Apple today released the fifth beta of tvOS 14.5, and there are some small but notable changes in the update found by MacRumors contributor Steve Moser. Apple is removing mentions of the "Siri Remote" and replacing them with "Apple TV Remote" across the operating system.
The Siri Remote has always been the Apple TV Remote in countries where Siri functionality is not available on the Apple TV, but now Apple is using the Apple TV Remote wording in countries where the remote was previously referred to as the Siri Remote.
This could be just a general cleanup of the language because there's no real need to refer to it as the Siri Remote anymore, but it does suggest that the next-generation Apple TV remote will not be called the Siri Remote and will have a simpler name.
Apple is rumored to be working on a new version of the Apple TV that's set to come out this year, and it will be accompanied by a refreshed remote control with Find My capabilities. Little else is known about the remote at this time.
tvOS 14.5 also renames the "Home Button" under the "Remotes and Devices" section to "TV Button," but the functionality is ultimately the same and can be set to go to the Apple TV app or the Home Screen. This too could be a tweak made for a future remote.
Earlier betas have introduced support for the latest PlayStation and Xbox controllers, plus frame rate options have been tweaked with Apple now offering 29.97Hz and 59.94Hz refresh rates instead of 30Hz/60Hz.
There's also an optional "Type to Siri" Accessibility feature that can be enabled, which mirrors the Type to Siri feature on iOS devices, a new option for choosing "Other Wireless Speakers" as the Default Audio Output, and tweaks to the Podcasts app to bring it in line with the changes introduced in iOS 14.5.
Friday December 5, 2025 9:40 am PST by Tim Hardwick
Apple is about to release iOS 26.2, the second major point update for iPhones since iOS 26 was rolled out in September, and there are at least 15 notable changes and improvements worth checking out. We've rounded them up below.
Apple is expected to roll out iOS 26.2 to compatible devices sometime between December 8 and December 16. When the update drops, you can check Apple's servers for the ...
Tuesday December 2, 2025 11:09 am PST by Juli Clover
Apple is encouraging iPhone users who are still running iOS 18 to upgrade to iOS 26 by making the iOS 26 software upgrade option more prominent.
Since iOS 26 launched in September, it has been displayed as an optional upgrade at the bottom of the Software Update interface in the Settings app. iOS 18 has been the default operating system option, and users running iOS 18 have seen iOS 18...
Wednesday December 3, 2025 10:33 am PST by Juli Clover
Apple today seeded the release candidate versions of upcoming iOS 26.2 and iPadOS 26.2 updates to developers and public beta testers, with the software coming two weeks after Apple seeded the third betas. The release candidates represent the final versions of iOS 26.2 and iPadOS 26.2 that will be provided to the public if no further bugs are found during this final week of testing....
Thursday December 4, 2025 9:30 am PST by Joe Rossignol
In a statement shared with Bloomberg on Wednesday, Apple confirmed that its software design chief Alan Dye will be leaving. Apple said Dye will be succeeded by Stephen Lemay, who has been a software designer at the company since 1999.
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced that Dye will lead a new creative studio within the company's AR/VR division Reality Labs.
On his blog Daring Fireball,...
Friday December 5, 2025 10:08 am PST by Joe Rossignol
Intel is expected to begin supplying some Mac and iPad chips in a few years, and the latest rumor claims the partnership might extend to the iPhone.
In a research note with investment firm GF Securities this week, obtained by MacRumors, analyst Jeff Pu said he and his colleagues "now expect" Intel to reach a supply deal with Apple for at least some non-pro iPhone chips starting in 2028....
Monday December 1, 2025 4:37 pm PST by Juli Clover
We're getting closer to the launch of the final major iOS update of the year, with Apple set to release iOS 26.2 in December. We've had three betas so far and are expecting a fourth beta or a release candidate this week, so a launch could follow as soon as next week.
Past Launch Dates
Apple's past iOS x.2 updates from the last few years have all happened right around the middle of the...
Monday December 1, 2025 3:00 am PST by Tim Hardwick
Apple is expected to launch a new foldable iPhone next year, based on multiple rumors and credible sources. The long-awaited device has been rumored for years now, but signs increasingly suggest that 2026 could indeed be the year that Apple releases its first foldable device.
Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos.
Below, we've collated an updated set of key details that ...
A U.S. appeals court has upheld a temporary restraining order that prevents OpenAI and Jony Ive's new hardware venture from using the name "io" for products similar to those planned by AI audio startup iyO, Bloomberg Law reports.
iyO sued OpenAI earlier this year after the latter announced its partnership with Ive's new firm, arguing that OpenAI's planned "io" branding was too close to its...
The iPhone Air has recorded the steepest early resale value drop of any iPhone model in years, with new data showing that several configurations have lost almost 50% of their value within ten weeks of launch.
According to a ten-week analysis published by SellCell, Apple's latest lineup is showing a pronounced split in resale performance between the iPhone 17 models and the iPhone Air....
Thursday December 4, 2025 5:18 am PST by Tim Hardwick
iPhone 17 Pro models, it turns out, can't take photos in Night mode when Portrait mode is selected in the Camera app – a capability that's been available on Apple's Pro devices since the iPhone 12 Pro in 2020.
If you're an iPhone 17 Pro or iPhone 17 Pro Max owner, try it for yourself: Open the Camera app with Photo selected in the carousel, then cover the rear lenses with your hand to...
Really hoping for a hardware refresh. I am patiently waiting to replace two Rokus because $179 is just far too much to spend on a box that’s almost four years old.
Just another reason why I think an Apple TV in a soundbar form factor is coming. The "HomePod with a screen for FaceTime" rumors... them likely moving on from the Siri Remote form factor... both issues that could be solved by having a soundbar that incorporates the Apple TV hardware and a camera for using your TV to do FaceTime calls. The Siri functionality would also be handled by the soundbar. Just makes sense.
I don't know why Apple didn't make the Siri Remote have just one button -- to activate Siri and give a command. Maybe they were worried people wouldn't want to give up the familiar play and pause buttons.
Hey Siri, pause the video. One sec... I’m sorry, I can’t buy that video in the iTunes Store.
Just half an hour ago I asked Siri to play my recently added music on Apple Music. She answered me she can’t find it. Siri is a joke.
