Redesigning the Apple TV Remote
A concept design and interaction model for the upcoming Apple TV Remote
It’s been well over 3 years since Apple launched their latest Apple TV model back in September 2017. At lot has happened since then, like the introduction of new services and bundles. Apple TV+, Apple Fitness+, and Apple Arcade all have their own dedicated applications that could likely see a growth in Apple TV sales. What interests me most are rumours of a redesigned Apple TV Siri Remote. Yes, the one that many people can’t seem to like. I’m a huge Apple TV fan, and I’ve become quite the power user with that remote. Truth is, I see its potential, and I feel what its ideals may have been. I just believe that the execution wasn’t as good as it could be, alienating many. With that said, let’s set comprehensive goals for the remote’s redesign.
The upcoming Apple TV Siri Remote must
- Maintain an undeniable Apple design language
- Improve hand feel, ergonomics, grip, and durability
- Simplify the buttons and enhance their placement on the remote
- Adopt interactions from other Apple devices, especially iPhone, for greater harmony and consistent user experience
Without further ado, I present to you my concept design below, and what I believe could make for a great successor to the Apple TV Siri Remote. Please cite and provide a link to my work if you choose to share these images, as they are my own designs and thought processes. I greatly appreciate your respect for my work.
Before going in depth on every detail, let’s go over new design elements, and highlight new functionality that the remote offers. The design follows current Apple aesthetics making its way in the latest iPads and iPhones. Edges are squared off, and Volume Buttons have moved to the left edge of the remote’s aluminum enclosure. A Side Button was added to the right edge, similar to the Apple Watch, as well as newer iPads and iPhones that abandoned the Home Button. Speaking of a Home Button, this remote includes one, conveniently located at the bottom centre. This helps users avoid confusion as to which direction they should be holding the remote. The Siri Button has been scrapped, and is now accessible by holding the Side Button, like on new iPads and iPhones, or through “Hey Siri” functionality, which can easily be programmed into the remote’s firmware. The Apple TV App Button gets a facelift in line with the Apple TV+ streaming service, and pressing it launches the Apple TV App, like its name suggests. The topmost part of the remote includes a textured square that is clickable in every direction on its edges, for navigation purposes. It can also be clicked in its centre for interface selections. The entire surface doubles as a touchpad, offering intuitive gestures in certain situations. Finally, the remote is a little thicker and wider for improved grip, comfort, and sense of command, while easily housing a significantly larger battery. The length is identical, maintaining the remote’s compact form factor. Let’s now look at the in-depth controls of each button.
Home Button
The Home Button replaces what was once known as the Menu Button. Pressing it allows you to go back to the previous screen after a selection. A long press and hold will take you back to the main Home Screen no matter how deep into menus you find yourself. A new interaction allows you to double click the Home Button in order to open the App Switcher, inspired by iPhones with a Home Button. Moreover, once already on the main Home Screen, pressing the Home Button prompts the Screen Saver, like the Menu Button did before it.
Apple TV App Button
Pressing it takes you directly to the Apple TV App. There, you can access your Apple TV+ subscription, and all the content you’ve purchased and rented. The app also integrates Disney+, Prime Video, Hulu, HBO max, and much more, allowing you to quickly jump back into the content you’re following.
Side Button
The newly added Side Button can be pressed to quickly launch the Control Centre from the right side of the screen, providing you access to profile switching, music and home controls, AirPlay, search, and setting the Apple TV to sleep. Long pressing and holding the Side Button prompts Siri, like on newer iPhone models without Home Buttons.
Volume Buttons
The 2 most straightforward buttons! One raises the volume, and the other lowers it. Pressing down and holding the Volume Down button instantly mutes the TV. A cool added feature could allow users to take screenshots on Apple TV for the first time, by pressing one of the two Volume Buttons with the Side Button, simultaneously. That of course depends on Apple allowing such a feature.
Touch & Directional Pad
The only way to navigate and make selections on the old Siri Remote is through the Glass Touch surface, which can be frustrating for these purposes. However, in certain other interactions, swiping through the surface can be quite satisfactory. For example, scrubbing through video player timelines, swiping from the top down to display access to audio and subtitle settings while watching content, and closing unresponsive apps by swiping them away in the App Switcher. The new concept preserves all functionality of the old Glass Touch surface, and combines it with a more tactile and user-friendly directional pad. The surface can now be clicked 5 different ways. A single press in the centre to make selections or pause and play content, and a long press in order to prompt contextual menus, like right clicks, or Haptic Touch on an iPhone. On the Home Screen, it can set applications into Jiggle Mode! The 4 remaining buttons are directional and activated by pressing the pad at the top, bottom, left, or right, to navigate the interface with precision, in those respective directions. Long pressing and holding the left and right buttons are for fast forwarding and rewinding content. Finally, this new Touch Pad ditches the fragile, easily-shattered glass of the old remote, in favour of a high quality, similarly-textured polymer best suited for repeated drops.
Conclusions for the Siri Remote concept
Apple’s current Siri Remote design had users repeatedly complain about how slippery and tiny the remote was, as well as how imprecise and sometimes ineffective the touch pad can be. Its hyper-symmetry often confuses many on the side that should be pointed towards the TV, despite the remote’s elegant and simple aesthetics.
In this new concept I’m sharing with you, I’ve thought deeply about how to preserve and evolve these aesthetics while providing a measurable improvement to the user experience. I’ve added several new input methods integrated in the touch pad that people can benefit from using. I’ve also gotten rid of redundant buttons like the Siri Button and the Play/Pause Button. I haven’t forgotten about gaming, but a TV remote really isn’t supposed to be best-suited for these purposes. Nearly every game on Apple Arcade supports and is optimized for a controller. With that said, the remote could be used with the directional pad on the left for movement, and with two action buttons on the right.
I’d love to hear your thoughts and critiques on the design, as long as we can keep it civil, respectful, and constructive. Cheers, and as always, keep looking forward to the future!
