CiderTV is a great alternative for Apple’s own Remote app as well as for the Siri Remote. It works perfectly with non-jailbroken 2nd, 3rd and 4th generation Apple TVs letting you to easily navigate menus with gestures, quickly send text queries with built-in keyboard and control your TV volume from your iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch or Mac.

The best part is that it lets you do all of this from your iPhone’s/iPad’s Lock screen (Notification Center widget), so there is no need to unlock your device every single time you need to use the app.

Just swipe down to open the widgets pane and control Apple TV even if iPhone/iPad is locked.

(Note: to control Apple TV box from widget you need to pair it from the CiderTV app first and then add CiderTV widget to your Notification Center.)

The app also lets you connect to more than one Apple TV and access them all from one screen.

CiderTV is also available for Mac and Apple Watch, so you can control your Apple TV from your computer or even from your wrist.

Some of the basic gestures include:
– TAP to Select (Play/Pause)
– DOUBLE-TAP to go back
– LONG-TAP (press for a second) – go back to Home Screen
– SWIPE LEFT/RIGHT/UP/DOWN – move between menu items
– SWIPE LEFT/RIGHT – rewind or fast-forward. Further swipes will increase rewind/fast-forward speed.

CiderTV is available from the App Store for free.

The app is also available in Google Play Store.

Be sure to follow Apple TV Hacks on Twitter, Facebook or Google+ for all the latest Apple TV-related news.

The post Control your Apple TV from your iPhone with CiderTV app appeared first on Apple TV Hacks.

In an interview with BuzzFeed News, Apple’s Eddy Cue revealed that the company is developing a new, much-improved Remote app for iOS to be released in the first half of 2016.

“We’re working on a new Apple TV remote app that will give you the full functionality of the Siri Remote on your iPhone,” Cue said. “We’re hoping to ship that in the first half of next year.”

Apple yesterday released tvOS 9.1 for Apple TV 4 that includes the much-requested support for the current Remote app on iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch.

Holiday Gift Guide 2015: Best Accessories for Apple TV

Also read:

• Apple TV 5: “dramatically” faster, new features, mass production begins in Q1 2016 (rumor)
• Infuse 4 for new Apple TV released
• How to save media files to your Apple TV 4 ‘hard drive’ for offline viewing (video)
• Plex on Apple TV 4 explained (video)

Be sure to follow Apple TV Hacks on Twitter, Facebook or Google+ for all the latest Apple TV-related news.

The post Apple working on a new Remote app for Apple TV with full functionality of the Siri Remote appeared first on Apple TV Hacks.

Apple today released tvOS 9.1 for Apple TV 4. It ads Siri support for Apple Music as well as the much-requested support for the Remote app for iPhone and iPad. watchOS 2.1, that was also released today, lets you navigate the new Apple TV using the Remote app on your Apple Watch.

Support for Remote app is a nice additions, but Apple TV 4 still lacks support for Bluetooth keyboards. Hopefully it will be included in the next update.

To download the update, go to Settings -> System -> Software updates.

Holiday Gift Guide: Best Accessories for Apple TV 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th gen.

You may also want to read:

• Apple TV 5: “dramatically” faster, new features, mass production begins in Q1 2016 (rumor)
• Infuse 4 for new Apple TV released
• How to save media files to your Apple TV 4 ‘hard drive’ for offline viewing (video)
• Plex on Apple TV 4 explained (video)

Be sure to follow Apple TV Hacks on Twitter, Facebook or Google+ for all the latest Apple TV-related news.

The post Apple releases tvOS 9.1 with support for Remote app and Siri for Apple Music appeared first on Apple TV Hacks.

Bowling Central is one of those few games on the App Store which makes best use of Apple TV’s dual screen mirroring feature. AirPlay the game and your TV screen becomes the bowling lane while your iPhone tracks your movements to deliver the perfect spin (like the Nintendo Wii).

Rolocule Games has recently pushed out the major 2.0 update to Bowling Central, which pushes further what was probably the most realistic Bowling experience on iOS and Apple TV. The update adds 45 new challenging levels and for the first time, drops the price tag to zero!

More importantly for Apple TV users, the update brings local multiplayer mode, which makes Bowling Central a perfect party game. Up to four friends can hook up their iOS devices to the Apple TV and broadcast them to the television. Now take turns and compete against each other just like with the original game.

Along with the update, Rolocule made an exciting announcement: the game will receive Apple Watch support as soon as watchOS 2 firmware gets dropped to the public. Meaning you won’t even need to hold an iPhone to play the game. As long as you have your Apple Watch on the wrist, they can track its accelerometer to create the same magic as before, delivering the most authentic gameplay experience ever.

The announcement is very significant as we are now sure that we will be seeing more games and apps making use of the Apple Watch – Apple TV combo. Read on what Apple Watch means for Apple TV users.

Get Bowling Central for free from the App Store.

Check out our coverage on other dual screen AirPlay mirroring games: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3

Be sure to follow Apple TV Hacks on Twitter, Facebook or Google+ for all the latest Apple TV-related news.

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Mark Gurman is probably the most respected and trusted blogger when it comes to breaking Apple news. Today, in a new post at 9to5Mac, he sheds some light on the Apple TV 4, as his sources report major facelifts in both hardware and software domains.

The Apple TV 4 Remote

As rumored before, the next Apple TV will come with a redesigned remote control, which is “fancier” than the current one and will likely sport a touchscreen or touchpad.

The the Apple Watch will be able to not only control your Apple TV, but, according to Gurman, “Apple plans to market the current Apple Watch as a primary input device for the next-generation Apple TV.”

The Apple TV 4 Software

Again, confirming previous rumors, the Apple TV 4 will pack a new operating system, codenamed “MonarchTide”. This OS will allow third party apps, which can be built with a new “TV Kit” included in a future version of Xcode, dubbed “MuirTrail”.

The new Xcode-based OS will also bear support for Apple’s voice assistant Siri.

Media Content on Apple TV 4

Gurman’s source says that the current prototypes, called the “J34” is filled with subscription-dependent channels just like the current Apple TV versions. However, Apple’s own rumored “Live TV” subscription service is expected to get added to them soon.

Read more on Apple’s online television service.

Apple TV 4 Hardware

The new Apple TV hardware, codenamed “J34,” is twice as bulky as the Apple TV 3, but that is common with all prototypes. Sources confirm that the shipping product will be slimmer than the current Apple TV box.

It will also come with a redesigned remote, as mentioned earlier.

Apple TV 4 Release date

The Apple TV 4 will be announced in June, at the WWDC 2015, like we reported earlier. The online TV service is expected to launch at a later date.

Be sure to follow Apple TV Hacks on Twitter, Facebook or Google+ for all the latest Apple TV-related news.

The post Apple TV 4 hardware, software, release date detailed by Mark Gurman appeared first on Apple TV Hacks.

9to5Mac’s Senior Editor, Mark Gurman is riding a high tide now, as most of his predictions regarding the Apple Watch and the new ultra-thin MacBook were proven right. In an interview given to CNBC, Gurman shares his views on where Apple TV is going and the possibility of an Apple television set.

Along with other Apple stuff, the CNBC reporter asked Gurman about his thoughts on the $30 price cut for Apple TV 3 and the 3 month exclusivity of HBO NOW for Apple TV. This is what he had to say:

I think this $69 price point ($30 price drop) is a big deal because it indicates that they try to make room for something. They are trying to sell a lot of these Apple TVs. They are trying to use it as a marketing tool to really allow for customer discovery of these living room solutions. So I think it is a big deal in getting the Apple TV out there.[..]

Even bigger is the HBO exclusivity deal because it represents that the Apple TV with the cable networks and show providers have the technology to do a subscription service without the cable box. And I think HBO is just the first of many.

And I think the overall solution Apple has in the works is just a bunch of different programs and apps, that are not on a pay-per-view subscription but like perhaps a weekly, monthly or yearly plans.

Gurman was also asked about the possibility of a standalone Apple TV set:

I don’t think [Apple TV set] is currently in the works or is currently the plan. I think the plan is to make a groundbreaking new set-top box that really changes the model path of how people get TV. I think more services-backed model is where they are headed instead of screen-based hardware.

I think the next version of Apple TV, in terms of appearance, will look really a lot like the current one. It probably will be thinner, have a larger more tactile remote control. But in terms of a screen-based set, I don’t think that is happening in the near future.

You can catch the whole 5 minute interview here.

Be sure to follow Apple TV Hacks on Twitter, Facebook or Google+ for all the latest Apple TV-related news.

The post Gurman: with a $69 Apple TV, Apple is making room for a groundbreaking new set-top box appeared first on Apple TV Hacks.

Apple Events channel has just appeared on the Apple TV main menu ahead of today’s Spring Forward Apple event.

Live streaming will be available on a second- and third-generation Apple TV with software 6.2 or later.

Should Apple TV users be excited about the Apple Watch event? Read here.

Today’s event kicks off at 10am PST / 11am MST / 12pm CT / 1pm EST for the US, with the international times for the keynote as follows:

• London – 5:00 p.m.
• Paris – 6:00 p.m.
• Berlin – 6:00 p.m.
• Tokyo – 2:00 a.m. (Tuesday)
• Sydney – 4:00 a.m. (Tuesday)
• Auckland – 6:00 a.m. (Tuesday)

In addition to the Apple TV, the Apple Watch event will be available live on iOS devices and Macs through at https://apple.com/live.

Be sure to follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Google+ for all the latest Apple TV-related news from the event.

Also read: Apple finishing up work on a new, slimmer Apple TV with App Store

The post Apple Events channel goes live on Apple TV for today’s event livestream appeared first on Apple TV Hacks.

For the past half a year, rumors had been continuously pointing towards a March, 2015 launch of the much awaited Apple TV 4. And when the Spring Forward event was announced to be held on March 9th, many of us hoped the revolutionary new Apple TV to be Tim Cook’s One more thing for this event.

Althought 9to5Mac’s Mark Gurman reports that the refreshed Apple TV won’t make an appearance on the Monday’s event, the good news is that according to his sources, “Apple is finishing up work on a slimmer Apple TV set-top-box with a more capable and tactile remote control and a redesigned operating system bundled with an App Store.”

Though the launch date for Apple TV 4 is not available, Gurman expects it to be released in Q4, judging by other products in Apple’s 2015 pipeline.

The reason for this delay remains the same as before – “the content roadblocks”, as Apple is struggling to obtain rights from multiple content owners and broadcasters.

Except for the release dates, his report on the next Apple TV is consistent with what we’ve heard before. The new Apple TV will sport a new design and come packed with its own App Store.

The Apple TV 4 will have a thinner footprint and the remote will be more capable and tactile, sources say.

The next Apple TV will also have the current Beats Music channel replaced by a standalone Beats streaming service too.

The new iTunes music streaming service is based on technology acquired from Beats Music, including curated playlists, cloud-based libraries, and offerings customized to the musical tastes of individual users. The service will be priced as high as $7.99 per month, which is less expensive than current $9.99 pricing for Beats Music, Spotify, and Rdio.

Despite all these reports, if you’re feeling really optimistic about the March 9 event, you can catch it live directly on your Apple TV.

Even if the Apple TV 4 isn’t announced, there’s enough reasons for us to celebrate the Apple Watch launch as I have discussed in this post.

Be sure to follow Apple TV Hacks on Twitter, Facebook or Google+ for all the latest Apple TV-related news.

The post Apple finishing up work on a new, slimmer Apple TV with App Store appeared first on Apple TV Hacks.

Apple will be hosting (and live streaming) an event on March 9. Judging by Apple’s track record of cryptic invites, the “Spring Forward” tagline shouts out that the event will be mostly about the Apple Watch. But there are some goodies hidden somewhere here for us Apple TV users, too.

First of all, let’s hope for Apple TV 4. While Apple Watch is sure to take the center stage, the possibility of an Apple TV refresh cannot be ruled out yet. Apple’s beloved ex-hobby device‘s refresh is too much delayed and reliable rumors point to an imminent launch.

As iMore’s Rene Ritchie notes, the Spring event of 2012 is when we saw the last Apple TV get announced and he wouldn’t be surprised if it takes the stage this year as well.

Apple has had spring events before [..] The last Apple TV was introduced at the last spring iPad event. Rumor has it there’s a new Apple TV in the works.

Secondly, the release of the Apple Watch will open up a whole new range of possibilities for existing Apple TVs. Your little black box may be able to do much more, once you have Cupertino’s smart watch on your wrist. This includes using Apple Watch as a remote for your Apple TV or AirPlaying music and photos to it.

I have discussed this in detail in an earlier post – Apple Watch and AirPlay: what Apple’s smartwatch means to Apple TV users.

Anyway, only next Monday will tell us what lies behind that veil and how Apple TV users will benefit from it. By the way, you will be able to watch the March 9 event directly on your Apple TV via an Events channel which will get added to your home screen soon.

Live streaming video requires Safari 5.1.10 or later on OS X v10.6.8 or later; Safari on iOS 6.0 or later. Streaming via Apple TV requires second- or third-generation Apple TV with software 6.2 or later.

You can visit Apple’s dedicated subsite and get a reminder for the event with just a click.

Be sure to follow Apple TV Hacks on Twitter, Facebook or Google+ for all the latest Apple TV-related news.

The post Should Apple TV users be excited about the Apple Watch event? appeared first on Apple TV Hacks.

Apple announced on its website that it will live stream March 9th event through a dedicated channel on Apple TV.

Streaming will be available on a second- and third-generation Apple TV with software 6.2 or later.

The keynote kicks off at 10 a.m. PDT on Monday, March 9th.

Be sure to follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Google+ for all the latest news from the event.

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