Samsung TV remotes are great, but these 3 features can make them even better

Samsung’s TV remote controls have come a long way over the years. Its SolarCell Remote is among the most advanced TV remotes on the market. It is compact, comfortable to hold, and avoids the hassle of disposable batteries thanks to its built-in rechargeable battery.

Even better, the SolarCell Remote can be charged through ambient light, indoor lighting, or a USB Type-C port. That means the remote rarely runs out of power and is substantially more environmentally friendly than traditional battery-powered remote controls.

While Samsung’s TV remotes are already excellent, there is still room for improvement. A few thoughtful additions could make them even more convenient and user-friendly. Here are three features I’d love to see Samsung add to future TV remotes.

One of the biggest drawbacks of Samsung’s current TV remotes is that the buttons are difficult to see in a dark room. Since many people watch movies and TV shows in dimly lit living rooms or bedrooms, low button visibility can be frustrating.

Adding backlit buttons to the remote would instantly solve that problem. Even if Samsung only illuminated essential buttons, such as the volume controls, channel buttons, and D-pad, users would no longer have to squint or turn on the lights to find the button they want to press.

Illuminated buttons consume more energy. However, Samsung’s remotes already last a long time thanks to their ambient light charging capability. Combined with USB Type-C charging, battery life should not be a significant concern, even if the buttons light up when the remote is picked up or a button is pressed.

Almost everyone has lost a TV remote between sofa cushions at some point. A small built-in beeper or speaker could make finding the remote much easier. Samsung could integrate a “Find My Remote” feature directly into its TVs.

Imagine asking Bixby, “Find my remote,” through a voice command to your Samsung TV and having the remote immediately start beeping. You could quickly locate it, whether it is hidden behind a cushion or sitting elsewhere in the room.

Better yet, Samsung should think of adding an Ultra-Wideband (UWB) chip to all its remotes and integrate them with the SmartThings Find service. That would make them easy to locate using a Galaxy phone or Galaxy Watch, even when they are not within sight.

Navigating a TV’s software using a remote control’s D-pad is straightforward for most tasks. However, browsing through long lists of content can sometimes feel slow and tedious.

A built-in gyroscope could enable a pointer mode, similar to what LG offers on its TVs. You could simply move the remote in the air to control an on-screen cursor. It would make selecting apps, navigating menus, and browsing streaming services much faster.

It could also significantly improve the experience of using Samsung’s built-in web browser, where entering URLs and clicking links with directional buttons can be cumbersome.

For those who do not like pointer-based navigation, Samsung could offer a setting to disable the feature.

Samsung’s TV remotes are already excellent, but there is still room for improvement. The company started making its TV remotes smarter when most other brands were still relying on conventional designs.

Adding backlit buttons, a built-in beeper, and a gyro-powered pointer mode would address three everyday frustrations that many TV owners experience and make Samsung’s remotes even more enjoyable to use.