Apple's usual game - "let's keep some features for the next one". Also stop blocking movies and tv shows from other countries than the US itunes store.

Oh, and wake up and make the itunes store 4k, now. Don't make this into another apple music fiasco where all other players own the market already. We are many who have 100/100 or better now as connection.

Be Apple, innovate and be at the front.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: Mzee
I don't think it's a separate remote. I think the remote is the same - just the Siri functionality isn't enabled in the software and the search button just brings up a regular search UI field.
 
  • Like
Reactions: GubbyMan
I'm in Ireland. If I bought an AppleTV in the UK, then would Siri work okay, or can it detect the location.

Also, is it still possible to change the country on AppleTV? We have the grey AppleTV that allows us to use both my account and my girlfriend's American account.
 
pposthoorn said:
This is a major disappointment.

Why would they do this? I'm from The Netherlands and we have Siri in Dutch on iOS and watchOS and it works great. I don't see why it can't work on the Apple TV....
Click to expand...
Exactly.

Even if it can't, many of us (from other countries) would rather use Siri with English than not having the function at all.
 
This is good news!

It means that the old remote works with the new Apple TV. Which means my Universal Remote isn't completely useless as far as the new box is concerned. Sure, I need the new remote for games and maybe Siri, but just flicking on a film or something will work.
 
I from UK mean I can get Siri on remote but I can't use it (me be Deaf). Other country don't have Siri say have "onscreen search capabilities". I wonder if that option in UK too? So I can search.
 
oneMadRssn said:
I don't think it's a separate remote. I think the remote is the same - just the Siri functionality isn't enabled in the software and the search button just brings up a regular search UI field.
Click to expand...

The Apple documentation seems to suggest that there's two different remotes, depending on which country it's for. The "Siri remote" and the "Apple TV Remote".

Perhaps these remotes are physically identical, except the "Siri" button has a "Search" icon instead in countries where Siri on the Apple TV isn't supported?
 
Jay-Jacob said:
I from UK mean I can get Siri on remote but I can't use it (me be Deaf). Other country don't have Siri say have "onscreen search capabilities". I wonder if that option in UK too? So I can search.
Click to expand...

Almost certainly, it will be possible to search without using Siri. Apple have a good record when it comes to accessibility.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Jay-Jacob
Reason077 said:
Almost certainly, it will be possible to search without using Siri. Apple have a good record when it comes to accessibility.
Click to expand...

I agree Apple been really good with accessibility. Even their livestream WWDC and iPhone event have subtitles live.
 
Reason077 said:
The Apple documentation seems to suggest that there's two different remotes, depending on which country it's for. The "Siri remote" and the "Apple TV Remote".

Perhaps these remotes are physically identical, except the "Siri" button has a "Search" icon instead in countries where Siri on the Apple TV isn't supported?
Click to expand...
I hope that is the case in Denmark, I don't want a completely different remote!
Can we still see things like weather and imdb info without Siri I wonder?
 
Last edited:
kristoffer4 said:
I hope that is the case in Danmark, I don't want a completely different remote!
Can we still see things like weather and imdb info without Siri I wonder?
Click to expand...

Helt enig!

If I have no way to get Siri on my Apple TV I won't be upgrading. It makes no sense whatsoever that they wouldn't allow us to use the english version of Siri here in Denmark (We could do that before getting a Danish version). Otherwise I might try to get it from Germany or the UK.
 
According to the link you provided there will be one remote.

Your link said:
Apple TVs in all other countries are packaged with the Apple TV Remote. Figure 1-1 shows the new remote. It has the following buttons:

  1. Touch surface. Swipe to navigate. Press to select. Press and hold for contextual menus.

  2. Menu. Press to return to the previous menu.

  3. Siri/Search. Press and hold to talk in those countries that have the Siri Remote. In all other countries, press to open the onscreen search app.

  4. Play/Pause. Play and pause media.

  5. Home. Press to return to the Home screen. Press twice to view open apps. Press and hold to sleep.

  6. Volume. Control TV volume.

  7. Lightning connector. Plug-in for charging.
Click to expand...


Note the part I've bolded, furthermore, the Figure 1-1 which they refer to in the beginning of the quote, shows a single remote with the image text:

Siri Remote and Apple TV Remote

The single remote shown there, has the Siri button, there should have been to different remotes if your statement was correct.
 
FrederikTK said:
According to the link you provided there will be one remote.




Note the part I've bolded, furthermore, the Figure 1-1 which they refer to in the beginning of the quote, shows a single remote with the image text:

Siri Remote and Apple TV Remote

The single remote shown there, has the Siri button, there should have been to different remotes if your statement was correct.
Click to expand...
The thing we don't know and the text indicate is that yes there are 2 separate remotes, one with a Siri chip and one without the Siri chip inside the remote.
 
Frosties said:
The thing we don't know and the text indicate is that yes there are 2 separate remotes, one with a Siri chip and one without the Siri chip inside the remote.
Click to expand...

Honestly I find it confusing, it seems to me that there are indications for both scenarios. If they seriously are going to pull a move like that, I'll be getting my Apple TV from the UK or Germany.
 
I very much doubt there will be two different remotes that have different "chips" inside. My view is that it will depend on which country's iTunes account you are logged into on the Apple TV e.g. I live in New Zealand and have iTunes accounts for NZ, UK, USA and Canada - if I'm looked into my NZ account I won't be able to use Siri, however if I'm logged into any of the other three countries I will be able to use Siri. This is exactly the same as with Apple Music and other services that aren't/weren't available in NZ but are in the USA and which when I switch my iTunes account on my iPhone, iPad or aTV to the USA I can use.

May be wrong but doubt that Apple will physically limit a device that they will later rollout Siri support for - people would be pretty annoyed if they had to buy new hardware once Siri support was added.
 
  • Like
Reactions: GubbyMan
The biggest problem outside the US (and presumably UK & Canada) is that Apple really needs to fix Siri in other languages. Especially with movies and music Siri is just a mess, at least in germany and austria. Good luck finding some movies based on actors or something similar. It really seems Apple doesn't realize that names of f.e. actors are pronounced the same way as in the US.

I honestly would like Siri to work, but repeating everything three to four times is just too frustrating and more time consuming than a text-based search.
 
  • Like
Reactions: cipo
Well, after reading this, the new Apple TV has gone from a must buy, to "what's the point?"
The headline feature won't work where I live.

They updated Siri on the iPhone etc earlier this year to understand the Kiwi accent, so why not on the TV?
 
Reason077 said:
The Apple documentation seems to suggest that there's two different remotes, depending on which country it's for. The "Siri remote" and the "Apple TV Remote".

Perhaps these remotes are physically identical, except the "Siri" button has a "Search" icon instead in countries where Siri on the Apple TV isn't supported?
Click to expand...

That's what I mean. The button doesn't say Siri on it, it just has a microphone icon. However, the App Programming Guide for tvOS explains this button will cause a different software function depending on country.

3. Siri/Search. Press and hold to talk in those countries that have the Siri Remote. In all other countries, press to open the onscreen search app.
Click to expand...

The only difference is the name. Of course they can't call it the Siri Remote where there is no Siri. So they call it something else in those countries, and the software handles that one button differently.

I bet there will also be a setting to disable Siri in those countries that do have it, and just have the onscreen search app instead.
 
Another thing, how will developers in these no-Siri parts of the tvos world check that everything works. Must all have a us account? Fun Times!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back