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Apple Releases Redesigned 'Apple TV Remote' App for iPhone

Monday August 1, 2016 11:59 am PDT by Juli Clover
Apple today released an all new Apple TV Remote app for the iPhone, which is used to control the fourth-generation Apple TV along with older Apple TV models. Announced at WWDC, the new Remote app has been available for developers since June and was released to the public this afternoon.

The new Remote app, which connects to an Apple TV via Bluetooth, mimics the exact layout of the physical Siri Remote for a navigation experience that's streamlined across different input methods. Its design was inspired by the Siri Remote and is a significant improvement over the previous Apple TV remote app.

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When content like movies or music plays, the Remote app features a full "Now Playing" view for control purposes, along with a dedicated Menu button and a Siri button. As with the physical Apple TV Remote, navigation through the iOS app is done using touch gestures.

Entering text, like passwords and usernames, is much easier with the iOS Remote app because any text field automatically brings up a keyboard. Full Siri voice commands are supported, as is dictation. Because it includes the same gyroscope and accelerometer in the Siri Remote, an iPhone can be used as a dedicated game controller for playing games on the Apple TV.

The Apple TV Remote app requires iOS 9.3.2 or later to install and it works with the current version of tvOS, 9.2.2. It can also be used to control Apple TV 2 and Apple TV 3 models.

The Apple TV Remote app can be downloaded from the App Store for free. [Direct Link]

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[ 143 comments ]


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doverlock
29 months ago
Just in case it isn't entirely obvious (wasn't to me at first :P) this is a brand new app, not an update to the previous app. Couldn't find it yet through search, had to go to Apple's profile page in the App Store app to find it.
Rating: 16 Votes
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bpeeps
29 months ago
I got really excited for a second and then I saw the inclusion of "app" at the end of the title. Give us a new remote please, one where you can easily feel up from down.
Rating: 14 Votes
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CarlJ
29 months ago

omfg... a separate app? seriously?

Apple replaces a current app with a reboot and everyone complains that it isn't exactly the same as the old one. Apple releases a separate app and keeps the old one around and... complaints about that too? Which path through this could Apple take that would result in no outrage?
Rating: 12 Votes
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Chuck Kostalnick
29 months ago
I'm really glad that they released this in such a timely manner! We've only had the 4th Gen Apple TV for 10 months...
Rating: 11 Votes
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Richardgm
29 months ago
No native iPad app? In 2016?

Lazy.
Rating: 10 Votes
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WeemanWise
29 months ago

I got really excited for a second and then I saw the inclusion of "app" at the end of the title. Give us a new remote please, one where you can easily feel up from down.


You want to feel your Apple TV remote up?
Rating: 7 Votes
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6836838
29 months ago

I'm really glad that they released this in such a timely manner! We've only had the 4th Gen Apple TV for 10 months...

Erm, the old version did work too.
Rating: 7 Votes
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ThaRuler
29 months ago
They should make this app gender specific. I just don't want anyone feeling left out
Rating: 6 Votes
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Saucesome2000
29 months ago
Good. I cannot stand the ATV 4 remote. I pick it up backwards every time and if it gets bumped a button gets pushed.
Rating: 6 Votes
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mjschabow
29 months ago
I'm so mad about this. This app completely ruined my day, maybe year. I bet Apple stock is going to fall due to my anger about this app.
Rating: 5 Votes

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