Another rumor suggests Apple might fix Apple TV's worst feature

Best Apple TV of 2021
Best Apple TV of 2021 (Image credit: iMore)

What you need to know

  • A new report claims Apple is indeed working on a new remote for Apple TV.
  • That corroborates previous reports of an update.

A new report has added to previous rumors claiming that Apple may be working on a new remote for Apple TV.

From 9to5Mac:

We've been hearing rumors about the next generation Apple TV for a while now, but we don't know when the company plans to officially announce it. Now 9to5Mac has learned that Apple is developing a new Remote for Apple TV, which corroborates some previous rumors about Apple updating the Siri Remote.Details about this new Apple TV Remote are still unknown, but 9to5Mac's sources have told us that this model is being developed under the codename "B519," which is quite different from the codename of the current Siri Remote — internally identified as "B439."

The only real information we can glean about the remote from this report is that as noted, the internal identifier is reportedly very different from the current B439 Siri remote. This would seem to indicate the new remote will be quite a big change as opposed to a slight tweak or update.

This isn't the first we've heard of a new Apple TV remote. From September:

Here's what Bloomberg has to say:Apple has also been developing a new Apple TV box with a faster processor for improved gaming and an upgraded remote control, however that device might not ship until next year, according to people familiar with its development. The company is working on a feature for the new remote similar to Find My iPhone that would make the TV accessory easier to find.

All Apple TV models ship with the Apple Siri remote, but many people simply hate it. In fact the best remotes for Apple TV are widely understood to be third-party options from companies like Logitech.

A rumored Apple event that was originally pegged for March, and is now expected in April, could bring the debut of new Apple TV hardware, which has reportedly been ready to ship from Apple for some time.

Stephen Warwick
News Editor

Stephen Warwick has written about Apple for five years at iMore and previously elsewhere. He covers all of iMore's latest breaking news regarding all of Apple's products and services, both hardware and software. Stephen has interviewed industry experts in a range of fields including finance, litigation, security, and more. He also specializes in curating and reviewing audio hardware and has experience beyond journalism in sound engineering, production, and design.

Before becoming a writer Stephen studied Ancient History at University and also worked at Apple for more than two years. Stephen is also a host on the iMore show, a weekly podcast recorded live that discusses the latest in breaking Apple news, as well as featuring fun trivia about all things Apple. Follow him on Twitter @stephenwarwick9