The Apple TV 4K streaming box is one of our favorite ways to watch Apple TV Plus and beyond, but it hasn't evolved all that much in recent years. That could be about to change with a new report suggesting that Apple has some changes in store.
That report claims that Apple is working on a new type of Apple TV set-top box that will include a built-in camera for placing FaceTime and other video calls. There will also reportedly be support for gesture controls, while integration with Apple's other platforms can also be expected.
The Apple TV already supports using the iPhone for video calls via Continuity Camera, but this new product would have one built in, we're told.
Seamless integration
The report comes via Mark Gurman, writing in the weekly Power On newsletter for Bloomberg, and he believes that Apple continues to toy with the idea of changing the Apple TV form factor up completely.
"Then there’s the smart home segment, where Apple still has grand ambitions," Gurman explains. "It has discussed automating household functions and offering a revamped Apple TV set-top box with a built-in camera for FaceTime videoconferencing and gesture-based controls." He goes on to say that the new device will also "work seamlessly with both the iPhone and Vision Pro."
The addition of gesture controls could potentially be the most interesting news here, especially if Apple can repurpose some of its hand-tracking technology used in the Apple Vision Pro.
However, it's important to remember that Apple works on many things that never ship, so keep that in mind here — we only need to look as far as the canceled Apple Car as an indication of that.
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Oliver Haslam
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Oliver Haslam has written about Apple and the wider technology business for more than a decade with bylines on How-To Geek, PC Mag, iDownloadBlog, and many more. He has also been published in print for Macworld, including cover stories. At iMore, Oliver is involved in daily news coverage and, not being short of opinions, has been known to 'explain' those thoughts in more detail, too.
Having grown up using PCs and spending far too much money on graphics card and flashy RAM, Oliver switched to the Mac with a G5 iMac and hasn't looked back. Since then he's seen the growth of the smartphone world, backed by iPhone, and new product categories come and go. Current expertise includes iOS, macOS, streaming services, and pretty much anything that has a battery or plugs into a wall. Oliver also covers mobile gaming for iMore, with Apple Arcade a particular focus. He's been gaming since the Atari 2600 days and still struggles to comprehend the fact he can play console quality titles on his pocket computer.
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Xijah Could be an interesting concept if it works, Ive been using Apple TV now for about 5 years now and have zero complaints, been brilliant for the family and I.
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