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tvOS 9.2 solves major user experience issue with Siri Remote for Apple TV

Apple TV video scrubbing

Apple is currently testing a change in how the Siri Remote interacts with the new Apple TV. The change is available on the latest tvOS 9.2 beta, which is expected to be released around next month’s March 15th event. Starting with tvOS 9.2 beta 4, Apple has changed how you scrub through video during playback. Why does that matter? Two reasons:

First, you’ll need to learn how to scrub through video again if you’ve been using the new Apple TV with Siri Remote and gotten familiar with the original method. Discoverability isn’t obvious here so it can be confusing.

Second, the new interaction model dramatically improves the Siri Remote user experience by cutting down on accidental input.

Previously, swiping across the Siri Remote’s glass Touch surface during video playback would bring up a preview window, then clicking the Touch surface would jump to that part of the video. Video playback wasn’t totally interrupted unless you clicked, but it was too easy to accidentally bring up the preview window when picking up the Siri Remote and dismissing it was an unnecessary distraction.

Starting with the tvOS 9.2 beta 4 software update, which is currently only available to developers but is expected to be available to all users next month, Apple is changing how scrubbing works. In short, precise video scrubbing with a preview window is only available now when video is paused.

What that means is you now need to first click the Touch surface before swiping across the Touch surface for scrubbing forward and backward through video.

You can still swipe down to summon the menu overlay during video playback, but the requirement to first pause before scrubbing should dramatically cut back on accidental interactions when grabbing the Siri Remote. Clicking either the left or right of the trackpad button still lets you jump backward or forward by various small internals depending on the video service too.

Check out 9to5Mac’s Jeff Benjamin demoing the change to see it in action:

tvOS 9.2 has been in beta since early January and introduces loads of new features including app folders, an iOS 9-style app switcher, Siri search for the App Store, dictation for any text input including email and passwords, complete iCloud Photo Library support, Bluetooth keyboard support, and much more.

The new Apple TV also recently gained app video previews in the App Store, which you can see in action here, and more sources for universal search including Disney.

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Comments

  1. taoprophet420 - 8 years ago

    More Apps should had the line when you first started scrubbing so u scan swipe back to where you first scrubbed like you can on Netflix.

  2. Philip G Mills - 8 years ago

    nice jeff i no what you mean lol

  3. aaronganek - 8 years ago

    As you swipe today, the video stops and the playhead moves. Why does the video have to stop? I’m not sure I’m a fan of having to pause the video (no matter if manual like the 9.2 beta or involuntary like previous tvOS releases).

    I sometimes get bored and like to scrub the playhead as a side task just for fun. But can’t do that because it pauses the video. Silly I know haha.

  4. hit menu and you’ll jump back to the point where you first started scrubbing

    • Jeff Benjamin - 8 years ago

      Yes, you can hit Menu, but it’s still annoying and disconcerting when this happens. Bad user experience as is in my opinion. I’m looking forward to this change.

  5. After scrubbing forward, if you hit the Menu button you’ll jump back to the point where you started scrubbing.

  6. uniszuurmond - 8 years ago

    This was my biggest gripe with the Siri remote. I am so glad this has been fixed.

  7. Omar Kadrovic - 8 years ago

    Jeff is there anything on Apple TV YouTube app? Specifically are they planning on bringing the same features set, that’s available on other platforms, like liking videos, being able to subscribe to a channel from video view, going directly to channel from the video, being able to see suggested videos while video is playing?

    • Michael Napier (@NapMan) - 8 years ago

      The YouTube app is developed by Google so they would have to update it.

      • stevelawrence - 8 years ago

        That is literally what he is asking whether there is any news about

  8. Scott (@zoomos) - 8 years ago

    Hey, that’s mulva

  9. ankushnarula - 8 years ago

    The real problem isn’t the sensitivity of the Touch surface: it’s the obnoxious symmetry of the entire remote. When you pick up the Siri Remote it should *feel* obvious which side is up and forward. Your brain should not have to do a tactile analysis between the glass and the polished aluminum. And you certainly shouldn’t have to look at the remote to reorient it. Why are we sacrificing muscle memory in favor of visual symmetry??

    Also, most people get very annoyed when you introduce a UX function and then decide to take it away. (Think back to iPad Rotation Lock becomes iPad Mute Switch and both become software only functions) Is the sensitivity of the “pause-and-scrub” Touch surface a problem? Yes – for the first few weeks – it is very odd. Do most of us become accustomed to it? Yes we do – to the point where the speed of scrubbing is now highly appreciated. This is about muscle memory but also conceptual modeling. Sure, I can learn this new two-step method “of pause-and-scrub” but why must I spend my time relearning a product I already own??

    I don’t understand this UX waffling. S#!t or get off the pot.

    • pdixon1986 - 8 years ago

      I’m not sure what you mean… i place my remote down face up… ive done that with all my remotes — that means the buttons are facing up… also the main controls are near the top of most remotes (such as the channel buttons) and the main controls of the apple remote is at the top (the touch glass part)…

      My remote works similar to the iphone – swipe up and down etc to reveal other menus…

      Even closing apps — i had assumed pushing the home button twice on the remote would do the same as the phone — it did.

      i must admit, holding the home button to put it into sleep mode was an accidental discovery — maybe this info was in the manual, but i rarely read them unless i have to…

      and the tactile difference for the siri button really helps.

      The only issue i have with the remote – it’s too thin, which makes it difficult to pick up.

    • yojimbo007 - 8 years ago

      I have written apple about this within a week of tv4 being released.. Including puse before swipe option.. ;)

      My other suggestion was to add some kind of minimum led lighting or color to each end of the remote to identify top and botton.
      Green on the bottom Edge red on top. This lighting will also have another function which was related to my next suggestion;

      Use of Symmetry ..my suggestin was to keep it that way.. And turn the lower portion of the remote into to a touch surface as well.
      This way when the remote is turned horizontal . Red edge pointng left and green edge pointing right( as is the convention in most things )..The remote acts as a two joystick controller for Games.. For more robust console like experiance.

      The lower touch surface on/of could be triggered by remote orientstion.. Like when turned horizontal …Or a small switch on the side to activate it.
      I have a feel this will all happen in the future versions.

      In the meanwhile i have put a very narrow red pinstiping on top edge of my remote.. It makes it easier to identify the top.

      Also i could not agree more that the buttons need some kind of tactile identification .

  10. pdixon1986 - 8 years ago

    seriously?!?!

    I have had no issue and i like the way it is… i don’t want to pause…just have it so you swipe up to bring up the preview and then swipe left or right… no need to pause to do anything…

  11. I hope they expand this feature to include making the remote go into “idle mode” when not used for a certain amount of time. Too often, the “always on” makes it hard to pick up the remote without having an impact on the viewing experience in some way.

Author

Avatar for Zac Hall Zac Hall

Zac covers Apple news, hosts the 9to5Mac Happy Hour podcast, and created SpaceExplored.com.