![]() ![]() Other cool things about tvOS 17 include a redesigned Control Center that looks much better, the icon grid that now has six apps per row instead of five, new audio output options for the 2nd generation HomePod, and a new photo screensaver. This, of course, requires an iPhone running iOS 17. There’s an option to scan a QR Code on another iPhone to start a call on that TV. More about tvOS 17Īnother detail about FaceTime on Apple TV is that you can let other people use your TV to FaceTime on their own accounts. 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. There are certainly a lot of third-party accessories available that do the job, but it’s weird to think that Apple just announced a bunch of features that require accessories that the company itself doesn’t have. Hopefully that is just a beta issue and full wide screen video will be available in the final release. The only issue I have is that it currently seems to force square video, even if only talking to one other person. I love this feature so far, the video quality is much higher than the front facing camera on out iPad, and it centers and zooms in to keep both people on screen when two people are on the call, which is nice. Features like this and StandBy Mode highlight the lack of an Apple accessory to place your iPhone horizontally. However…Īt the same time, 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. Or even when I’m alone, I can sit with my MacBook on the couch while talking to someone on my TV. It’s much more fun to do it on TV instead of a small screen. ![]() And having Center Stage is a huge addition, since I can walk around my bedroom or living room and other people can still see me.Īnd more importantly, FaceTime on Apple TV becomes much more immersive for some occasions, like when you’re with family or lots of friends and want to FaceTime someone. Video calls look much better, especially when both people are using FaceTime with the iPhone’s rear camera. Second, the fact that Apple TV forces you to use your iPhone’s rear camera to FaceTime results in incredibly better video quality. Personally, I hate doing FaceTime from my phone because I have to keep holding it, so I always use my iPad or Mac for that. You’re no longer limited to the small screen of the iPhone or even the iPad. And here’s why.įirst, having FaceTime on the big screen is really convenient. But now that I’ve tried the feature a few times, I see myself using it more often. 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. This is one of the best features – and I underestimated it In short, it works pretty much the way you would expect. There are also options to enable Portrait Mode and 3D reactions. As a result, you can enable Center Stage so that the image is always focused on you, even when you move around. From there, you can start a FaceTime call with anyone you want.įaceTime on Apple TV uses the iPhone’s ultra-wide lens as default. 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. It’s that simple (sometimes, because the feature is still quite buggy in the beta versions, and I often had to ty pairing my phone multiple times before it worked). After that, your iPhone becomes the webcam for your Apple TV. If you tap to connect, you’ll see an instruction to put your iPhone in landscape mode with the rear camera facing you. When you open the FaceTime app on your Apple TV, your iPhone immediately asks if you want to connect it to your TV. 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. 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). ![]() Here’s how FaceTime works on Apple TV with tvOS 17 tvOS 17 lets users FaceTime directly from the TV, and while I first underestimated this feature, I’m now in love with it. 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. Apple last month announced tvOS 17 for Apple TV at WWDC 2023. ![]()
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