What you need to know
- A new Apple TV remote with Siri has been spotted in the iOS 16 beta code.
- According to reports iOS 16 features references to 'SiriRemote4', which appears to be an unreleased device.
- Rumors indicate Apple could announce a new TV later this year, but its remote was refreshed quite recently.
A new report claims that code referring to an unreleased new Apple TV remote has been found in iOS 16, suggesting a new replacement may be on the way soon.
At WWDC 2022 Apple unveiled new versions of all its biggest and best operating systems including iOS 16 and macOS Ventura. However, tvOS was strangely absent from the keynote, continuing to feed the narrative that Apple doesn't really care about its TV product line, which Steve Jobs once referred to as a hobby. Now, however, rumors of a new remote (and presumably a TV to go with it) could spark fresh joy for TV fanatics.
As reported by MacRumors:
The first two betas of iOS 16 include strings for "SiriRemote4" and "WirelessRemoteFirmware.4" that do not correspond with any existing Siri Remote, according to Aaronp613, a contributor at AppleDB, an online database of Apple software and devices.Aaron said the original Siri Remote is identified as "SiriRemote," while a revised version of that remote with a white circle around the "Menu" button is "SiriRemote2," and the silver Siri Remote released last year is "SiriRemote3." This leads to the possibility that "SiriRemote4" is an upcoming remote for the Apple TV.
Sadly there are no other details about the remote to be gleaned from the code save that it actually exists. It follows reports from prolific insider Ming-Chi Kuo last month stating Apple would release a new more affordable TV before the end of the year. At the time Kuo said this model would have an improved cost structure, presumably meaning it will be cheaper as Apple looks to try and close the gap to cheaper rival devices.
The Apple TV 4K (2021) debuted last year with some modest hardware improvements. Ironically, the biggest refresh was actually the new remote that came with this device. But improvements could still be made by way of some sort of Find My integration.
Bottom line: The price tag and marginal upgrades are a big ask for current 4K TV customers, but the new Apple TV 4K (2021) is an excellent bit of kit.
