Teardown of Apple TV Siri Remote finds same touch controller as iPhone 5s & iPad Air

Source: iFixit

Nearly two weeks after first getting our hands on with the new Apple TV, iFixit has completed their full teardown of the device and it's companion remote. The most significant changes from the third-generation Apple TV are found in the new Siri Remote with its glass touch surface.

The glass surface of the new remote utilizes the same Broadcom touchscreen controller (BCM5976C1KUB6G) found in earlier iPhones and iPads. The remote was also found to include an accelerometer and gyroscope for navigation and gameplay.

With the addition of a Qualcomm Bluetooth radio in the Siri Remote, users no longer need to aim the remote at their Apple TV. However, Apple did continue to include IR technology which can be used to control the power and volume on your television.

The Apple TV box itself is a half-inch taller and 50 percent heavier than it's predecessor, mostly due to a larger power supply and heatsink. iFixit suggests that this beefier power supply is needed to power the dual-core A8 processor.

Apple has also ditched the optical audio-out port and added a USB-C port, with the latter currently being for diagnostic purposes only. The Wi-Fi chip inside the new Apple TV also received a bump to include speedier 802.11ac, and the audio output has been upgraded from Dolby Digital 5.1 to 7.1.

The new Apple TV with Siri Remote comes in 32- and 64-gigabyte models, priced at $149 and $199, respectively. They are expected sometime in October.