Apple TV users have been battling connectivity issues with their Siri Remote for the past several months, and despite growing complaints, Apple has yet to roll out a fix for the problem. Even in recent tvOS 16.3 and tvOS 16.3.1 updates, the issue remains unsolved.
Apple TV + Siri Remote Connectivity Issues
The Apple TV 4K has a new A15 Bionic chip inside, support for HDR 10+, and a new Siri Remote with USB-C for charging. Although the Siri Remote included with the 2022 version of the Apple TV 4K is similar to the previous generation, users are reporting that it frequently disconnects from their Apple TV, without any clear pattern or explanation.
Many threads on Reddit and Apple’s support website have complaints of connectivity issues between the Apple TV and Siri Remote. The problem seems exclusive to the Siri Remote with USB-C, which Apple also sells as a standalone accessory for users of previous-generation Apple TV models.
Lack of Fix or Acknowledgement from Apple
Since the release of the latest Apple TV 4K and USB-C Siri Remote in November, Apple has released multiple updates to tvOS 16, but none have solved the issue. Users have expressed frustration with the lack of an official fix or acknowledgement from Apple, and complaints continue to pile up on social media.
Potential Solutions
There are several theories on how to solve the problem, but most offer only temporary solutions. Swapping out the HDMI cable used with your Apple TV was thought to help, but this theory proved false. The issue seems exclusive to the USB-C version of the Siri Remote, and some users have found success using their old Lightning version of the Siri Remote with the new Apple TV.
Conclusion
The lack of a solution for the connectivity issue is leading to more frustration from Apple TV users. While using the iOS Remote App is a temporary fix, it’s a pain point for many users. With no official fix or acknowledgement from Apple, the only option for now is to try different solutions and hope for a future update to solve the issue.
