Apple has filled a very interesting patent which shows that Apple is interested in building a new simplified remote control which aims to reduce confusion & clutter. The patent points that the new remote controller also aims to reduce all the frustration involved in both setting up & using universal remote controls.
The concept behind this App was revealed in a patent application dug up by AppleInsider. The patent is titled : ”Apparatus and Method to Facilitate Universal Remote Control”, the patent describes a TouchScreen-based controller that would reduce the confusing clutter that is usually present on universal remotes.
Could this be a Remote Controller for a future Apple TV Set – Whatever the case, This gives the world a hint as to what the iTV’s remote might look like.
via AppleInsider
“The controls that are not normally used clutter the remote control and can cause confusion to the user when trying to locate a seldom-used feature,” the filing notes.It also details how current universal remotes are even more complex to operate than the basic remotes that ship with specific devices, like a television set or receiver. And often times, those universal remotes cannot replicate some of the tasks found on the original remote.
“Hence, users must spend time learning a new remote control or programming an existing universal remote each time they purchase a new remotely controllable appliance, which detracts from the enjoyment of using the appliance after it is first purchased,” Apple’s application states. “What is needed is an apparatus and a method to provide remote control over multiple appliances without the difficulties described above.”
Apple’s proposed solution is a remote control with a dynamic touchscreen used for input. The remote would include a “discovery mechanism” that would discover available appliances for it to control, negating the need for users to enter complex codes and program individual devices.
