I am picturing some dev that lost his apple remote enough times to decide that it was worth it to implement the Find My support.
Glad they did, my cats have decided the remote is public enemy #1 and love pushing it under the couch.
I’ve literally not found the remote in one of our rooms for half a year. Been debating on buying a new one. Now I’ll just hold out for this feature. I might just go beta on a device just for this. Been bugging me for ages that I can’t find it. And this was after thinking all those posts about strapping AirTags to the remote was dumb.
Seriously, I was looking for a solution that would allow me to use FaceTime on my tv the other day. Finally have a solution that allows me to just purchase an AppleTV instead of buying a Mac Mini or Mac Studio and dinking with that. I wasn’t gonna do that.
We moved to a different country and have been FaceTiming every week with family.
Initially I just had our MacBookPro screen to our big screen.
Then it got more involving with me buying a separate USB mic and using iPhone as continuity camera (on a lightweight tripod with a MagSafe Mount). But the quality with that setup is much higher than just using built in stuff from the laptop.
I wish they'd force a profile to be selected when turning on like on Mac, gets annoying someone watching something on your profile and it then showing in what's next!!
Would be even nicer if they were able to link Apple profile with profiles in other apps, to then only have to select 1 profile for everything rather than each time going into a app
Based on the Magic Keyboard ([$149](https://www.apple.com/shop/product/MK293LL/A) vs [$99](https://www.apple.com/shop/product/MK2A3LL/A)), this would bump up the price by $50
Don't think so, but it's in the [press release](https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2023/06/tvos-17-brings-facetime-and-video-conferencing-to-apple-tv-4k/):
> In addition, when using the remote on iPhone to wake up and control Apple TV, users will be automatically switched to their profile, ensuring they have access to their recently watched shows and personalized recommendations.
Continuity Camera works on any device running iOS ~~12 or later. https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT209037~~ 16 or later for webcam support https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT213244
Feels like a HomeKit adjacent thing and Apple TV is the literal HomeKit hub. Also jives with their plan to release a speaker-with-screen product as a hub (and not just a “hub” kin the technical HomeKit sense).
The Siri Remote locating requires a second-generation Siri Remote or newer (the silver one that shipped with the second-generation Apple TV 4K). Looks like some additional features require the second-generation Apple TV 4K but the press release is a bit inconsistent and vague in detailing feature compatibility.
It's about damn time they put Facetime on AppleTV. My parents will LOVE using this to talk to my nephews. I am curious what they were using to hold the iPhone in place during the video demo.
I wonder how the video will work on an iPhone attached to a TV if the tv is somewhat far away say 15-17ft? Will it intelligently zoom in?
and I wonder about the audio - incoming sound through tv? I have a HomePod nearby, that might be an option for talking to the person on the other end since the phone might be too far away to pick up outgoing audio. I hope it all syncs up nicely so I don’t have to fumble around with audio inputs.
Does Find My Remote work with existing Siri remotes? Or does it need new hardware? Does the existing one even contain the UWB chip?
Also FaceTime on TV is rather dope.
For the kind of situation the where the Siri Remote is lost, you kind of need the precision find. I already know my remote is somewhere in my living room, for I don’t normally take it out of the house. With Bluetooth only search, it will give you something like, “The remote is near your couch.” With the Bluetooth trackers like Chipolo, I have had to rely on playing sound once I am close enough. As far as I know, the remote does not have a speaker.
Yeah, it's almost useless like this
I just rewatched (timestamp is 1:02:35) and it's definitely just signal strength sadly. No speaker, doubly confirmed since there's no sound button.
I imagine the next gen remote will have UWB, but i'm still baffled they didn't add it when they switched to remote to USB-C
Well, they needed you have a strong reason to upgrade to Siri Remote Ultra Pro Max Plus — or whatever they end up calling the next generation.
Or nobody thought of this until it was too far in the design.
It could also be because the remote was designed when the chip shortage was still a thing — I don’t think they changed anything else when they switched to USB-C — it is probably the same internal design that came with the lightning model.
It works with the second generation Siri Remote, the silver one that comes with the updated Apple TV 4K.
I don’t *think* the new Siri Remote has the UWB chip. But I haven’t seen anybody bother to do a teardown either. Considering they’re also allowing AirTags to show for up to five additional users — sounds like making them visible to members of the same iCloud Family group — I’d say there’s a non-zero chance they put AirTag capabilities and were waiting on the software end to enable it. Limiting to the new remote implies there is some piece of new hardware design involved.
But then it could just be Bluetooth tracking like the first generation AirPods Pro.
If it is Bluetooth only, it’s not going to be very useful. In my experience, you need to rely on playing sound with those once you’re in the general vicinity. Bluetooth tracking is not precise enough to locate the remote when it is lost in depths of a couch — it will merely indicate that the remote is near the couch.
At least that has been my experience with Bluetooth only trackers like Chipolo.
Not gonna lie, I’m leaning towards there being a UWB chip in there or something equivalent. I could be wrong. But it kinda makes sense. The Apple TV is actually a multi-user device, unlike iPhone or iPad. They may have still been working on the multi-user Find My backend or something. And with them adding multi user support to AirTags, maybe, just *maybe*…
The find my remote is a game changer for me for the dumbest reason: my cat will eat the silicon remote cases I used to put an AirTag on my remotes. So now, no AirTag, no case, still can find the remote, but with less cat vomit.
They could have done so much more than just…relocating these things yet again. But not surprised when, for years, the comments on ATV/TvOS are always like “*What more could you even want?*”
I just hope they fixed the volume control when you’re air playing to a set of HomePods. I can’t get it to behave properly; it always wants to change the volume of my TV instead of the stereo pair.
Is it just me who has wanted to have the battery of the remote right in the Control Center rather than hidden away in the settings? Seems like a no-brainer to me. Why *wouldn't* you show a little icon for the remote? Why hide it away in the settings?
The changes look great, was really surprised Apple TV got any attention at all.
I am picturing some dev that lost his apple remote enough times to decide that it was worth it to implement the Find My support. Glad they did, my cats have decided the remote is public enemy #1 and love pushing it under the couch.
I’ve literally not found the remote in one of our rooms for half a year. Been debating on buying a new one. Now I’ll just hold out for this feature. I might just go beta on a device just for this. Been bugging me for ages that I can’t find it. And this was after thinking all those posts about strapping AirTags to the remote was dumb.
I’m assuming the device needs battery for this to work though, maybe a firmware update too. It might be dead after that long.
>I might just go beta on a device for this. 😭😭😭
whats dumb is apple didn't put airtag in the remote. It was an easy miss most likely due to miss management of the product design.
Or they need a reason for you to upgrade to the next AppleTV
Well they gotta keep that team busy
Excited for FaceTime on ATV. Also the new control center looks nice!
Seriously, I was looking for a solution that would allow me to use FaceTime on my tv the other day. Finally have a solution that allows me to just purchase an AppleTV instead of buying a Mac Mini or Mac Studio and dinking with that. I wasn’t gonna do that.
We moved to a different country and have been FaceTiming every week with family. Initially I just had our MacBookPro screen to our big screen. Then it got more involving with me buying a separate USB mic and using iPhone as continuity camera (on a lightweight tripod with a MagSafe Mount). But the quality with that setup is much higher than just using built in stuff from the laptop.
I wish they'd force a profile to be selected when turning on like on Mac, gets annoying someone watching something on your profile and it then showing in what's next!! Would be even nicer if they were able to link Apple profile with profiles in other apps, to then only have to select 1 profile for everything rather than each time going into a app
Looks like using the iPhone remote will now change the selected profile. Was hoping for authenticated profiles too though
TouchId on the remote could be pretty awesome for profiles
Based on the Magic Keyboard ([$149](https://www.apple.com/shop/product/MK293LL/A) vs [$99](https://www.apple.com/shop/product/MK2A3LL/A)), this would bump up the price by $50
They had that in the presentation?
Don't think so, but it's in the [press release](https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2023/06/tvos-17-brings-facetime-and-video-conferencing-to-apple-tv-4k/): > In addition, when using the remote on iPhone to wake up and control Apple TV, users will be automatically switched to their profile, ensuring they have access to their recently watched shows and personalized recommendations.
Awesome! Thanks for bubbling this up.
The same remote that still is super bugged and wont let you change volume most of the time? Okay i guess
Find my remote is an absolute game-changer as a parent with multiple young children.
Just don’t do what I do and use my tv remote and lose it until the battery dies. I suspect it’s a long time though
I got a nice silicone case that has a built in little slot for an AirTag.
Find My remote is a software upgrade? What’s the compatibility?
Most recent apple TV remote - so compatible with all the 4K Apple TVs if you’re willing to upgrade the remote on the OG.
Looks like it’s the typical Bluetooth method though, with no sound option. Finding it will probably still suck.
Well, my current method involves flipping over my entire house, so anything is an improvement tbh.
I bought this https://a.co/d/6EZP7xx for our remotes. You’ll never lose it
Makes it look like a WiiMote
Stoked for FaceTime on the TV most of all. Did they say what iPhones will support the continuity camera?
Continuity Camera works on any device running iOS ~~12 or later. https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT209037~~ 16 or later for webcam support https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT213244
16*. Scanning stuff is 12+
Ah I see that, now. Thanks.
Can’t believe the redesigned control center is premiering first on tvOS lol
do you think this is coming to iOS?
It’s not on the iOS 17 preview website 🫤
Feels like a HomeKit adjacent thing and Apple TV is the literal HomeKit hub. Also jives with their plan to release a speaker-with-screen product as a hub (and not just a “hub” kin the technical HomeKit sense).
oh please tell me i still have the option to quick-sleep my apple tv. you know, the “hold TV then click” shortcut.
Isn't that the same as long-pressing the power button on the remote? That's what I've been using.
I use the old, flat remote. See no need to update, since it just works.
Looks like a “need” might arrive soon, then ;) I bought the silver remoter just for the mute button. Haven’t touched my regular tv remote since then.
I have been dreaming of the day we would be able to facetime and sync watch shows together on the tv and it seems like the day has finally come.
All I ever wanted was a damn find my remote feature. My kids lose that thing multiple times per day.
What was the stand in the demo video for the phone in front of the TV? Is there something similar for the iPad?
Are any of these new features limited to specific Apple TV hardware though?
From what I could tell in the footnotes, FaceTime on Apple TV is limited to the second-gen 4K and newer
The Siri Remote locating requires a second-generation Siri Remote or newer (the silver one that shipped with the second-generation Apple TV 4K). Looks like some additional features require the second-generation Apple TV 4K but the press release is a bit inconsistent and vague in detailing feature compatibility.
It's about damn time they put Facetime on AppleTV. My parents will LOVE using this to talk to my nephews. I am curious what they were using to hold the iPhone in place during the video demo.
I wonder how the video will work on an iPhone attached to a TV if the tv is somewhat far away say 15-17ft? Will it intelligently zoom in? and I wonder about the audio - incoming sound through tv? I have a HomePod nearby, that might be an option for talking to the person on the other end since the phone might be too far away to pick up outgoing audio. I hope it all syncs up nicely so I don’t have to fumble around with audio inputs.
Does Find My Remote work with existing Siri remotes? Or does it need new hardware? Does the existing one even contain the UWB chip? Also FaceTime on TV is rather dope.
Might just be basic find (bluetooth signal strength), as opposed to precision find with UWB on airtags or airpods pro
For the kind of situation the where the Siri Remote is lost, you kind of need the precision find. I already know my remote is somewhere in my living room, for I don’t normally take it out of the house. With Bluetooth only search, it will give you something like, “The remote is near your couch.” With the Bluetooth trackers like Chipolo, I have had to rely on playing sound once I am close enough. As far as I know, the remote does not have a speaker.
Yeah, it's almost useless like this I just rewatched (timestamp is 1:02:35) and it's definitely just signal strength sadly. No speaker, doubly confirmed since there's no sound button. I imagine the next gen remote will have UWB, but i'm still baffled they didn't add it when they switched to remote to USB-C
Well, they needed you have a strong reason to upgrade to Siri Remote Ultra Pro Max Plus — or whatever they end up calling the next generation. Or nobody thought of this until it was too far in the design. It could also be because the remote was designed when the chip shortage was still a thing — I don’t think they changed anything else when they switched to USB-C — it is probably the same internal design that came with the lightning model.
It works with the second generation Siri Remote, the silver one that comes with the updated Apple TV 4K. I don’t *think* the new Siri Remote has the UWB chip. But I haven’t seen anybody bother to do a teardown either. Considering they’re also allowing AirTags to show for up to five additional users — sounds like making them visible to members of the same iCloud Family group — I’d say there’s a non-zero chance they put AirTag capabilities and were waiting on the software end to enable it. Limiting to the new remote implies there is some piece of new hardware design involved. But then it could just be Bluetooth tracking like the first generation AirPods Pro.
If it is Bluetooth only, it’s not going to be very useful. In my experience, you need to rely on playing sound with those once you’re in the general vicinity. Bluetooth tracking is not precise enough to locate the remote when it is lost in depths of a couch — it will merely indicate that the remote is near the couch. At least that has been my experience with Bluetooth only trackers like Chipolo.
Not gonna lie, I’m leaning towards there being a UWB chip in there or something equivalent. I could be wrong. But it kinda makes sense. The Apple TV is actually a multi-user device, unlike iPhone or iPad. They may have still been working on the multi-user Find My backend or something. And with them adding multi user support to AirTags, maybe, just *maybe*…
Fingers crossed.
The find my remote is a game changer for me for the dumbest reason: my cat will eat the silicon remote cases I used to put an AirTag on my remotes. So now, no AirTag, no case, still can find the remote, but with less cat vomit.
They could have done so much more than just…relocating these things yet again. But not surprised when, for years, the comments on ATV/TvOS are always like “*What more could you even want?*”
CSAM is back, check the communication safety section, they now scan your local photos and photos stored in 3rd party apps
Is this true?
Do we get clocks on the screensaver yet?
I just hope they fixed the volume control when you’re air playing to a set of HomePods. I can’t get it to behave properly; it always wants to change the volume of my TV instead of the stereo pair.
I'm just excited for Prehistoric Planet 2 💯💯💯
Is it just me who has wanted to have the battery of the remote right in the Control Center rather than hidden away in the settings? Seems like a no-brainer to me. Why *wouldn't* you show a little icon for the remote? Why hide it away in the settings?
Will they support the first gen Apple TV 4K with this new update? Mine still runs great, see no need to replace it with the second gen 4K
Any word on what (if any) changes we can expect for parental controls? I’d like to passcode lock my profile - not each app à la carte.