Monday, October 24, 2022

The Apple TV Siri Remote, But Gooderer

I love my Apple TV, and I want it to be better. With the release of updated Apple TV units in October 2022, along with USB-C connectivity replacing Lightning for the remote, my brain started to wander. How can we make the Siri Remote, a huge improvement from the previous Siri Remote, even gooderer?

My original tweet, which was just the redesign mockup with zero context:


The main features of my mockup redesign:
  • hardware - giant Play/Pause button. This is the most important button to use during playback, so having it be more prominent than mute, Back and TV is beneficial on many levels.
  • hardware - it's longer. Makes it harder to lose, and even easier to hold.
  • hardware/software - Find My compatibility. Yes, a premium feature. But Apple TV is a premium product. So why not?
  • hardware/software - Speaker, so you can play a tone using Find My to find a lost remote. Just like the new case for AirPods Pro.
  • software - jog/slow motion/frame by frame controls. This can all be accomplished using the touch sensors already on the Apple TV, but activating this feature in software could be tricky. I consider this a "pro" feature, which could be OFF by default, so only extreme enthusiasts can access this feature which has been a staple of legacy home video devices (VHS, LaserDisc) for decades.
Heh, this isn't the first time I've mocked up an Apple TV remote: How Siri Could Work with Apple TV
 


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