Apple's new Siri Remote tracks itself via Find My, and you don't need the latest Apple TV to use it.
Apple sells the updated remote standalone for $59. It adds a built-in speaker and full Find My support, and it works with every Apple TV model dating back to the Apple TV HD. Older Siri Remotes could only tell you the remote was "near" or "far" through a basic iOS locator feature. The new version plugs into Apple's broader Find My network, the same system that tracks AirTags and other accessories.
The catch is precision. To see an exact distance, like "20 feet," instead of a vague "near" or "far," you need an iPhone Air or an iPhone 17 or later. Everyone else still gets the fuzzy readout, even though their remote and their Find My app behave identically otherwise. That split suggests Apple is using accessory features to nudge people toward newer phones, not just improving the remote itself.
It's the same playbook Apple ran with AirTags' precision finding, which also favors its newest iPhones, so don't expect this gap to close anytime soon.