Apple developing touchscreen remote for future Apple TV - report
Well, here’s a natural evolution of the work Apple’s already involved in, seems the company is developing a touchscreen remote for the “upcoming Apple TV”.
This makes sense, after all, we can’t imagine every Apple TV
So, Boy Genius Report cites this information as emanating from a source which the site rates as pretty hot, having correctly previously predicted iPhone homescreens in iTunes along with integrated social networking elements.
The site claims to have been sent an image “we’re told is a product mock-up that may coincide with the launch of a revised Apple TV.”
What’s interesting here is that you can see a Safari button on that there mocked-up screen. We wonder if the on-screen controls become a keyboard if you hold the remote in landscape mode?
In any case, Boy Genius Report warns readers to take this information on board with a high degree of caution, However, given Apple’s recent Apple TV price cut, its no great stretch of imagination to predict a new model of the device is currently wending its way out of Apple’s secretive r&d labs.
We wonder if it will have support for games?
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Comments (20)
i do think apple will be making a remote but this is not going to be it. the UI looks too much like the Zune and apple is better than that!
Really bad idea. It obviously should be an iPhone/iPod touch app and nothing else. Very, very foolish
Because EVERYONE has an iPhone or an iPod Touch, and the cavemen who don't just shouldn't get an AppleTV!
On what planet does that Apple TV outsell the iPhone/iPod touch? On what planet is the Apple TV a more likely purchase than an iPhone/iPod touch?
Are you even slightly aware of sales numbers? Your ultra-brilliant "caveman" comment confuses me, as I struggle to understand how people who are no where near the market for iPhone, WOULD BE the market for a near worthless $250 Apple TV?
Try again
You need to work on your reading comprehension, Angry Man. I didn't say anything about the Apple TV outselling the iPhone and iPod Touch. Nothing about sales numbers at all. That was all in your head.
All I said was that your requirement that an Apple TV owner should also be an iPhone/iPT owner if they want a touchscreen remote seems a little ill-considered.
Why? Because not everyone HAS an iPhone or an iPod touch. Believe it or not, there are some people out there who don't have either.
But the real problem, of course, is that some people might have ONE iPhone or iPT, but they don't have several. I have an iPod Touch, but I like to take it with me when I leave the house. My wife prefers her iPod Nano. How will my wife control the Apple TV when I'm not home? How will guests control the Apple TV? Do I have to buy another iPod Touch and velcro it to the coffee table?
Try again, my friend, but try not to click the save button multiple times if your comment doesn't appear right away.
On what planet does that Apple TV outsell the iPhone/iPod touch? On what planet is the Apple TV a more likely purchase than an iPhone/iPod touch?
Are you even slightly aware of sales numbers? Your ultra-brilliant "caveman" comment confuses me, as I struggle to understand how people who are no where near the market for iPhone, WOULD BE the market for a near worthless $250 Apple TV?
Try again
"Really bad idea. It obviously should be an iPhone/iPod touch app and nothing else. Very, very foolish"
No, sorry, THAT'S a really bad idea. Have you actually tried using an iPhone as a remote control? Let's role-play the scenario where you want to pause a movie to answer the phone.
Using a "normal" remote:
1) Pick up remote
2) Press "Pause"
3) Answer phone
Now, using an iPhone remote app:
1) Pick up iPhone
2) Press on/off button
3) Swipe
4) Type in PIN
5) Find app
6) Select app
7) Wait for app to load
8) Press "Pause"
9) Answer phone
- of course, if the phone that was ringing in the first place WAS your iPhone, you've got to answer the call FIRST, then switch out to the homepage, launch the app and pause the player.
The remote iPhone/iPod Touch apps are neat in a "look what my phone can do" sort of way, but not practical in the real world.
This remote looks more like a cross between a Pronto and a Harmony. The main thing that would put me off would be the lack of physical buttons that can be used by touch alone - without having to look at the remote to see what you're pressing.
No way they would use the Zune UI for a touchscreen remote, if anything it would look like the iPhone UI
the appletv has a touch screen remote!?! haha, what no tablet rumor today? like you have had everyday since the site started?
I don't know about you, but when I use my remotes, I never look down at the remote. My eyes are on the device, especially if there are onscreen menus. On the remote, I search out the buttons by touch by their size, shape, and layout. It seems to me that this is a poorly thought out use of an inappropriate human-machine interface technology. If in fact the rumor is true.
Seems a strange idea, just make the Apple TV better, a touch screen remote is going to add a fair bit to the overall cost, I would expect it to be an optional extra and then the obvious ipod/iphone app is always an option for the people who own those devices.
Although it is nice to have something thats not a tablet rumour or app review.
Don't they already have something like that? Called the iPhone OS. :D
But don't they technically already have something like that?
iPhone/iPod Touch perhaps?
:D
Exactly. This is bogus.
Apple wants to sell more iPhone/iTouch units so those users will buy apps. They wouldn't introduce a different format touchscreen. Especially not one that looks like a Zune UI.
Totally bogus and unnecessary cost. There is no issue navigating the Apple TV with either the included Apple Remote or with the Remote app on the iPhone.
Even with added functionality there is no reason an iTouch couldn't be used.
I imagine the 'remote' will be the new tablet that will be used as a game controller also, just as the iPhone and Touch will be able to.
Why would you use a 10.7 inch device as a game controller? u would basically only be able to use thumbs on a device that size, unless your 7 foot tall and have huge hands.
A Zune esque ui does make sense for a remote control for apple tv. It would be much faster to get to what you need. Having a dedicated remote for Apple tv makes perfect sense to me. I'm sure i want to hold a call to pause a movie etc. A remote needs to stay in the living room and be ready to use any time. Having a touchscreen remote to search for youtube videos, movies on Itunes or use safari makes sense to me.Also i can see it being used as a game controller. I'm sure apple will also update the Remote app so you can also use it to control apple tv and make use of new feautures that will be added to apple tv.
appletv already comes with a remote that people can lose behind their sofa.
AppleTV already comes with a remote that the cat can swat under the fridge!
bad idea. i have tried some iphone apps for elgato's eye tv and i usually end up hating them and going to the remote with the physical buttons. Some things you just need buttons on.