Engadget Details Hidden Shortcuts on Apple TV Remote
Engadget details Apple TV remote shortcuts for quitting apps, switching audio, scrubbing video and changing text case.
To force-quit an app, users double-press the Home/Control Center button, the button with a TV icon typically located on the right above the volume controls. The action opens windows for all open apps, similar to an iPhone or iPad. Users navigate between the windows with the clickpad, select an app and swipe upward on the center of the clickpad. Engadget said the shortcut helps when an app glitches or freezes and also frees some computational power.
Audio output can be changed by pressing and holding the same Home/Control Center button to open Control Center. Clicking the Audio Controls icon lists available speakers, and users can select their preferred speaker. The Control Center also lets users change the wireless network, add Bluetooth controllers and access a smart home dashboard, among other settings, according to the report.
The clickpad works as a timeline controller for video. Users press the Play/Pause button and slide a finger left or right to rewind or fast-forward, and they can draw circles on the clickpad to scrub back and forth. On older Siri remotes without a clickpad, the same functions can be performed on the touch surface at the top of the remote.
Engadget also described accessibility and text-entry options. VoiceOver, Apple's audio description system, reads menus and descriptive text aloud while users navigate. It was designed for people with vision impairments but can provide spoken feedback for others; it is turned on in Accessibility settings. When typing a password, users can switch instantly between uppercase and lowercase letters by pressing the Play/Pause button.
The remote can also summon screen saver images. Apple's tvOS offers visually striking screen savers and allows users to use their own cloud pictures. Double-pressing the back button, called the menu button on older remotes, starts the screen saver even if the TV has not been idle. The report said the remote has become common in households using Apple's product ecosystem, but many of its functions remain unused.