The new Siri Remote is quite expensive, which is why it’s a bit surprising to see that it doesn’t have these useful features.
1. There’s No Easy Way to Find a Lost Siri Remote
The new Siri Remote doesn’t have the U1 chip, which uses ultra-wideband radio to locate lost items with the Find My app. That’s a big miss for an expensive remote that could easily be lost in random corners of your couch.
Yes, the new Siri Remote is a bit harder to lose than the old one, but this is a missed opportunity for a $60 product.
Since Apple doesn’t update the Apple TV all that often, we’re just going to have to live with this missing feature until Apple decides to update it. Hopefully some enterprising accessory maker will make a cover that holds both the new Siri Remote and an AirTag.
2. It’s Missing Motion Control Sensors
The Siri Remote doesn’t have motion control sensors, which are needed for some games. To be specific, it lacks an accelerometer and a gyroscope. If you like using motion controls for games on Apple TV, this one is going to pinch a bit.
The old remote had these features, so you could wave it around to play games. It isn’t the easiest experience to master, but once you get used to it, motion controls can be fun to use.
On the one hand, we have Apple Arcade adding more games to Apple TV than ever before. And on the other hand, we have some control options being taken away.
Will You Still Buy the New Siri Remote?
We should say that the Apple TV remote was never a good gaming controller and even the new one is unlikely to be so. Fortunately, you can pair Xbox Series X and PS5 controllers with the Apple TV to play games instead.
The new Siri Remote is compatible with older Apple TV models, but these missing features may force some people to reconsider their purchase decision.
