As part of a busy WWDC 23, Apple unveiled the latest version of Apple TV software—tvOS 17. Here are some of the features arriving on your Apple TV this fall.

FaceTime on the Big Screen

Lifestyle image showcasing FaceTime on Apple TV via the Continuity Camera feature
Image Credit: Apple

Apple's tvOS 17 brings video conferencing to the biggest screen in your home. This leverages Continuity Camera to let other devices “borrow” your iPhone’s camera and microphone.

The new FaceTime app streams live video from a nearby iOS device. You can transfer a call from the iOS device or start a new call directly from the Apple TV 4K. FaceTime on tvOS 17 even uses Center Stage to intelligently crop the video and keep everyone in the frame.

With support for Split View multitasking in tvOS 17, you can start a FaceTime call and initiate a watch party via SharePlay while simultaneously seeing everyone on the call. You also see animated reactions triggered by hand gestures (a new FaceTime feature in iOS 17).

FaceTime calls are end-to-end encrypted so that no one can eavesdrop on your call. The FaceTime notification doesn’t reveal who the caller is to preserve your privacy “on a communal device” like your living room TV.

Third-Party Support for VoIP and VPN Apps

Two women using Apple Music Sing on Apple TV via Continuity Camera on iPhone
Image Credit: Apple

Apple has provided Continuity Camera APIs on the Apple TV 4K to developers to build various apps that leverage your iPhone as a webcam or FaceTime source.

For example, the Apple Music Sing karaoke feature now supports Continuity Camera, letting you and your friends sing along while watching yourselves on the big screen. And developers like Cisco and Zoom will launch their Apple TV apps when tvOS drops in the fall.

The new Continuity Camera APIs for tvOS mark the first time developers could create live streaming and content creation apps for Apple's living room device.

tvOS 17 also adds support for VPN apps to make the Apple TV a much more secure office and conference room solution for enterprise and education users. You can already download VPN apps directly on your smart TV to remove regional restrictions in streaming apps, and tvOS 17 brings the same capability to your Apple TV.

A Revamped Control Center

tvOS 17's Control Center on Apple TV showing controls like Wi-Fi, DND, Sleep Timer and Game Mode
Image Credit: Apple

tvOS 17’s Control Center has been redesigned and is now faster to navigate with fewer clicks required. Your controls are now grouped into categories at the top, like AirPlay, Home, etc.

You can change related settings within each category like before, but now the controls automatically expand based on your activity. There are also a few new toggles in the Control Center on tvOS 17 for features like Wi-Fi, Focus modes, Sleep Timer, and Game Mode.

Finding a Misplaced Siri Remote

iOS 17's Apple TV Remote locator on iPhone
Image Credit: Apple

The Siri Remote cannot be tracked in the Find My app, but tvOS 17 enables you to use a nearby iPhone to locate a lost or misplaced Siri Remote within Bluetooth range.

You just open the Apple TV Remote control in your iPhone or iPad’s Control Center to find your remote. The interface changes, with an onscreen circle growing in size as you get closer to the remote. This feature is compatible with the second-generation Siri Remote and later.

Tidbits: Dolby Vision 8.1, Enhanced Dialogue, New Fitness+ Features

The tvOS 17 update also brings useful under-the-hood tweaks and changes like support for Dolby Vision 8.1 surround sound with dynamic metadata across a broader range of movies and TV shows.

Enhanced Dialogue is a new feature that uses machine learning to boost the dialogue over the effects, action, and music. The dialog in TV shows and movies is often too difficult to understand, so this speech enhancement feature should be extremely helpful.

User profiles in tvOS now remember additional settings including your paired AirPods and system language. And when controlling your Apple TV from the iPhone’s Control Center, tvOS will now automatically switch to the correct user profile.

You can now set a memory from the Photos library as your screen saver, and the Aerial screen saver has new locations like Arizona’s Monument Valley and California’s coastal redwoods.

tvOS 17 screen saver set to a Photos memory on Apple TV
Image Credit: Apple

Lastly, tvOS 17 brings the latest Fitness+ features like Custom Plans that’ll create custom workout or meditation schedules based on day, duration, workout type, and other factors. With Stacks, you can perform multiple workouts and meditations back-to-back. And the new Audio Focus feature lets you prioritize either music volume or trainers’ voices.

tvOS 17 Expands Use Cases for the Apple TV

tvOS updates are less feature-packed than major iOS and macOS versions, but that doesn’t mean Apple is neglecting its living room platform. With tvOS 17, the utility of your Apple TV expands to new territories like video calling and content creation apps.

tvOS 17 also vividly demonstrates the power of Apple’s ecosystem where features like Continuity Camera open up new possibilities for the Apple TV that weren’t originally envisioned. With movies, shows, music, games, fitness, and video calls, the Apple TV is arguably the best entertainment platform for the smart home if you’re an Apple user.