The Levant News Exclusive - by Jackson Smith --Remote-controlled devices are ubiquitous today, and the number of such devices is only increasing. Once largely limited to TVs, the remote control is quite common in a wide range of devices today. This includes air conditioners from places like https://onehourmagic.com, set-top boxes, room lighting, gaming consoles, music systems and much more.

While these devices offer a higher level of convenience when compared to the past, they lead to a challenge. It's having to juggle with multiple remotes. Imagine the number of remotes on your table when you're watching a movie on your TV which has a cable subscription. And at the same time, you're trying to adjust smart lighting and lower the room temperature! It's quite a task to do all those tasks simultaneously. That's where a universal remote control comes to your rescue. So, instead of multiple remotes, you only need one universal remote which can perform all the functions.

The latest development in this space has been the advent of smart remote apps. Once you download and set them up on your smartphone, they convert it to a universal remote. Not only does such an app offer a more user-friendly navigation, but it also comes with a sophisticated and enhanced interface.

Here are a few examples of universal remote apps.

• Peel: The most popular app in the segment, Peel leverages IR and Wi-Fi technologies. It's personalised intelligent assistance tracks your preferences and makes recommendations based on that. It can even help you plan your show-list for one week in advance.

Interestingly, with Peel installed on your phone, you can perform basic remote functions even on a locked screen. Its capabilities stretch beyond TV and enable you to control for your set-top box, media players and even home appliances.

• Anymote: Anymote is one of the best-rated universal remote apps in the market and is compatible with both Android and iOS phones. Similar to Peel, it uses IR and Wi-Fi technologies to control devices. It uses complex macros and sends multiple commands, thus allowing you to control any devices at the same time.
• SURE: In addition to being a universal remote control app, SURE Universal can cast photos, audios and videos and photos to your smart TV and other media devices. Besides, it comes with an in-built support for Amazon Alexa support and is equipped with voice-control features.

Besides IR technology, SURE Universal leverages Wi-Fi and DLNA networking to help you control numerous devices from your phone.

• MI Remote Controller: Like many other universal remote apps, MI Remote controller also uses the IR-blaster of your phone to enable it with remote control functioning. The app supports devices like TV, air conditioner, set-top box, projector, A/V receiver, camera etc. It even lets you watch shows on your mobile phone. A key feature in MI remote controller is that there is no gateway required for Wi-fi operation.

What is the Peel app?

The most popular among such apps is Peel remote app. Peel is a smart remote app which uses the IR-blaster of your Android phone and turns it into a universal remote to control several devices around your home and office. And it's no concern if your phone doesn't have the IR capabilities. In that case, Peel leverages your Wi-Fi network to deliver the same experience, as long as the device you want to control is Wi-Fi enabled and your phone and the device are on the same WiFi network.

Peel is a remote app for Android which is compatible with almost all leading brands of TVs and air conditioners. Besides, it can effectively control more than 600 set-top boxes available in India.

Peel is a free app with an easy set-up process. You only have to install it on your phone and it will guide you through how to set it up and configure it with the devices you want to control with it.

Benefits of a universal remote app

Through universal remote apps, you can control hundreds of devices using your phone. So, your smartphone will help you get rid of those multiple remotes on your table. Almost all the universal remote apps utilise IR technology and there are a lot of devices that run on it. Hence, these apps deliver a superior user experience.

Once you can synchronise these apps with multiple devices, you can control all of them at the same time without facing any challenges. Now, your smartphone is enough to control your TV, gaming consoles and other home appliances.

Peel, for example, works in the same manner with IR-enabled Android phones. Moreover, it comes preinstalled in many of such phones. In addition to that, it is also compatible with all home appliances that are Wi-Fi enabled.

A few major benefits of Peel universal remote are as given below.

• Cost-effectiveness: You can download the Peel app for free and it doesn't require you to invest in an additional hardware. This accumulates to a significant cost-saving in itself. On the other hand, if you're using a regular universal remote, you know it's quite an expensive buy.
• Voice recognition: Although only limited to a few countries, Peel smart remote app offers voice-control features to provide the users with the next level of remote-control assistance. It can even understand the contextual meaning behind the voice input and follow the commands efficiently.
• TV programme guide: Peel has been a leading and most embraced app in the TV remote segment predominantly. Among a series of advantages as a smart TV remote, it offers an intelligent TV guide assistance. It tracks the show preference of the users and provides recommendations based on that. Also, you can use it to plan what you want to watch over the next one week.

If you aren't already using Peel smart remote control, you may want to try the app to realise the range of benefits that come along with it. Get rid of concerns like multiple remotes, losing or misplacing it and its dead batteries. Just one app will make your TV watching experience more convenient and sophisticated.