Apple's $59 Siri Remote Adds Find My and Speaker, Works With Models Since 2015
Apple will ship its updated Siri Remote on November 13, alongside the fourth-generation Apple TV 4K. The remote adds Find My support and a built-in speaker for audible location. It sells separately for $59. The Verge
Apple identifies it as Siri Remote (4th generation). Apple It works with every Apple TV back to the Apple TV HD. The Verge That coverage is listed elsewhere as all Apple TV HD and Apple TV 4K models released since 2015. MacRumors
Find My, Apple's app and network for locating devices, is not limited to the new hardware. Apple extends it to Siri Remote (2nd generation and later). The difference is how you locate it. Playing a sound is exclusive to the newest Siri Remote. Apple
Precision Finding, the iPhone guidance that shows direction and distance to a lost item, is narrower still. On Siri Remote (4th generation) it requires an iPhone Duo, iPhone Air, or iPhone 17 or later, excluding iPhone 17e, running the latest iOS software. Older supported remotes remain locatable through the standard Find My view.
The remote is decoupled from the box upgrade. Features limited to the new Apple TV 4K include its built-in mic and surround sound with paired HomePod speakers. The $59 remote brings Find My and the speaker to a decade of Apple TV hardware, but it does not add the new box mic and audio capabilities.
The new box is powered by the A19 chip. Apple Apple lists up to 50 percent faster CPU performance than the previous generation, and up to 2x faster GPU performance. For picture, Apple TV 4K supports Dolby Vision and HDR10+ for 4K output. For audio, it supports Spatial Audio with Dolby Atmos surround sound and includes Enhance Dialogue, which pulls spoken words forward.
HomePod integration is expanded on the new system. Apple TV 4K can pair with four HomePod speakers for three-dimensional surround sound. It calibrates audio automatically with each speaker, and Whole Room Audio spreads sound evenly across all four. Pairing is not limited to a stereo pair, with calibration handled per speaker.
Content access keeps the same structure. Apple TV 4K provides access to Disney+, Prime Video, Netflix, HBO Max, and ESPN. Apple Music on the box offers over 100 million songs and live radio on the big screen. Apple Fitness+ offers 12 workout types, including Strength, HIIT, Yoga, and Meditation.
The broader context here is the remote becoming a tracked device. Remotes were simple Bluetooth peripherals, easy to lose and separate from the systems that track phones, tags, watches and earbuds. In my view, tiered finding by generation is a practical tradeoff. It keeps Apple TV HD and earlier 4K boxes in service for basic finding, while the full finding experience plus mic and expanded HomePod surround stays with the A19 system. That should mean fewer replacements and tighter work between tvOS, iOS and home audio, without replacing displays or speakers to get value from a $59 accessory.
