Wish-list: Some day, I would like to stop losing my Siri Remote

By Serenity Caldwell
published

As much as I gripe about certain Siri Remote features, it's a pretty nice bit of technology. It should never have been a game controller, and I'm grateful it no longer instantly scans through your video if you accidentally touch the trackpad — but it's comfortable in the hand, and Siri is a wonderful addition when trying to find and watch my TV and movies.

God forbid the Siri Remote disappears in your couch, however. That gorgeous sheet of glass and aluminum is the perfect size to slip between cushions, inside magazines, and under dishes. And heaven help you if the space black remote falls under the couch. In my first month with the Apple TV, I lost the remote no fewer than six times; I finally gave up and got one of Studio Neat's Apple TV Remote Stands, where the remote now lives whenever it's not specifically in my hand.

Finding Remo(te)

Siri Remote on Apple TV

Siri Remote on Apple TV

I've had the Apple TV for five months now: This is not a new problem. But seeing this Macworld article reminded me just how irritated I've been when it disappears. These days, I am more responsible about where I put my remote than where I put my keys, wallet, or phone — because I can find all three with either a Tile (opens in new tab) or Apple's own Find My iPhone app.

Unlike the fine folks at Macworld, I'm not going to stick a Tile to my Apple TV remote, tempting as it may be. Sure, it temporarily solves the locator problem (and the "which way is up" issue), but it looks ridiculous. No, I want a new remote: One with a tiny little speaker.

The Siri Remote already has Bluetooth built-in — it's how it connects to your Apple TV — so there's no reason why Apple can't build in a "Find my Apple TV remote" locator. All it needs in that metal chassis is a speaker that can make a "ping" noise when you've lost it.

I use a version of this feature constantly when it comes to my iPhone: Whenever I don't know where it's run off to, I swipe up on my Apple Watch's face and tap the Find iPhone button. No UI muss and fuss beyond a button to tap, and the iPhone sends out a submarine-style ping so that it's easily discoverable. It seems like a no-brainer to include this feature in the Siri Remote — a device that's smaller than the iPhone and, like all remotes before it, much more easily lost in the house.

Just one ping, please

Granted, I do partially understand why this feature didn't make it into the first version of the Siri Remote and Apple TV: At the time, the updated Remote app for iPhone wasn't ready, and there was no place on the Apple TV box itself to place a physical button to ping a missing remote. But that's the beauty of Bluetooth devices: Apple doesn't even need to ship an Apple TV version two for this to come into effect.

Instead, the company could offer a replacement Siri remote on the Apple Store with a built-in "Find My Remote" ping, triggered by a button in the updated Remote app on iPhone. As long as the remote still connects via Bluetooth 4.0 and IR, it should be compatible with the current Apple TV. On the hardware side, speakers these days can be made in minuscule packages for paltry sums of money: I can't imagine that it would be too hard to cram one into the Apple TV remote.

What do you think, iMore? Is this a crazy request, or are there bits on the Siri Remote you'd prefer to see fixed first? Let us know in the comments.

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Serenity Caldwell
Serenity Caldwell

Serenity was formerly the Managing Editor at iMore, and now works for Apple. She's been talking, writing about, and tinkering with Apple products since she was old enough to double-click. In her spare time, she sketches, sings, and in her secret superhero life, plays roller derby. Follow her on Twitter @settern.

20 Comments
  • Agree completely! And while they're at it, they should better differentiate the top (input) part of the the remote from the bottom. Too often I end up trying to click on the wrong end. I sense the design folks overrode the customer interest on this one.
  • They did tho, ones glass one is not. Aside from the first day i dont think ive ever held it upside down again Sent from the iMore App
  • Don't know about everyone else, but how about just being more responsible with your stuff? If you bought a stand to put the thing on, why not just put it in the same place without spending money on a stand? Seems like an easy solution to me. I have yet to lose any of the 4 that I have for my 4 Apple TVs. It just requires a bit of diligence and responsibility. Same goes for my keys and phone and wallet. Everything has a home, and it always lives there.
  • That's condescending and ignorant. If you are good at not losing things that's great, but you probably are terrible at some of the things that others who tend to lose things are very good at. Not everyone lives in your bubble. If you haven't figured that out yet, and don't live by that - which you don't - then you are not nearly as "respsonsible" and integrated of a person as you think you are. People are different and that will never change just because you wish it would, think it can, and don't understand that. I think it is also very safe to assume you don't have young kids or even curious cats that make off with stuff. Not everyone lives alone. Great idea - a beeping lost mode. Would be even more valuable on the Apple Pencil !
  • Well, there's your problem right there. Cats. Ugh.
  • His point is kinda valid tho.. Theres no difference between buying a stand for the remote, (always putting it there), or just deciding to put the remote always on the coffee table.
    In both cases youve made a choice to always put the remote in that spot.
    Kids will want to grab it in either case. Sent from the iMore App
  • You must not have young children. They are incredibly talented in losing everyday objects, including remotes.
  • You must not know how to put things out of a child's limited reach and keep an eye on them so they aren't playing with objects that you don't want them to have a hold of. Not using the TV and the remote as a substitute to responsible parental observation and instruction is a start. Try putting the remote up on a wall out of child's reach with a sticky pad or even on top of the TV if high enough to be out of reach. Grabbing it before sitting down becomes habit after doing it a few times and putting it back up in the same place after getting up when finished watching becomes habit as well when done consistently - just watch Pavlov's dogs....
    Peach
    Peach
  • I'm the same way - if stuff is always put in the same place each time, it's bound to be there when I look for it the next time I want it. And yes, (to those of you that replied to the OP), I have both kids and cats in my home. I found a quick and cheap solution to curious kid and kitty fingers: $4 purchase of clear sticky rubber pads (they are like the non-slip mats for phones on car dashboards that you can pick up and move or the material that lint/animal fur rollers are made of that can be rinsed with warm water to make them sticky again). I cut up one of the pads to fit the width of the remote and stuck it to the side of my nightstand (my TV is in my bedroom). When the remote isn't in my hand, I just stick it to the pad and "Wah-lah!", no lost remote and it's a bit too much stick for the kitties to release it from the pad. Since it's on the side of the nightstand and not in plain view of the average kid's sightline, don't really worry about the kid wandering off with it when she's in my room. You can also make the pad a bit larger than the width of the remote and stick the Lightning Connector end of the charging cable to the pad with the other end plugged in to the wall or whatever near-by power source you use so that it's handy and available to charge your AppleTV remote and don't have to worry about cords lying around to trip up kids or have pets chewing on because they're lying on the floor. BUT.....you have to have the discipline to remember to ALWAYS put the remote back up on the sticky pad when it's not in your hand and in use. If you can manage to "train" yourself to do this, why spend a crap-load of bucks on a charging station/dock? I do the same thing with my iPhone on my desktop along with my nightstand so that it has a place to charge and/or be synced to iTunes and don't have to worry about it being knocked off with a bump to the table top or kitties deciding it might be a cool light up toy and swatting it around.
    Peach
  • With the old Apple TV, I could just use a learned remote and it was fine. But with this new Apple TV you're forced to use the new remote if you wish to use Siri. It would have been nice if game controllers had a mic to use Siri, but they don't. For being "the first controller designed for the Apple TV" the Nimbus should have included a mic, it's disappointing it didn't.
  • In the meantime go with the Tile my dear...
  • I was going to mention that, lol Sent from the iMore App
  • I got the Griffin remote cover for both of ours and they are way better.
  • Find my remote, and a mute button. Pause is ok, but mute would be nice. Make it two tone color to tell the difference. I have also picked it up wrong hitting the wrong button. I have a wooden stand by the TV where it always goes when not using. When watching TV, it sits on the end table by my chair. Sent from the iMore App
  • My cat steals my apple remote all the time. It would be great if it beeped Sent from the iMore App
  • I recommend the elago cover.
    http://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B01B5RF470?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=o... It adds bulk and silicone for grip, plus it has magnets on both ends. Really this remote is the least ergonomically friendly product Apple has released since the hockey puck mouse. Classic form over function mistake. We don't need a remote to be small. It needs to be larger so that it doesn't get lost and fits comfortably in the hand. Just study the TiVo remote and copy that.
  • I find it very comfortable, the tivo remote is bigger than the apple tv itself, i dont think able needs to copy one of the biggest, fatest remotes around
    Love my tivo, that remote sucks tho, needs to be smaller Sent from the iMore App
  • It's a **** remote. Can you stop with the ridiculous adjectives like "beautiful". Women are beautiful, not remote controls. When I am lying down on my couch half asleep watching TV, I don't really give a **** what my remote looks like, as long as it is functional. And for that matter a remote with real buttons is a lot more functional than a touch/swipe remote, because I can do it a lot easier without looking at it.
    I like Apple products, but the love affair some people have is crazy. Every time they come out with a new product, one of their executives (I forgot the name), uses so many adjectives like beautiful, gorgeous, amazing, breathtaking, stunning, wonderful, at least 100 times in his presentation. And then they always say another 100 times that this new iphone is the most advanced iphone that apple has ever built. Of course it is you *****! Nobody expects you to come out with a newer model that is less advanced!
  • You have to look at the remote when you swipe? Sent from the iMore App
  • I thought I was the first to think of this! Yes, please, Apple. Find My Remote. If you have children, you'll understand how easy it is for this teeny little thing to disappear.our toddler made off with ours months ago.