Apple TV Remote Specs History

On October 18, 2022, Apple announced an updated third generation Siri Remote to ship with the Apple TV 4K (third generation) that includes a USB-C port for charging, replacing Lightning, and features a 100% recycled aluminum enclosure, otherwise identical to the second generation remote.

On April 20, 2021 Apple announced a redesigned second generation Siri Remote in conjunction with an updated Apple TV 4K. The new remote is thicker with a curved back aluminum body, changes the trackpad to a circular touch-enabled click pad (with iPod-style circular scrubbing gesture), replaces the menu button with a back button, adds television power and mute buttons, and moves the Siri button to the upper right-side edge. The remote does not include an accelerometer and gyroscope, which were present in the previous Siri Remote, making it incompatible with some games. It was released on May 21, 2021.

The first generation Siri Remote was announced on September 9, 2015 alongside the Apple TV HD (4th generation), featuring a black aluminum body with a glass touch surface. It was the first Apple TV remote with Siri voice control. It included an accelerometer and three-axis gyroscope for gaming. The symmetrical design was widely criticized for being difficult to hold in the dark, with users often picking it up upside down, and the glass surface was prone to breaking if dropped. A minor revision in 2017 (model A1962) added a white ring around the Menu button to help with orientation, and the price was reduced to $59.

On September 1, 2010, the Apple Remote was redesigned as a thinner and longer aluminum version, released alongside the Apple TV (2nd generation). The Play/Pause button was moved out of the center of the directional buttons and placed beside the Menu button. The Volume Up/Down and Next/Fast-forward buttons were replaced with small dots to indicate they also functioned as directional controls for menu navigation. All buttons became black and embossed within the aluminum body. With 7 buttons (one more than the white version), the price was dropped to $19. It remained on sale until October 2022, making it one of the longest-lived remotes in Apple's history, compatible with all Apple TV models.

The original Apple Remote was introduced on October 12, 2005 by Steve Jobs alongside the iSight iMac G5, originally designed to interact with the Front Row media program. It was compatible with later desktop and portable Macintosh computers, and became the primary control mechanism for Apple TV (1st generation) in 2007. Made of white plastic with six buttons, its shape and layout resembled the first-generation iPod shuffle: a circular Play/Pause/Select button sat in the center of a larger four-button ring (clockwise: Volume Up, Next/Fast-forward, Volume Down, Previous/Rewind), with a separate Menu button positioned below. Priced at $29, it was replaced by the aluminum version in September 2010.