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Apple TV remote control to get touch pad when new version launches in June, report says

According to a report on Monday, the Apple TV isn't the only piece of hardware in line for a redesign this year, as the device's long-in-the-tooth remote control is now expected to come with a built-in touch pad.

Citing sources familiar with Apple's upcoming Apple TV update, The New York Times reports the set-top streamer will come with a remote control that eschews existing directional ring buttons in favor of a touch pad.

Apple's new remote is expected to be slightly thicker than the current iteration and will retain two physical buttons, potentially the play/pause and menu pushers seen on the current device.

Originally launched with Apple TV in 2007, the current remote is milled from a single piece of aluminum and is considered by some as masterwork in design and engineering. With a highly streamlined button interface boiled down to only bare UI navigation necessities, the remote was trumpeted as a hallmark of Apple design and subsequently used to demonstrate such tenets at Apple University.

The report goes on to say that customers should see the revamped product launch alongside a refreshed Apple TV at Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference June. Current rumors claim the new hardware will feature an A8 processor, dedicated App Store and Siri voice controls.

Apple is also widely rumored to be readying an over-the-top subscription streaming service to launch alongside new Apple TV hardware. During Apple's quarterly earnings conference call last week, CEO Tim Cook alluded to a coming shift in media consumption, saying his company could play a role in what he sees as "major, major changes" to the sector.