- Apple announced tvOS 17 for Apple TV at WWDC 2023 with native VPN support
- The update also lets users FaceTime directly from the TV with the help of Continuity Camera
- After giving it a shot, I’m now in love with the FaceTime feature – here’s why
Apple last month announced tvOS 17 for Apple TV at WWDC 2023. And while the update comes with some cool new features, like native VPN support, there’s nothing really exciting about it – at least that’s what I thought. tvOS 17 lets users FaceTime directly from the TV, and while I first underestimated this feature, I’m now in love with it.
Now that the first public beta of tvOS 17 is available, I gave it a shot and installed it on one of my Apple TVs (more specifically, the 2021 4K version with the A12 chip). Immediately, I saw the FaceTime icon on the Home Screen and thought “I need to check how that works.” Of course, Apple TV has no built-in camera, so Apple’s solution was to bring a feature from macOS to tvOS: Continuity Camera. When you open the FaceTime app on your Apple TV, your iPhone immediately asks if you want to connect it to your TV.
When your iPhone is connected, the FaceTime app shows a very similar interface to the app on iPad and Mac, with a column showing your contacts on the right side of the screen. From there, you can start a FaceTime call with anyone you want. FaceTime on Apple TV uses the iPhone’s ultra-wide lens as default. As a result, you can enable Center Stage so that the image is always focused on you, even when you move around. There are also options to enable Portrait Mode and 3D reactions. In short, it works pretty much the way you would expect.
When Apple announced this feature at WWDC 2023, I was like “why would I use FaceTime on my TV?” And even though Apple highlighted that the feature is a great addition for corporate meetings, I still wasn’t convinced. But now that I’ve tried the feature a few times, I see myself using it more often. And here’s why. Having FaceTime on the big screen is really convenient, and the video calls look much better with the iPhone’s rear camera. Plus, it’s more immersive for some occasions like when you’re with family or friends and want to FaceTime someone.
However, there’s something weird about using FaceTime with an iPhone on Apple TV, and that’s the fact that you need to put your iPhone in front of the TV. This highlights the lack of an Apple accessory to place your iPhone horizontally. And as my colleague Zac Hall wrote, tvOS 17 really shows that it might be time for Apple TV to get its own built-in webcam.
Other cool things about tvOS 17 include a redesigned Control Center, the icon grid that now has six apps per row, new audio output options for the 2nd generation HomePod, and a new photo screensaver. However, I’ve been noticing some performance issues with this version, so keep that in mind before installing tvOS 17 beta. tvOS 17 is now available as beta software for Apple TV HD (2015) and later. The official launch is expected this fall. More details on how to install tvOS 17 beta on your Apple TV can be found here.
