Apple introduced the Apple TV 4K alongside the new M1 powered iMac and iPad Pro. As one could imagine, the Apple TV 4K got sidelined, and so did the new Apple TV Remote. However, the Apple TV Remote has caught some momentum and is becoming a recommended buy for many existing Apple TV users.
The Apple TV Remote is More Impactful Than You Think
The Apple TV 4K that was recently launched got some hardware spices thrown at it. The update for the year 2021 came with a new A12 Bionic 7nm processor. In addition, the new Apple TV 4K supports WiFi 6 and Bluetooth 5.0. The base storage is now 32GB, while an upgraded 64GB storage variant is also available.
Also Read: iPhone 12 Line-Up Tops Charts in Q1 2021
The Apple TV Remote accompanied the Apple TV 4K. The Apple TV Remote got an important overhaul with some significant changes. The Apple TV Remote can be bought separately and is backward compatible with earlier Apple TV models.
Great Reasons To Upgrade
The Apple TV Remote has become a compelling buy. Here are some interesting facts and tricks that make it a must-buy, especially if you have an older generation of Apple TV.
The New Clickpad
The new clickpad replaces the touchpad. While the touchpad’s size has reduced, the awkward feature has made way for a more usable design. The clickpad is touch-sensitive and adds some nice features which enhance the overall experience. For example, the middle part clicks to open apps or play/pause. The outer ring helps navigate lists precisely and can scroll through in a video with short and accurate 10 second intervals. As the entire clickpad is touch-sensitive, swipe gestures still are a part of the controls, allowing you to slide through menus.
“Once we came up with this circular design we thought it looked a lot like the iPod quick wheel“
Tim Twerdahl, the VP of Product Marketing for Home and Audio, recently told Express that the iPod inspired the clickpad on the Apple TV Remote. He pointed out how we were still stuck at old-school 2X, 4X, and 8X controls, reminiscent of the VCRs of old where overshooting past the intended spot was very common. The new design brings professional control to the Apple TV Remote, granting users precise control.
Quick Fast Forward & Rewind
The new clickpad design, which is also touch-sensitive, adds a new level of functionality to the Apple TV Remote. For skipping forward or rewinding backward, one can easily use this clickpad in an intuitive way to get to the desired part of the video.
Simply pause the video and move your finger over the ring around the clickpad. Once it recognizes your finger, you can easily rotate your finger along the ring clockwise or anti-clockwise to jump to your favorite spot on the video. In addition, there’s a small blue dot that would appear on the video timeline to notify when it’s ready for the gesture. Pretty handy!
Fine Tune the Remote’s Sensitivity
Since the Apple TV Remote now offers great levels of control and a lot of gesture support, you might want to fine-tune the sensitivity of the remote to your taste.
Well, it’s pretty simple, just follow these quick steps:
Settings > Remotes and Devices > Touch Surface Tracking
Once there, you can try out different options that suit your liking.
Disabling the Touch
Some people really hated the touchpad on the previous generation of the Apple TV Remote. It’s understandable, as we have all grown used to clicking on the tactile buttons on TV remotes.
Here’s a quick step to turn off the touch sensitivity on the clickpad completely:
Settings > Remotes and Devices > Clickpad
Now you can press the select button to change between Click and Touch or Click Only.
Trouble Shooting Issues With Connected Devices
In case this happens, first, check all the physical connections are secure. Then, once that’s out of the way, follow the following steps to sort things out:
Settings > Remotes and Devices > Home Theater Control.
Here, turn on Control TVs and Receivers and put Volume Control to Auto.
Apple Says That You Don’t Need ‘Find My’ Capabilities
AirTags are catching up real quick. Like key chains, covers and cases, and what not, loads of accessories are designed around AirTags. It’s for a good reason as well! It just makes losing things that much more difficult. But when Apple TV Remote was launched without any ‘Find My’ capabilities, it was shocking to many. A TV Remote is often misplaced, albeit inside the house. So the ability to quickly lookup the location of the Apple TV Remote on your iPhone sounds compelling.
Apple VP Tim Twerdahl recently elaborated how “you’re less likely to lose” your Apple TV Remote. In an interview, Tim Twerdahl told MobileSyrup that it doesn’t need AirTag features as it stays in the confines of the home, and the overall larger, and thicker design makes it less likely to fall into your couch.
Also Read: There’s a new iPod Touch Incoming
If AirTags can get up to a year of battery life and still support Ultra Wide Band tracking, we wouldn’t have minded a small feature added to the already cool new Apple TV Remote.