Apple Reportedly Working on Redesigned Apple TV Remote

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.

apple tv remote 2
According to a report from 9to5Mac, citing people familiar with Apple's plans, the company has been developing a new ‌Apple TV‌ remote under the codename "B519," which differs from the current "B439" codename for the existing remote. Specifics on what to expect from the new remote aren't provided; however, 9to5Mac believes the changes will be "significant."

The last time Apple updated the remote was with the ‌Apple TV‌ 4K in 2017, when the company added a white border around the Menu button. However, the remote has remained unchanged since, while its slimline design and lack of physical navigation buttons continues to divide users.

MacRumors recently discovered that within the tvOS 14.5 beta, Apple has renamed the remote from "Siri Remote" to "‌Apple TV‌ Remote" in multiple instances across the system. The system-wide change in wording could indicate that the new remote will have less of a focus on ‌Siri‌ and instead be designed around more traditional content navigation and other TV functionality.

Related Roundup: Apple TV
Buyer's Guide: Apple TV (Don't Buy)

Popular Stories

streaming black friday 2025

Black Friday Streaming Deals Include Big Savings on Disney+, Hulu, Apple TV, and More

Monday November 24, 2025 8:03 am PST by
We've been focusing on deals on physical products over the past few weeks, but Black Friday is also a great time of year to purchase a streaming membership. Some of the biggest services have great discounts for new and select returning members this week, including Disney+, Hulu, Paramount+, Peacock, and more. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a...
Apple Foldable Thumb

Foldable iPhone to Debut These Three Breakthrough Features

Tuesday November 25, 2025 7:09 am PST by
Apple's first foldable iPhone is expected to launch alongside the iPhone 18 Pro models in fall 2026, and it's shaping up to include three standout features that could set it apart from the competition. The book-style foldable will reportedly feature an industry-first 24-megapixel under-display camera built into the inner display, according to a recent JP Morgan equity research report. That...
General Black Friday Deals 25 Red

Apple Black Friday Deals Available Now on AirPods, iPads, Accessories, and More

Friday November 21, 2025 8:48 am PST by
We're only a few days away from Black Friday, which will take place on Friday, November 28 in 2025. As always, this will be the best time of the year to shop for great deals, including popular Apple products like AirPods, iPad, Apple Watch, and more. In this article, the majority of the discounts will be found on Amazon. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When...
General Apps Messages Redux

Singapore Orders Changes to iMessage by December

Tuesday November 25, 2025 6:39 am PST by
Singapore has ordered Apple to block or filter messages on iMessage that impersonate government agencies, requiring the company to implement new anti-spoofing protections by December as part of efforts to curb rising online scams, the Straits Times reports. Singapore's Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) said that it had issued an Implementation Directive to Apple under the Online Criminal Harms...
iOS 26

iOS 26.2 Adds These New Features to Your iPhone

Thursday November 20, 2025 10:50 am PST by
iOS 26.2 is currently in beta testing. The upcoming update includes a handful of new features and changes on the iPhone, including a new Liquid Glass slider for the Lock Screen's clock, offline lyrics for Apple Music, and more. In a recent press release, Apple confirmed that iOS 26.2 will be released to all users in December, but it did not provide a specific release date. Keep reading...
maxresdefault

The MacRumors Show: iPhone 18 Pro Looks Like a Huge Upgrade

Friday November 21, 2025 9:10 am PST by
On this week's episode of The MacRumors Show, we talk through all of the new features and improvements expected to come to next year's iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max models. Subscribe to The MacRumors Show YouTube channel for more videos Apple's next-generation iPhones are less than ten months away and we already have a good idea about what to expect based on corroborated leaks, rumors,...
iOS 26 on Three iPhones

iOS 27 Will Reportedly Have Two Key Upgrades

Sunday November 23, 2025 8:48 am PST by
iOS 27 will reportedly have two major elements: quality improvements and new AI features. In his Power On newsletter today, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said that iOS 27 will be similar to Mac OS X Snow Leopard, in the sense that Apple is focused on improving "quality and underlying performance" over adding new features. Gurman said there is one exception to this rule, though, as he expects...
apple news banner

Apple News Loses CNN

Monday November 24, 2025 7:56 am PST by
American multinational news company CNN has abruptly pulled its content from Apple News, Semafor reports. CNN quietly removed its stories from Apple News over the weekend and there is no longer a feed from the network to subscribe to in the app. This effectively ends its distribution agreement with Apple while the two sides negotiate new terms. Discussions are apparently ongoing and CNN's...
Apple Foldable Thumb

Crease-Free iPhone Fold on Track for 2026 Launch as Development Advances

Monday November 24, 2025 10:25 am PST by
Apple is making progress on the development of the book-style foldable iPhone expected in 2026, according to a report from Chinese site UDN. The device has reportedly entered the engineering validation stage, and Apple is gearing up for mass production. Citing supply chain sources, UDN says that Apple has solved "the crease problem" that has plagued most foldable smartphones, and the...

Top Rated Comments

MacFather Avatar
61 months ago
Best remote Apple ever designed.

Score: 23 Votes (Like | Disagree)
x5tuu Avatar
61 months ago
I really don't get the hate for the remote at all - we have 4 apple TVs in the house all with the touch remote and everyone uses them without any problem at all (including a tech-averse wife and our 6yr old) and for most of those rooms they have become the primary remote that is used. The remote is possibly the simplest piece of 'just works' tech that I have seen in a long while.
Score: 17 Votes (Like | Disagree)
LeeTom Avatar
61 months ago
Thank god. Either the touch is half baked in hardware or it just doesn’t work. Would love an all-button remote.
Score: 15 Votes (Like | Disagree)
breather Avatar
61 months ago
Just as long as it has a Mute Button.
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Juicy Box Avatar
61 months ago

I don’t understand why anyone even uses the remote. Not becuse it’s bad but because your phone is almost always at hand, not lost down the back of the sofa and just seems like an easier alternative.
At least for me, the Remote app on the iPhone takes most of the bad stuff about the Siri Remote such as lack of physical buttons, a sudo D-Pad, no mute, and then double downs on it with no physical buttons, no D-pad, and no volume buttons.

Basically making the experience on the Remote app much worse than so-so experience with the Siri Remote.

Plus.......

your phone is almost always at hand
Mine is not.

When I am home, I hardly touch my iPhone. At home, I much rather use a Mac or ATV for anything I would normally do with an iPhone while not at home.
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
BMox81 Avatar
61 months ago
No issues with the remote in our house. My daughter loves using it now.
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)