FaceTime comes to Apple TV with the tvOS 17 update

During the event, Apple offered a glimpse of the upcoming update, which follows the tradition of introducing significant improvements and features to enhance the Apple TV experience.

The company has introduced its redesigned Control Center for tvOS, surfacing important information so people can see them at a glance. Another new feature is the ability to use an iPhone to locate the Siri remote, so users can easily find their device.

A significant update to tvOS is FaceTime to let people communicate face-to-face with their friends and family. Beginning in autumn, Apple TV 4K users will have the opportunity to utilize the newly introduced FaceTime app on their Apple TV.

They can initiate calls directly from Apple TV or begin calls on their iPhone or iPad and seamlessly transfer them to Apple TV. By making use of Continuity Camera support, FaceTime on Apple TV establishes a wireless connection with the user's iPhone or iPad.

In the coming months, video conferencing apps such as Webex by Cisco and Zoom will become available on tvOS, allowing users to access their communication features on Apple TV 4K. Developers will have the opportunity to leverage the Continuity Camera APIs on Apple TV 4K, enabling them to integrate the camera and microphone from an iPhone or iPad into their tvOS applications.

Apple Music Sing, a functionality that enables users to sing along with their preferred songs, will also incorporate Continuity Camera. It integration will allow users to view themselves on the screen while singing and apply enjoyable filters to enhance their experience.

Additional features include Dolby Vision 8.1 support for Apple TV 4K users to receive dynamic metadata, and support for third-party VPNs to let developers create VPN apps for Apple TV. That helps enterprise and education users access content in a more private manner.