Despite rumors, there's no U1 chip in the new Apple TV remote

New Apple Tv 4k 2021 Banner
New Apple Tv 4k 2021 Banner (Image credit: Apple)

What you need to know

  • Apple announced a new 4K Apple TV and Siri remote at its April event.
  • Despite rumors, this new remote does not feature a U1 chip.
  • The same report also notes that the iPad Pro likely doesn't feature one either.

A new report says the brand new Siri remote debuted alongside the new 4K Apple TV does not feature a U1 chip, despite reports Apple was working on making the remote compatible with Find My.

From The Verge:

Apple confirmed to us that the U1 locator chip, which uses pulses of ultra-wideband (UWB) radio to broadcast its precise location, won't appear in the Siri remote. We're waiting on final bulletproof confirmation about the iPad Pros, but it also doesn't appear in their product page, spec sheet, or press release. Last year's iPad Pros didn't include a U1 chip, either.

As you'll note, The Verge is working off the likely outcome that the new iPad Pro also doesn't feature the U1, which is the chip at the heart of the iPhone 12 that makes it compatible with Apple's new AirTag. Despite this, the new upgrade to the Apple TV remote means the best remote for Apple TV might finally be Apple's own offering.

A Bloomberg report from September had previously stated Apple was working on a new "upgraded remote control" that would feature Find My functionality to make it easier to find.

Apple announced its new 4K TV at the event, featuring an A12 Bionic chip:

Apple today announced the next generation of Apple TV 4K, delivering high frame rate HDR with Dolby Vision and connecting customers to their favorite content with the highest quality. At the heart of the new Apple TV 4K is the A12 Bionic chip that provides a significant boost in graphics performance, video decoding, and audio processing. And with an all-new design, the Siri Remote makes it even easier to watch shows and movies on Apple TV with intuitive navigation controls. Together with tvOS — the most powerful TV operating system — Apple TV 4K works seamlessly with Apple devices and services to magically transform the living room in ways that everyone in the family will love.

Stephen Warwick
News Editor

Stephen Warwick has written about Apple for five years at iMore and previously elsewhere. He covers all of iMore's latest breaking news regarding all of Apple's products and services, both hardware and software. Stephen has interviewed industry experts in a range of fields including finance, litigation, security, and more. He also specializes in curating and reviewing audio hardware and has experience beyond journalism in sound engineering, production, and design. Before becoming a writer Stephen studied Ancient History at University and also worked at Apple for more than two years. Stephen is also a host on the iMore show, a weekly podcast recorded live that discusses the latest in breaking Apple news, as well as featuring fun trivia about all things Apple. Follow him on Twitter @stephenwarwick9