Siri Remote

Siri Remote

Siri Remote 2nd gen. (top) and 1st gen. (bottom)
Also known asApple TV Remote
DeveloperApple Inc.
ManufacturerFoxconn and Pegatron (under contract)
TypeRemote control
Released
  • 1st gen.: October 30, 2015 (2015-10-30)
  • 2nd gen.: May 21, 2021 (2021-05-21)
  • 3rd gen.: November 4, 2022 (2022-11-04)
  • 4th gen.: November 13, 2026 (2026-11-13)
Introductory price
  • 1st gen.: US$79 (equivalent to $107 in 2025)
  • 2nd/3rd/4th gen.: US$59
ST Microelectronics STM32L151QD
CPUARM Cortex-M3
Memory48 KB RAM
Storage384 KB Flash with ECC
PlatformtvOS
PredecessorApple Remote

The Siri Remote (known as the Apple TV Remote in regions where Siri is not supported) is a remote control released by Apple with the Siri-capable fourth generation and later Apple TV. It replaced the Apple Remote.

Models

First generation

The first generation Siri Remote is visually distinguished by a trackpad covering the upper third of its face. The glass multi-touch surface allows for clicking, swiping in any of four directions for navigation, tilting the trackpad button in any direction to "tilt" buttons in the interface. The Siri Remote is equipped with dual microphones for spoken input for Siri and text entry. In addition to controlling the Apple TV itself, the Siri Remote can learn the IR codes to control the volume of a TV, sound bar, or receiver.

The remote has a InvenSense ITG-3600 chip providing accelerometer and 3-axis gyroscope functions. The trackpad is driven by a Broadcom BCM5976C1KUB6G touch screen controller.

On September 12, 2017, along with the announcement of the Apple TV 4K, Apple announced an updated Siri Remote with a raised white border around the menu button and additional motion data for apps, providing attitude and rotation rate, in addition to the acceleration and gravity data generated by the original version. Additionally, the price was reduced to $59.

Second generation

On April 20, 2021 Apple announced a redesigned second generation Siri Remote in conjunction with an updated Apple TV 4K. The new remote is thicker with a curved back, changes the trackpad to a circular touch-enabled click pad reminiscent of the iPod click wheel; in the audiovisual player, it allows users to navigate through the video stream like a jog dial. The new remote replaces the menu button with a back button, adds television power and mute buttons, and moves the Siri button to the upper right-side edge. The remote does not include an accelerometer and gyroscope, which were present in the previous Siri Remote, making it incompatible with some games. It is backwards compatible with the Apple TV HD and later and shipped with an updated SKU of the Apple TV HD.

Third generation

On October 18, 2022, Apple announced an updated third generation Siri Remote to ship with the Apple TV 4K (third generation) that includes a USB-C port for charging, replacing Lightning, and is otherwise identical to the second generation remote. It is backwards compatible with the Apple TV HD and later.

Fourth generation

Apple announced the fourth generation Siri Remote on October 13, 2026, alongside the Apple TV 4K (fourth generation). It adds Find My support with precision finding which is supported by iPhones with Bluetooth 6 (iPhone 17 or newer, excluding iPhone 17e), and a built-in speaker that can play a sound to help locate the remote. It is backwards compatible with the Apple TV HD and later.

Specifications

Models 1st gen. 2nd gen. 3rd gen. 4th gen.
Release date October 30, 2015 May 21, 2021 November 4, 2022 November 13, 2026
Model number A1962 A2540 A2854
Discontinued May 21, 2021 October 18, 2022 October 13, 2026 In production
Dimensions
(H × W × D)		 124 × 38 × 6.4 mm (4.88 × 1.50 × 0.25 in) 140 × 36 × 9.1 mm (5.51 × 1.42 × 0.36 in) 136 × 35 × 9.25 mm (5.354 × 1.378 × 0.364 in)
Weight 47 g (1.7 oz) 63 g (2.2 oz) 69.6 g (2.46 oz)
Microphones 2
Speaker No Yes
Connectivity IR transmitter Yes
Bluetooth 4.0 5.0 6.0
Sensors Accelerometer Yes No
Gyroscope
Power Battery Lithium-ion polymer
(3.78V, 1.55 W•h, 410 mA•h)		 Lithium-ion
(3.81V, 1.52 W•h, 398 mA•h)
Charge port Lightning USB-C
Environmental requirements Operating temp 32° to 95 °F (0° to 35 °C)
Nonoperating temp -4° to 113 °F (-20° to 45 °C)
Relative humidity 5% to 95% noncondensing
Operating altitude Tested up to 10,000 feet (3,000 m)
FCCID BCGA1513 BCGA2540 BCGA2854


Usability

The first generation Siri Remote's usability has been controversial, with users reporting difficulty navigating using the trackpad. In late 2019, the Swiss telecom provider Salt, which uses the Apple TV 4K as the set-top box for its IPTV offerings, introduced its own replacement IR remote control using traditional buttons. It was sold as an optional accessory for about CHF 20. It has since become available under numerous other brand names.

Since then, another alternative remote control from Universal Electronics has been released for distribution through telecom providers. This model includes a microphone for Siri, connects using Bluetooth, and has been distributed by numerous TV providers, including Salt, Telekom Deutschland, and Spectrum. It is also sold at retail under Universal Electronics' One For All brand.

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Siri Remote". www.apple.com. Retrieved November 14, 2017.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
  2. ↑ "STM32L151QD Ultra-low-power ARM Cortex-M3 MCU with 384 Kbytes Flash, 32 MHz CPU, USB, 3xOp-amp - STMicroelectronics". www.st.com. Retrieved April 21, 2016.
  3. ↑ "Use Siri on your Apple TV (4th generation)". Apple Inc. Retrieved February 27, 2020.
  4. ↑ Clover, Juli (September 12, 2017). "Apple Introduces Revamped $59 Siri Remote With More Prominent Menu Button". MacRumors. Retrieved February 27, 2020.
  5. ↑ "Siri Remote". Apple. Retrieved April 22, 2021.
  6. ↑ "New Siri Remote Lacks Accelerometer and Gyroscope for Gaming on Apple TV". MacRumors. April 22, 2021. Retrieved April 22, 2021.
  7. ↑ "Apple Made Some Great Design Changes on the 4k TV Siri Remote". HD Report. Retrieved April 22, 2021.
  8. ↑ Clark, Mitchell (October 18, 2022). "The new Apple TV 4K has a remote with USB-C and a lower starting price". The Verge. Retrieved October 18, 2022.
  9. ↑ Orr, Andrew. "Precision Finding on the new Siri Remote comes with an unexpected catch". AppleInsider. Retrieved October 14, 2026.
  10. ↑ Moseman, Andrew (November 9, 2015). "The New Apple TV Is Great. And Then There's the Remote". Popular Mechanics. Retrieved February 27, 2020.
  11. ↑ Gartenberg, Chaim (December 9, 2019). "The Apple TV remote is so bad that a Swiss TV company developed a normal replacement". The Verge. Retrieved December 12, 2019.
  12. ↑ Brykman, Steve (January 12, 2019). "UX rant: The nightmare horrorshow that is the Apple TV remote". Ars Technica. Retrieved February 27, 2020.
  13. ↑ "Cable companies offered brandable Apple TV remote alternative". AppleInsider. November 21, 2020. Retrieved January 7, 2025.
  14. ↑ "Salt TV remote". Salt. Retrieved January 7, 2025.
  15. ↑ "Universal Electronics' Apple TV remote now available through Deutsche Telekom". AppleInsider. August 19, 2021. Retrieved January 7, 2025.
  16. ↑ "MagentaTV Fernbedienung für Apple TV im Test: Lohnt der Kauf?". connect (in German). Retrieved January 7, 2025.
  17. ↑ "Spectrum TV for Apple TV 4K and FAQs". Spectrum. Retrieved January 7, 2025.
  18. ↑ "One For All Apple TV Remote". One For All. Retrieved January 7, 2025.