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.
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.
Tuesday April 20, 2021 11:04 am PDT by Juli Clover
Apple today seeded the RC version of an upcoming tvOS 14.5 update to developers for testing purposes, with the new beta software coming two weeks after Apple released the seventh tvOS 14.5 beta.
Designed for the fourth and fifth-generation Apple TV, the tvOS 14.5 developer beta can be downloaded onto the Apple TV via a profile that's installed...
Thursday April 22, 2021 3:48 pm PDT by Joe Rossignol
The new Apple TV 4K unveiled this week ships with a redesigned Siri Remote with a physical clickpad, new power and mute buttons for a TV, and a repositioned Siri button, but there's another change that has gone less noticed.
According to Digital Trends, the new Siri Remote lacks an accelerometer and gyroscope, which allowed the original Siri Remote to function as a gaming controller. Apple...
Tuesday April 20, 2021 10:19 am PDT by Joe Rossignol
Apple today announced the next-generation Apple TV 4K with a faster A12 chip and a completely redesigned Siri Remote pictured below.
The new Siri Remote is included with the new Apple TV 4K, and the Apple TV HD going forward. The new remote will also be sold separately for $59 and is compatible with the previous-generation Apple TV 4K and Apple TV HD.
The all-new Siri Remote features a...
The newly redesigned Siri Remote, which will be sold alongside the updated Apple TV 4K and is also available on a standalone basis, does not have a built-in U1 chip and does not appear to be compatible with the Find My app.
There is no U1 ultra wideband chip listed in the specs for the Siri Remote, nor is there a mention of the Find My app, and now Apple has confirmed to The Verge that it's...
Wednesday March 31, 2021 10:01 am PDT by Juli Clover
Apple today seeded the sixth beta of an upcoming tvOS 14.5 update to developers for testing purposes, with the new beta software coming one week after Apple released the fifth tvOS 14.5 beta.
Designed for the fourth and fifth-generation Apple TV, the tvOS 14.5 developer beta can be downloaded onto the Apple TV via a profile that's installed...
Thursday April 29, 2021 12:27 pm PDT by Juli Clover
Apple has made no mention of Find My integration for the Siri Remote designed for the second-generation Apple TV 4K, but Siri responses to certain requests about the remote suggest that Apple could perhaps have such a feature in the works, or at the least, might have considered adding it.
If you ask Siri to "Find my Siri remote," "Find my Apple TV remote," or even just "Find my remote," Siri ...
Apple has been promoting the new M1 iMac, M1 iPad Pro, and second-generation Apple TV 4K following their announcements, and Apple's vice president of product marketing for home and audio Tim Twerdahl today did an interview with MobileSyrup to discuss the revamped Apple TV 4K and the updated Siri Remote.
Prior to the release of the new Apple TV 4K, there were rumors that the updated remote...
Alongside the announcement of the new Apple TV 4K, Apple today in a press release revealed that users will be able to purchase the current 32GB Apple TV HD bundled with the new Siri Remote at $149.
The Apple TV HD provides many of the same features as the higher-end Apple TV 4K, but it lacks high-quality 4K HDR video and Dolby Vision support. Apple will continue to sell this lower-end model, ...
Rumors that Apple intends to launch a new Apple TV have been around for some time, with the headlining feature being a more powerful processor for gaming and all-round performance benefits. However, alongside a new powerful chip, new evidence is pointing towards a possible new Apple TV remote also shipping alongside the TV set-top box.
According to a report from 9to5Mac, citing people...
Apple alongside the second-generation Apple TV 4K debuted a redesigned version of the Siri Remote, which is now available to customers with new Apple TV orders and as a $60 standalone replacement for the original Siri Remote.
Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. We picked up the updated Siri Remote to see if it's worth picking up if you have an original Apple TV 4K or...
Top Rated Comments
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.