This allows owners of the new Apple TV (the Apple TV fourth generation) to use the Apple TV Remote app to give Siri commands using their voices.
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– Quickly enter text, email addresses, and passwords using the keyboard.
More than half a year after first teasing it, Apple released their new Remote app for the revamped Apple TV. It is basically a copy of the actual life on-screen remote in Apple TV, and honestly, it is great at replacing it.
Tv programmers and video companies have allegedly been approached by Apple about creating a digital TV guide for iPhone and Apple TV that will let users find video content from HBO, Netflix, ESPN and more without having to actually open the apps.
The new app mirrors the look and feel of the Siri Remote that ships with the fourth-generation Apple TV. Single sign-on, for example, will let users sign in once with their TV provider to sign-into all applicable apps on their iPad and Apple TV.
Moreover, the Apple TV Remote is a smart piece of software that adapts to the users’ preferences, engaging in gaming control mode when playing games on the set-box and in standard media mode when playing music, shows or movies.
The new app can be used as a game controller, which is yet another reason for some to want to download the app (and, again, the app is free). It could also serve as a substitute for those who have misplaced or lost their Apple TV remotes, which cost $US79 ($105) to replace.
Users can also utilize the new app to play games using the phone’s accelerometer and gyroscope. However, the app’s not flawless, though.
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Moreover, users can control the volume of their TV by touching the volume up and down buttons on their phone. Upon launch, the app dedicates a large part of the screen to a gesture-based navigation pad, responsive to finger swiping for easy interface navigation. The touch-sensitive trackpad is easy to activate unintentionally, especially if it’s sitting next to you on the couch.
