FaceTime with Apple TV using an iPhone as the camera. Apple/ZDNET
Video calls are getting an upgrade worthy of an Apple ecosystem, as the company announced new FaceTime for Apple TV capabilities that enable a user to place FaceTime calls on their iPhone and transfer these calls to their Apple TV — or place a call directly from the TV.
FaceTime on Apple TV will wirelessly connect the Apple TV to the iPhone or iPad and use the mobile device’s microphone and camera, while showing the images on the TV screen, made possible with tvOS 17.
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This feature will take advantage of the camera potential in iPhone or iPad, as it will support key capabilities like Center Stage, where the subject is kept in the center of the captured image, and will also support gestures that show up on the screen.
Users also will be able to use SharePlay to watch their favorite shows together during a FaceTime call while everyone stays in sync, bringing a new look to family movie nights.
Apple will use the Continuity Camera feature to launch the FaceTime app on the Apple TV. Apple announced the Continuity Camera API will be available for developers to launch their own tvOS apps using the iPhone’s or iPad’s cameras on the Apple TV. Some examples of this include Zoom and WebEx, as well as other videoconferencing services.