Do you think the next AppleTV will have a "Native" Facetime Feature (camera add on)

[Yourbigpalal83]

OK so with TvOS 17 we are getting a Facetime Feature which is fantastic! Something i always wanted to do on my AppleTV. Problem is, you still need to wirelessly attach your iPhone or iPads camera to the software to set it up, and from what i've seen, thats very much a work around and not the best implementation.

Picture this though. A New AppleTV comes out, with a USB C port in the back and the option to add a webcam to it. You can add any USB C ready webcam, or get an official AppleTV Webcam with Center Stage option for 100 bucks or so and it mounts itself on top of the TV so next time your watching a movie and you get a facetime call, you can just select it right on the apple tv, Star Trek Style.

Hell, they have a setting where you can even change the ringtone on the facetime calls on the tv.

I just think that makes more sense for a future tv hardware revision and makes the whole thing alot more seemless cause right now you kinda have to get up and put your phone or tablet on a mount by the TV and it just seems a bit clunky to me.

It should be more streamlined and having a tv with a webcam mounted on top of it just to me is a better solution.

Do you think apple will eventually (hopefully soon) make an Updated Apple TV with that add on ability or is this just common sense wishful thinking?

 

[salamanderjuice]

No. Why? Because Apple adds features to get you to buy more expensive Apple hardware. Using an iPhone as a webcam for an Apple TV does that. Adding a USB C port does not. And there's very little room for a standalone webcam in Apple's lineup in 2023.

 

[elvisimprsntr]

Why limit to a simple FaceTime camera?
Seems like they could easily add something like a Kinect to bring ATV gaming to the next level and add FaceTime capability. They already know how to do depth and tracking. Could even be marketed as a fitness device and tie in to their Vision Pro gear.

Feature Suggestion Submitted: FB12766212

Azure Kinect - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

 

[priitv8]

Sony did try this with Skype, now with Zoom.
Apparently neither of them extremely successfully.
The price of the Bravia Cam (for Zoom) is another topic.

 

[HobeSoundDarryl]

What doesn't work for all: build the camera into the box (or in the Frankenstein thing some want: soundbar + AppleTV + Router + <other things>). Why? Because positioning of camera requires it to be right above or right below center of screen, and not everyone positions their AppleTVs there. And AppleTV "smarts" will be vintaged before the soundbar portion would be ready to retire, so Frankenstein is another iMac screen in vintaged tech guts issue.

The Apple way to do this: proprietary port or proprietary implementation of USB-C so that only a(n over-priced) camera made by Apple could be used. I could actually see this, perhaps even using Lightning as the port. Apple could "control" third party lightning-based cameras by making FaceTime on AppleTV only work with Apple's camera... possibly doing the same with third party conferencing apps like Skype, Zoom and others too.

Normal USB-C? Probably not, for reasoning offered in post #2. I have long-since wished for a normalized USB port on AppleTV to- among many other things- revive the AppleTV 1 ability to (optionally) sync video files to the device instead of streaming all.

The continuity camera iPhone option- while better than nothing- is only a so-so solution. I do believe a dedicated option would be best, probably wired over wireless unless perhaps a dedicated (Apple) wifi camera could draw enough power from a TV's USB port??? I'd love to see a dedicated option come to AppleTV.

 

[kitKAC]

No.

 

[nburwell]

I hope not. I have no interest in using FaceTime on our Apple TV’s. We utilize the devices as consuming shows/sports/movies. If I want to FaceTime someone, I’ll use my iPhone/iPad.

 

[Boyd01]

Doesn't interest me, especially if it increases the cost. I don't want to use facetime on my AppleTV.

 

[bozzykid]

Why limit to a simple FaceTime camera?
Seems like they could easily add something like a Kinect to bring ATV gaming to the next level and add FaceTime capability. They already know how to do depth and tracking. Could even be marketed as a fitness device and tie in to their Vision Pro gear.

Apple doesn't care about gaming on the Apple TV.

 

[rumz]

No. Why? Because Apple adds features to get you to buy more expensive Apple hardware. Using an iPhone as a webcam for an Apple TV does that. Adding a USB C port does not. And there's very little room for a standalone webcam in Apple's lineup in 2023.

Ah, but I think continuity camera runs contrary to this philosophy. It’s letting you use existing hardware (your iPhone) instead of selling you a new camera module.

My guess is there aren’t many AppleTV users who aren’t already iPhone users. Who knows, maybe I’m wrong and there is a significant untapped population of non-iPhone AppleTV users.

 

[moyjoy]

Problem is, you still need to wirelessly attach your iPhone or iPads camera to the software to set it up, and from what i've seen, thats very much a work around and not the best implementation.

I bet the number of people who want less wires coming out of their TV far exceeds those who want more.