Does the Apple Remote (Aluminium) with IR still have a use?
Background
The Retina MacBook Pro does not have an IR sensor, just like the missing battery indicator. Apple really pushed hard to feature more Bluetooth heavy peripherals from that point. Looking back it seems like the right step forward. The Siri remote (just as an example) is able to transmit more complex data than the older, yet well-built aluminum IR remote ever could. The IR sensor has become obsolete because of features such as AirPlay and other mechanisms that put increasingly growing control into one place (the iOS device).

What can you try?  


You may be able to pair the Apple Remote with your Apple TV if you
happen to have one that was released around the same time. This
tutorial should demonstrate how the Aluminum remote can be paired
with an Apple TV (2nd generation).   I have to be honest
in that I don't personally own an Apple TV or the remote for that
matter, yet at work, we have seamlessly paired various different
remotes (from different 2nd or 3rd generation
Apple TVs).
You will however not be able to pair the remote with the iPhone because much like the Mac, the iPhone does not have an IR sensor.
I fail to come up with everyday things that have an IR sensor capable of receiving signals from the Apple Remote but are non-Apple products. Correct me if I am wrong but I don't think that there are any devices worth controlling, let alone capable of receiving the signal. Yep, that's Apple for you.


Let me know if that was helpful in any way or if you come up with other ideas/products.