The new Apple TV 4K remote.
Apple/Screenshot by Eli Blumenthal and Sarah Tew/CNET
This story is part of Apple Event, our full coverage of the latest news from Apple headquarters.
There’s an all new Apple TV 4K after all these years. Announced as part of Apple’s Spring Loaded event, it has a new faster A12 processor and a nifty new TV calibration feature, but the best part is an all-new Siri remote.
The new clicker features an all-aluminum body, a new layout and the ability to control your TV. The biggest change is to the touch keypad at the top. The old Siri remote for Apple TV had a blank, black square of space that you swiped your thumb across to control menus and playback. It was novel at the time but often too sensitive or imprecise, causing complaints from many users.
Watch this:
Apple unveils new 4K Apple TV with A12 Bionic chip
4:41
The new version still relies on a touchpad, but with more visual and tactile cues. It’s circular, with an outer ring and four dots in the cardinal directions. Apple says there’s a new gesture that controls up and down motions if you move your thumb in a circle, and touts five way navigation for better accuracy.
A dedicated TV power button allows you to switch your TV on and off, and Apple has moved the Siri button, which summons the company’s voice assistant, to the side.
The remote is silver, which should show up better than the black version it replaces, and made from 100% recycled aluminum.
The new Siri remote comes with the all-new Apple TV 4K, available for preorder April 30 and shipping in May, starting at $179 (£169, AU$249).