One of the best features of the new Apple TV, in my personal opinion, is its redesigned remote with Bluetooth 4.0 and built-in dual microphones for Siri functionality. Too bad not all buyers will be allowed to enjoy the new Siri Remote, as Apple is calling it.
According to the company’s official documentation for developers, the new Siri Remote is available in just eight key markets like the United States, United Kingdom and Germany, to name a few. Apple TVs in all other countries will be packaged with the standard remote.
Apple’s official App Programming Guide for tvOS found on its portal for developers lists the following markets where the new Siri Remote will be bundled with the new Apple TV:
- Australia
- Canada
- France
- Germany
- Japan
- Spain
- United Kingdom
- United States
“Apple TVs in all other countries are packaged with the Apple TV remote,” says the firm.
The document goes on to explain that the Apple TV remote now comes in two flavors—one with Bluetooth 4.0 and Siri built in and the other “with onscreen search capabilities,” which is a code word for the clunky old aluminum Apple Remote.
The new Siri Remote, Apple says, “dramatically simplifies how you select, scroll and navigate through your favorite content while bringing unique interactivity to the new Apple TV by using a glass touch surface that handles both small, accurate movements as well as big, sweeping ones.”
It’s got four physical buttons—the Menu, Home, Siri, Play/Pause and volume up and down—and built-in accelerometer and gyroscope sensors that third-party applications and games can access, read and use.
The Siri Remote packs in a rechargeable battery which Apple claims provides “months” of battery life on a single charge with typical daily usage. Lightning connector is provided at the bottom for charging.
The Siri Remote is only compatible with the new Apple TV and Apple has created the Remote Loop for it, as pictured below. ‘Made for iPhone’ (MFi) wireless game controllers can also be used to navigate the interface of the new set-top box.
It’s interesting that both ‘Siri Remote’ and ‘tvOS’ terms have been trademarked.
We’ve made other curious findings related to the new set-top box.
For instance, the box lacks persistent storage for third-party apps and Apple has set a cap for the maximum size of an Apple TV app to 200 MB. And in addition to the 64-bit A8 processor from the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus, the new Apple TV has twice the RAM at 2GB.
The new Apple TV is priced at $149/$199 for a 32GB/64GB model. The device will be available at the end of October from the Apple Online Store, Apple’s retail stores and select Apple Authorized Resellers.