The New Apple TV Remote May Not Be as Exciting as We’d Hoped

Universal Electronics Apple TV Remote Credit: Universal Electronics
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Earlier this week, a report surfaced that Apple has a big new Apple TV remote in the works, but now it’s starting to look like it may not have been as big of a deal as everyone first thought, as new references in the latest tvOS 14.5 beta are offering an alternate explanation for its existence.

Inside info from 9to5Mac a couple of days ago revealed that Apple was developing a new remote under the code name “B519” — a big jump from the current remote, which bears an internal designation of “B439.” This was naturally presumed to a new and improved remote that would accompany a long-overdue refresh of the Apple TV set-top box.

After all, we’ve been hearing that a new Apple TV coming any day now for at least a year, plus a reliable report that Apple is working to add Find My support to the Apple TV remote, so everything seemed to be lining up with this latest report.

Adding even more fuel to the fire, MacRumors contributor Steve Moser found new code in the sixth beta of tvOS 14.5, with text for a setup screen that asks users to “Press the center button or the touch surface to continue.”

Since the current Siri Remote has no centre button, this obviously suggested a new design, leading to speculation that Apple would possibly make the remote larger or at least significantly change the button layout.

This led 9to5Mac to do a bit more digging in the latest tvOS 14.5 beta, from which it managed to extract a picture showing what the new remote will look like — a slim but larger remote that features directional controls and significantly more buttons.

Unfortunately, it didn’t take long to make the connection between the illustration in the tvOS 14.5 beta and the Apple TV remote announced by Universal Electronics last fall.

For Cable Customers Only?

Even beyond the basically identical images, there are several other reasons to believe that this new code is simply for the Universal Electronics remote.

Firstly, the remote clearly has a “Guide” button, and unless Apple has a big surprise up its sleeve, would basically be pointless on the Apple TV, as would the up and down arrow rocker above the Guide button. While the power button in the top-right corner could technically serve a useful purpose, it would also be a big departure from Apple’s usual design style.

The remote by Universal Electronics, however, is being specifically “designed to meet the needs of cable, satellite, IPTV and other Multichannel Video Program Distributors (MVPDs),” including features like “instant EPG access,” and “channel buttons.”

Universal’s is a remote that’s specifically designed for cable companies and other MVPDs who already offer the Apple TV 4K as an option to their subscribers, and according to iGeneration (Google Translate), that seems to be what’s happening here.

In fact, while Universal Electronics doesn’t specifically mention Apple’s direct involvement, there’s a good chance that it’s been designed in cooperation with Apple, hence the B519 codename, and the very Apple-like design language.

It wouldn’t be the first time that cable operators have created their own versions of the Apple TV remote. Swiss cable company SALT designed one for its customers back in 2019 — a design that was later copied in the U.S. by Function to provide a version with a Siri button.

However, both remotes were very bulky — in stark contrast the normally sleek Apple aesthetic. Universal’s version, on the other hand, looks like it could have been designed by Apple itself — and there’s a good chance that it actually was.

It does beg the question as to why Apple wouldn’t just be selling or offering this remote on its own, but it sounds like it’s going to be exclusively available to MVPDs like cable and satellite companies to offer to their own customers — right down to allowing them to add their own branding to the remote — and that’s probably a business that the consumer-focused Apple would much rather leave to someone else.

[The information provided in this article has NOT been confirmed by Apple and may be speculation. Provided details may not be factual. Take all rumors, tech or otherwise, with a grain of salt.]

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