Why You Can't Locate A Lost Apple TV Siri Remote With The Find My App
Apple has been ramping up its Find My app for locating devices and Apple TV users may be wondering why they can't use it to locate the newly released second-generation Siri Remote. The updated controller was unveiled at Apple's Spring Loaded event in April along with the 'next generation' Apple TV 4K. Now, as the two products begin shipping, Apple’s VP of product marketing for home and audio Tim Twerdahl has been discussing some of their finer details — including the potential for misplacing the new Siri Remote.
The main updates made to the Siri Remote are that the touchpad area has been replaced with a jog wheel, D-pad, and central button and there are new back, mute, and power buttons. In addition, the Siri button has been moved to the side of the remote, making it less likely to be accidentally activated. The remote is also noticeably chunkier, which is said to make it nicer to hold — but has also been claimed to have another benefit.
The Siri Remote 2nd-gen does not feature the location technology that would be needed for it to be tracked down using the Find My app if misplaced. Asked by MobileSyrup about whether this had been considered, Twerdahl said that the need to include such location tech had been reduced due to the remote's increased thickness. "It won’t fall in your couch cushions as much," he said. It seems a stretch that this would have been a major factor in Apple deciding not to include a U1 or other location chip in the new Siri Remote — and, of course, it's no help if it has been put down in another room or is languishing in a pocket or bag somewhere. As such, those thinking about upgrading from the first-generation Siri Remote for this functionality should instead consider buying an AirTag and accompanying case for their existing remote.
There are some other reasons that first-gen Siri Remote users might want to upgrade, though. In a separate interview with the Express, Twerdahl pointed to the new touch-sensitive jog wheel as allowing for much more accurate navigation when fast-forwarding or rewinding. "If you think about it, since we first had on-demand formats, like the VCRs and DVDs, we've been stuck with those 2X, 4X, 8X kind of control speeds and it's just not very intuitive or useful," he explained. The jog wheel, he said, is "super accurate," continuing: "professional editors often use these jog-style controls, which are quite powerful, and it's really nice to bring this into people's living rooms."
Another nifty feature that hasn't been widely shouted about but will be a small joy for many users is the power button's capability for switching on an entire Apple TV, television, and soundbar setup in one go. While this may sound like a minor thing, it can save the hassle of users having to cycle through every remote to power up their system. Twerdahl explained that achieving this was more complicated than it may sound due in part to varying HDMI and infrared standards. "We have to sort of negotiate and figure out what the best way to do that for any given TV is," he said. "The key is that it's just about simplicity for customers."
Sources: Apple, MobileSyrup, Express