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Apple is bringing a major redesign to one of its forgotten products

The Apple TV remote is getting a major redesign when the latest version of the Cupertino company's TV box is introduced this summer, The New York Times reports.

Apple is set to unveil a new version of its Apple TV service in June, at its annual developers conference WWDC.

The new remote is going to have a touch pad similar to those found on the company's MacBooks, as well as two buttons, according to The Times — further streamlining the remote's already simple design.

tim cook impressive speaking talking angry apple ceo
Apple CEO Tim Cook. Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images

This is how today's Apple TV remote looks. It's sleek and minimalist, but its reliance on buttons goes against Apple's trend toward trackpads and touch screens.

Apple TV remote current
Simon Yeo/Flickr (CC)

And here is a touch pad on the newest MacBook.

apple macbook gold trackpad keyboard 2015 redesign
Coming soon to a TV remote near you. Maurizo Pesce/Flickr (CC)

In addition to a touch pad to control the internet video box, the new remote is also going to be thicker than its current iteration. It will apparently be similar in size to the remote for the Amazon Echo wireless speaker.

For reference, here's a YouTube reviewer holding up the Amazon Echo remote (on the left).

amazon echo wireless speaker remote left
A YouTube reviewer holds up the Amazon Echo remote (on the left). Qbking77/YouTube

At Apple's internal training course "Apple University," the Google TV remote is reportedly compared with the Apple TV remote as a case study. It is used "to show how the company's product designers started out with an idea and debated until they had just what was needed for the device to be usable and easy to understand," The Times reports.

In contrast, the Google TV remote has a staggering 76 buttons.

google tv remote control smart tv
Blake Patterson/Flickr (CC)
Apple

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