Apple has been toying with the idea of adding Bluetooth support to its TV units. It has finally included a Bluetooth menu as well as support for wireless keyboards in the recent Apple TV beta release.
Until now, the chief method to provide input to an Apple TV was a remote. Whereas using a remote to perform simple functions is not a hassle, searching content on Apple TV with it can be quite a pain. In comparison, if you are able to use a wireless keyboard with Apple TV and use this keyboard to enter search terms, it is a lot more convenient and quick.
This is the first time you can use wireless keyboards with Apple TV, thanks to the added Bluetooth support. However, Apple hasn’t added support for other devices which can be paired via Bluetooth, such as a wireless mouse. But then again, we can hope that Apple will expand Apple TV’s support for Bluetooth devices even further in the coming days.
On a wireless keyboard, you can use arrow keys to navigate through the menu on Apple TV. If you press the ‘Escape’ key, it takes you straight to the menu whereas the return key serves the purpose of playing or pausing a given piece of content.
In all, this is welcome news for Apple TV users who have long been waiting for such a functionality to land on their devices. Although Apple has ousted only a beta release including these features, rest assured that the upcoming iOS version will include them too.
Source: 9to5mac
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