With tvOS 17 being released soon and with that comes updates and improvements to the Apple TV.
For the record, tvOS 17 will be available for both the Apple TV 4K and Apple TV HD, despite the Apple TV HD being discontinued by Apple. tvOS 17 itself will be released to the public on Monday, September 18.
These are the following new features that tvOS 17 will have:
- FaceTime: For the first time ever, the FaceTime app will be available on the Apple TV. What it will enable users to do is use a device like the iPhone or iPad, use it as a camera for the FaceTime call itself, but be able to see the person you are video chatting with from your Apple TV. It will also have Center Stage and Split View which is explained by Apple as, “Center Stage keeps everyone in the room perfectly framed on the screen, even as they move around, while new gesture-based reactions allow callers to use their hands to generate onscreen effects, such as hearts or fireworks, and add even more fun to the conversation. The introduction of Split View for Apple TV lets users enjoy watching shows or movies with their loved ones during a SharePlay session while also seeing everyone on the FaceTime call.” There are plans later this year for conference calling apps like Cisco, Webex, and Zoom will be released onto the tvOS App Store too.
- Apple Music Sing: It’s the perfect feature for frequent party-havers and those that love karaoke. Users can pair their iPhones or iPads to their Apple TV and then have the camera of that device pointed at the user in a place like a living room, and then the camera watches you sing the lyrics that are on the screen in the Music app via Apple Music.
- A new Control Center: The new Control Center allows for users to access features such as the audio source, HomeKit, connection source, Do Not Disturb, and other options.
- Easier locating of Siri Remote: In tvOS 17, a user can open the Apple TV remote in the Control Center on an iPhone and can use it to find their Siri Remote (second generation or newer) if it has been misplaced.
- Screensaver updates: Screensavers in tvOS 17 can be customized with items such as photos from the users’ library and new aerial screensavers from Arizona’s Monument Valley and California’s coastal redwoods.
Apple has included other updates coming to tvOS 17 on top of the others that were previously mentioned:
- Enhance Dialogue, which lets users more clearly hear what is being said over the effects, action, and music in a movie or TV show on Apple TV 4K paired with HomePod (2nd generation) by separating the dialogue from the background noise and bringing it forward to the center channel.
- Dolby Vision 8.1 support, which offers Apple TV 4K users a more cinematic visual experience with dynamic metadata over a broader range of movies and TV shows.
- Apple Fitness+ enhancements, including Custom Plans, a new way for Fitness+ users to receive a custom workout or meditation schedule based on day, duration, workout type, and more; Stacks, which allows users to select multiple workouts and meditations to seamlessly do back to back; and Audio Focus, which gives users the ability to prioritize the volume of the music or the trainers’ voices.
- Third-party VPN support, which enables developers to create VPN apps for Apple TV. This can benefit enterprise and education users wanting to access content on their private networks, allowing Apple TV to be a great office and conference room solution in even more places.
What are your thoughts on all of the new updates and changes coming into tvOS 17 on the Apple TV 4K and Apple TV HD? Comment below or let us know on X at @appleosophy.
