134 MACWORLD AUGUST 2021
PLAYLIST REVIEW: 2021 SIRI REMOTEto watch on-demand
video and just pause
it, but live-streaming
video (or music) is
nothing new, and
adding a mute button
is a years-overdue
correction.
The Siri button has
moved to the right
edge, placed high but
still within easy reach,
so using it is similar to
holding the side
button on your
iPhone. It’s more natural and less prone to
accidental activation.
It’s not all new functionality—some of
the old features are gone. The old Siri
Remote had an accelerometer and
gyroscope sensor that was used in a
handful of games. The new
one gets rid of those, but they
probably won’t be missed by
most users.
More frustrating is the lack
of Find My support. It makes
some sense why Apple
wouldn’t want the extra
expense of putting a U1 chip in
the remote, but it’s got
Bluetooth 5.0. There’s no
reason it couldn’t have Find My
support if only to make a chirp
so you realize that you absentmindedly left
it in another room or that it slipped
between the couch cushions.BOTTOM LINE
Let’s face it, $59 is too much for this
remote. An entire Roku Ultra
(fave.co/33jWMOR) is just $10
more than that!
But unless you have a
high-end programmable
remote like a Harmony, the Siri
Remote is likely your one and
only way of interfacing with the
Apple TV hardware. It’s so
important, and the old Siri
Remote is so bad, that it’s
worth considering an upgrade
to this new one. ■mmmm
2021 Siri Remote
PROS- Sleek but ergonomic
design. - Intuitive clickpad.
- Better button placement.
CONS - Overpriced.
- No Find My support.
PRICE
$59
COMPANY
Apple
It makes a lot more sense to place the Siri button on the side.