Apple‘s Siri Remote might finally be getting a proper refresh alongside the upcoming Apple TV 4K ‘Pro’ model. And it’s about time.
Code buried inside the macOS Tahoe 26.7 release candidate, discovered by MacRumors, points to a new Apple TV remote. The reference reads “ATVRemote1,5”. That’s a strong hint we’re looking at a next-generation model.
This lines up with earlier reporting. Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman previously said the incoming Apple TV 4K refresh would come with a tweaked remote. Now we have seen the code to back it up.
I’ve lost my current Siri Remote more times than I’d like to admit. It’s thin, it’s featureless, and it slides down the side of a sofa cushion as if that was its primary purpose. If Apple is finally addressing that, I’m all for it.
What could the Apple TV Pro remote change?
There’s no confirmation yet on what’s actually changing. But the obvious fix is findability (if that’s a word). Apple already has the tech for it, afterall, thanks to AirTags.
AirTag 2 introduced a second-generation Ultra Wideband chip. That chip enables precise, room-level tracking through the Find My network. Slotting a similar chip into the Siri Remote would let you locate it the same way you’d locate a missing AirTag: with a real-time direction and distance, rather than just an approximate ping.
It would be small addition, but it would fix the single most annoying thing about owning an Apple TV.
The new remote is expected to arrive alongside a refreshed Apple TV 4K box. Reports suggest this hardware update brings three new features to the platform, though the remote is the only one that’s been confirmed thanks to this latest code drop.
Apple hasn’t announced any of this officially, but we’re expecting the upgraded streaming box to get September launch, likely alongside the next iPhone event.
Apple hasn’t confirmed pricing or a release date for the new Apple TV 4K (or its remote), but based on past launches, expect it to arrive within days of any announcement, with the current model’s pricing structure as a likely starting point.
We can’t wait to find out more.
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