Apple Adds FaceTime Framework to Apple TV/HomePod Amid Speaker With Screen Rumors

guzhogi said:
Maybe they'll bring back the iSight camera for AppleTV?

I work in a school district, and we recently bought TVs, and these cameras from https://neat.no/bar/ so teachers can use Zoom. I guess the teachers could see their remote kids at the same time as their in-person students. The other techs liked calling the kids "Roomers" and "Zoomers" I just personally setup the tv stands & put on the cameras. Kind of sad that I never got to use them. If Apple could do something like this, int could be very useful for education, as well as fun for talking with friends. Especially cool if they could make a TV with a builtin camera, a la Star Trek.
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This is exactly what It think Apple should release to replace the AppleTV & HomePod OG! Just add the beam-forming guts of the HomePod OG and current Apple silicon.
 
It will come down to price again... if they can't match what Amazon and Google currently offer with screen assistants, then the next HomePod or HomePod+ etc will be doomed again.
 
There goes the future of the hoped for $99 ATV... seriously Apple? Another device for FaceTime? And having to move your ATV to the middle of the table?
I doubt this will be the ATV future...
 
How about releasing an Apple TV remote that doesn't suck, first?

Also, that mockup? seriously? Now we know who designed said remote! 😂
 
obargy said:
It would be nice to have a new Apple TV with a camera and speakers built-in. It can work as an entertainment control center in your living room.
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But why would you want a camera on your Apple TV? It would practically be useless. And an Apple TV is a lone device. It doesn't have a screen. But if we wait till the future, Apple might make an actual TV. Not just a little back thing that you plug into your TV.
 
jonnyb098 said:
How about releasing an Apple TV remote that doesn't suck, first?

Also, that mockup? seriously? Now we know who designed said remote! 😂
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There's nothing wrong with the Apple TV Remotes. If there is, maybe try restarting your TV then go from there. But if there is still problems, maybe try taking it into Apple.
 
Jeaz said:
It is a bit funny, but in the Apple TV+ show Servant, they use their TV constantly for FaceTime calls. I means, they obviously can take creative freedom for whatever suits the story telling best, but still thought it was kinda neat and also thought it would have been nice to have.
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I saw that and tried to AirPlay a recent FaceTime call and it didn't work out at all like the show had it.
 
Would be great if 14.5 enabled the use of the existing USB-C port on the existing ATV4k. Make it compatible with popular webcams and it would be an easy path for instant adoption.

Personally, I would NOT want to see a camera integrated with the device itself as I have mine mounted (hidden) behind my TV.
 
I’ve personally never understood the need that people want the Apple TV to have a camera. I guess if someone wants to get the whole family together on the couch and Facetime that is a possibility but seems like a niche scenario. Don’t most people sit like 10-20 feet away from their TV? I fail to see the benefit of this instead of FaceTime on the phone.

Is video chat really big in the video game console market? Are these the people asking for this feature? Serious question BTW.

Now I’m open to Apple making their own HomeKit security camera that can also be linked to an Apple TV for FaceTime but still see this as a very limited use case.
 
I'd be fine with FaceTime on an Apple TV box, although it would likely cause issues for 99.99% of ATV owners whose ATV boxes are currently located in a place where a camera would probably only capture torsos and not faces.

Not sure whether I'd be OK with iMessage on an Apple TV. Thinking not.
 
If I had to take a guess...

An Apple soundbar that incorporates Apple TV hardware and HomePod speakers in a soundbar form factor so you only have one device to connect to your TV. The soundbar would have a camera so that you could use your TV for FaceTime. It would also have the speakers and microphones for the audio part of the equation. And having Apple TV built into the soundbar solves the software part of the equation.

So that is my guess.
 
Canyda said:
I'd be fine with FaceTime on an Apple TV box, although it would likely cause issues for 99.99% of ATV owners whose ATV boxes are currently located in a place where a camera would probably only capture torsos and not faces.

Not sure whether I'd be OK with iMessage on an Apple TV. Thinking not.
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It is likely a new form factor. It will probably be a soundbar that incorporates both Apple TV functionality and a soundbar into a single device with a camera that enables you to do FaceTime on your TV with the audio and microphones via the soundbar.
 
Something has to be coming as I’m surprised Apple retired the HomePod as well as leaving the network market. When ~90% of your devices need solid networking while pushing hard into streaming services I’m surprised Apple didn’t at least update their Airport line or buy and bring another company in-house for mesh networking. As the Apple TV and HomePod (and iPad) act as HomeKit hubs why not add mesh into updated devices?

A HomePod with bluetooth activated would also push Apple Music subscriptions for those who don’t have an iPhone and can’t use Airplay. Add an interface and API for developers with a HomePod store for apps such as language learning and organization apps for those who use third party apps such as Fantastical and fix Shortcuts as it’s not a solid replacement for Skills.

Update the Apple TV 4K with a new ARM cpu/gpu with mesh and support for audio codecs for local content. I’m surprised they added ATMOS to the homepod just before discontinuing it but still haven’t added audio codec support for local media. I’ve got 180 TB’s of lossless Movies with TrueHD, ATMOS, etc surround sound tracks that aren’t supported (streaming services such as Netflix are supported - it’s a licensing issue but if the HomePod got support Apple must be working on it for new hardware).

A gaming Apple TV with controllers would be great for those who are into gaming.

There’s so much potential with this market. Apple needs a team leader who can bring it altogether. It’s not difficult to do. Apple could have released HomePod software that activated the BT 5.0 chip. I’ll never understand that decision.
 
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