The Apple TV is one of my favorite pieces of tech. And that’s in no small part due to the Siri control. Yeah, I have access to anything in Apple TV+ via my Smart TV’s built-in media menus. But using Siri to scrub video and search for shows is so much nicer than using a remote. No more fumbling for the right button. I pretty much just use the Siri button for almost everything. If you have an Apple TV and don’t use Siri, you’re doing it wrong.
But the thing that’s always bugged me about the Apple TV is that you can only pair one remote with it. In the old days prior to the Apple TV when I still used some kind of TIVO box, I would always buy an extra remote so that my wife and I could each have a remote by our chair. Can’t do that any more. Luckily, we’ve been able to rely on our Apple Watches to fit that bill.
One of the reasons I’ve always liked my Apple Watch was because it allowed me to control my Apple TV while walking between my living room, kitchen, or bathroom. I dislike moving the actual remote control around because that’s how it gets lost. And when I’m at home, I don’t carry my gigantic 13 Pro Max iPhone around in my pocket so it’s unavailable. With the Apple Watch on my wrist, it was always easily available and when I flipped my wrist, the menu came up instantly.
But whoa nelly! Things just got a whole lot easier. I don’t know when this became a thing. But I’ve just noticed within the past 3 months, that you can simply speak commands out into the room without using the Apple TV remote. Of course, this only applies to people who are using HomePods for their sound. Bypassing the remote and simply speaking your command to the TV is amazing. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve wished that I didn’t have to find the remote and press a button to use Siri. I wondered why you couldn’t just speak to the Apple TV like a HomePod. Well, now you can.
You know how when you’re watching a TV show and you decide you want to get up and go get a drink? Your mind goes through the decision making process of “should I pause or keep playing the show”. If you can still hear the TV sound and it’s gonna be a quick trip, you may decide to keep playing the show. But, if while on your “quick trip” someone else steps into the kitchen and engages you in a conversation, all is not lost. You can simply speak into the air “Hey Siri, Pause” and your show will stop. I love that! And while walking back to your chair you can say “Hey Siri, rewind 10 seconds”. That way you can catch any lines you may have missed while you were talking. All without touching a remote and holding a sandwich in one hand and a Coke Zero in the other.
I was already firmly in the Apple TV camp before. The superior video quality, snappy performance of the Apple silicon, and Siri voice control made it a keeper. But now pairing that with the amazing sound of my original HomePods and their bionic level microphones made it all the more compelling.
People in the “anything but Apple” camp wonder why there are those of us willing to spend a little more for Apple products. The way that they all work together is part of the reason why. Unlocking your iPhone with your Apple Watch, controlling your iPad with your Mac, and now using your HomePod as a Siri conduit for your Apple TV. This is the kind of harmony and convenience that you can’t get anywhere else.
One of the reasons I’ve always liked my Apple Watch was because it allowed me to control my Apple TV while walking between my living room, kitchen, or bathroom. I dislike moving the actual remote control around because that’s how it gets lost. And when I’m at home, I don’t carry my gigantic 13 Pro Max iPhone around in my pocket so it’s unavailable. With the Apple Watch on my wrist, it was always easily available and when I flipped my wrist, the menu came up instantly.
But whoa nelly! Things just got a whole lot easier. I don’t know when this became a thing. But I’ve just noticed within the past 3 months, that you can simply speak commands out into the room without using the Apple TV remote. Of course, this only applies to people who are using HomePods for their sound. Bypassing the remote and simply speaking your command to the TV is amazing. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve wished that I didn’t have to find the remote and press a button to use Siri. I wondered why you couldn’t just speak to the Apple TV like a HomePod. Well, now you can.
You know how when you’re watching a TV show and you decide you want to get up and go get a drink? Your mind goes through the decision making process of “should I pause or keep playing the show”. If you can still hear the TV sound and it’s gonna be a quick trip, you may decide to keep playing the show. But, if while on your “quick trip” someone else steps into the kitchen and engages you in a conversation, all is not lost. You can simply speak into the air “Hey Siri, Pause” and your show will stop. I love that! And while walking back to your chair you can say “Hey Siri, rewind 10 seconds”. That way you can catch any lines you may have missed while you were talking. All without touching a remote and holding a sandwich in one hand and a Coke Zero in the other.
I was already firmly in the Apple TV camp before. The superior video quality, snappy performance of the Apple silicon, and Siri voice control made it a keeper. But now pairing that with the amazing sound of my original HomePods and their bionic level microphones made it all the more compelling.
People in the “anything but Apple” camp wonder why there are those of us willing to spend a little more for Apple products. The way that they all work together is part of the reason why. Unlocking your iPhone with your Apple Watch, controlling your iPad with your Mac, and now using your HomePod as a Siri conduit for your Apple TV. This is the kind of harmony and convenience that you can’t get anywhere else.
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