Force Touch perfect for a new Apple TV remote?

here's how design new apple tv remote: gray rectangular (16:9 length:width ratio) flat chunk of handheld glass soft edges, acts trackpad. imagine magic trackpad, except shaped rectangular iphone, comfortable edges, , force touch built in.

remote 16:9, same ratio tv, such when lightly touch pad, you'll see dot (or perhaps 3d indentation effect, or small area of gaussian blur, etc.) on screen can use "hover" on on-screen button or app icon. when force touch pad, register "click" launch app or click on-screen button.

, since remote 16:9, there one-to-one mapping of finger on pad , dot on screen, removing layer of mental abstraction ui interaction. unlike traditional trackpads, finger's x/y coordinates on physical trackpad doesn't correlate cursor's coordinates on screen. in other words, when put finger in top-right corner of proposed remote control pad, on-tv cursor (or dot, or indentation) in top-right corner. if lift finger , place in lower left hand corner of remote control pad, on-screen indentation effect appear in lower left hand corner. point behaves more touch ui mouse-cursor ui, difference being merely touching pad *indicates* on-screen you're hovering, , register "click" perform force touch.

hybrid of ios touchscreen ui model (where invisible "cursor" right below finger) , new force touch trackpad (which offers advantage of creating tv remote that's clicky , has "bumpy pixels" without having moving parts, plus allowing user interact display distance rather via direct touch).

additionally, open new possibilities gaming controls, when combined motion sensing of remote control pad. gyro sensors cheap. , force touch allow custom gaming controls tailored each game. of course siri integrated remote pad eliminate problems associated across-the-room directional microphones.

last reason rectangular touchpad remote makes sense allow apple leverage new ui paradigm new iphones , ipod touches presumably ship force touch/tapic engine later year. again, ios remote app on force touch-capable iphone 6s allow user light touch highlight on-screen, perform force touch register click. carry additional benefit existing touch-based ios games designed 16:9 iphones ported new apple tv, , problem of not being able know you're touching without looking down @ hands solved (a) keeping remote pad exact same 16:9 dimension tv set , (b) visually indicating on screen gamer's thumbs lying, not registering ios-equivalent "tap" until gamer performs force click.

that's best guess apple new remote. 9to5 did new remote more tactile , capable, , ballyhoo on force touch lately, totally see being used new remote. maybe moving iphone 16:9, inventing force touch, etc. part of master plan designing "remote touch" ui television? traditional trackpad-based mouse cursors suck tv uis, touch screen remote apps suck tv uis (see official ios remote app), wii-like motion remotes suck tv uis, , kinect gestures suck tv uis.

maybe big breakthrough tv ui 1:1 fingerpad tv-cursor mapping + force touch/taptic feedback?


edit: discovered os x accessibility feature called trackpad commander, turns trackpad 1:1 device describe above. it's pretty glitchy , doesn't register clicks well, can see apple has @ least toyed 1:1 touchpad:screen mapping accessibility features. it's funny, same lack of finger-cursor coordination visually impaired person experiences on mac analogous lack of finger-cursor coordination sighted person experiences when mirroring ios app tv. , force touch/taptic feedback solve both problems.

 

this lot more imagined... saw new touchpad yesterday, , when store employee showed me video demo (press harder make ff/rw go faster, first thing thought of tv, , how remote, well, stinks.

 

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