Apple's TVOS 17 Brings FaceTime to Apple TV, Find My Remote Functionality to Siri Remote

It may have gotten lost behind all the new Macs, iOS 17 and Vision Pro news, but Apple did give a little love to the Apple TV during its two-hour WWDC keynote. Among the notable bits of news: FaceTime is finally coming to Apple TV and you will soon be able to tap into Find My to track down misplaced Siri Remotes. 

Both updates feel long overdue and will appear as part of TVOS 17 this fall. For FaceTime, the app will function similarly to the Continuity Camera that's available with FaceTime on Macs. Like that feature, you won't be plugging in a camera to your Apple TV but will instead be utilizing the mics and cameras on your iPhone or iPad to capture audio and video, with the FaceTime call itself being visible on your larger television screen. 

As one might expect, Apple is incorporating SharePlay into FaceTime for TVOS to allow you to watch movies or TV shows with friends on a call. Beyond FaceTime, the company says that it will be bringing Continuity Camera on TVOS to other apps like Apple Music and its karaoke-like Apple Music Sing as well as making the capability accessible to outside developers. Both Zoom and Webex are already on board to bring their apps to Apple TV this year. 

Find My, meanwhile, finally supports the new, longer Siri Remote that Apple introduced a couple of years back. Having the ability to find lost remotes isn't new -- Roku has offered it as part of its Voice Remote Pro since 2021 -- but it's about time that Apple, the maker of the AirTag, adds this functionality to its remote controller (without needing you to add it through a case). 

Just like with an AirTag, you can use the Find My app on an iPhone to help locate a lost clicker with the app guiding you as you get closer.

Other new features coming to TVOS include support for third-party VPNs and improvements to profiles. The new software will roll out at some point later this year for Apple TV 4K and Apple TV HD boxes.