There have always been apps that let you control your TV from an iPhone or iPad, but in my experience, those apps don’t work very well or have limited resources – even the official apps from TV manufacturers. I am now testing “TV Remote”, which is not a new application, but has been updated today with support for two major TV brands: LG and Samsung.
The TV remote control was created by Adam Foot, the same developer of the Apple Watch Shift keyboard, which I reviewed in 9to5Mac last year. The application is very intuitive and has all the main buttons on a screen so you don’t have to learn how to use it.
The first time you open it, the app identifies all the TVs connected to your Wi-Fi network for quick pairing. You only need to choose your TV from the list and then authorize the application to function as a remote control. If you want to add more than one TV to use with the TV Remote app, you can do so.
In just a few seconds, your TV will be paired with the app and you will be able to control it from your devices. There are navigation buttons to explore the interface and menus, volume and channel controls, as well as shortcuts for media playback, mute and access to the home screen. Touching the three-point button reveals even more options, such as subtitles, channel list and timer.
In my experience, the application works exactly as I expected. I have a Samsung QLED TV and its official remote app is very bad, as there is a considerable delay between the touch of the iPhone buttons and the TV’s response to commands. With the TV Remote app, everything works almost instantly and I don’t have to wait a few seconds for the app to identify my TV, which always happens with the Samsung app for some unknown reason.
In addition to LG and Samsung TVs, the app also works with other Smart TV models from Hitachi, Toshiba, Sharp and more. The TV remote control costs $ 3.99 on the App Store, but has no in-app purchases or subscriptions.
FTC: We use affiliate links for cars that generate revenue. More.
Check out 9to5Mac on YouTube for more news from Apple: