iOS 16 includes code-level references to what appears to be a new and unreleased version of the New Siri Remote for Apple TV.
The first two beta versions of iOS 16 include strings for “SiriRemote4” and “WirelessRemoteFirmware.4” that don’t correspond to any existing Siri Remote, according to Aaronp613, a contributor to AppleDB, an online database of Apple software and devices.
Aaron said the original Siri Remote is identified as “SiriRemote,” while a revised version of that remote with a white circle around the “Menu” button is “SiriRemote2,” and the silver Siri Remote released last year is “SiriRemote3.” “. This leads to the possibility of “SiriRemote4” being an upcoming remote for the Apple TV.
No additional details about “SiriRemote4” are mentioned in the code, so nothing is known about the design or potential features of the remote at this time. The code findings also do not guarantee that Apple will go ahead with the release of a new remote.
Last month, well-known analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said a new Apple TV would launch in the second half of 2022 with an improved cost structure, suggesting it could be priced lower than the existing Apple TV 4K, which starts at $179 in the United States. Kuo didn’t provide any additional details, so it’s not clear if the new Siri Remote could be for a new, lower-cost Apple TV later this year, but it’s certainly a possibility.
The latest Apple TV model was released in April 2021 with a new Siri Remote that features a more practical design than the previous remote. A new tvOS 16 update for the Apple TV is currently in beta and expected to be released around September.
