Apple TV Updated With iPhone Remote, Siri Upgrade, YouTube Search

The smart TV platform Apple TV has had a kick in the pants this morning as Apple prepares WWDC 2016 for the next generation in TV-based apps. The first big update is in an app for the iPhone – a remote control with the ability to interact with touch, to move through programs, and generally play content in all the ways the Siri remote can – and more. There's motion controls for games and Siri control as well.

Siri's upgrade for Apple TV includes a lot more natural language business. Instead of just being able to use Siri to turn on a channel, users will now be able to ask Siri to do things like "find high school comedies from the 80s."

Siri can search YouTube now in addition to 650,000 movies and TV shows in Apple's store.

There's a new feature called Live Tune-In. With this system you'll be able to say to Siri "Watch ESPN2" and the channel will open to live TV. This feature works on Apple TV and iPad in an update coming soon.

Apple will also be fixing TV app sign-on. The process has been terrible since smart TVs began – Apple is aiming to make it a whole lot easier. They'll be doing this with Single Sign-on to cable networks of all sorts.

"Your Apple TV works beautifully with your TV subscription," says the new intro to Dish, for example, "Simply sign in once with your service provider, and every streaming app in your subscription is ready to go. That means less time typing passwords and more time watching the things you love."

Stick around for more information on Apple TV and the rest of the Apple software and hardware universe as we explore WWDC 2016 this week! See our Apple Hub for the full run-down starting this morning and pushing on in to the next several days.