Apple to Release tvOS 17 Update for Apple TV Devices Next Week; Featuring Remote Finder, Hotel AirPlay, More
If you’re an Apple TV user who can’t wait to start making phone calls from your TV, good news! Apple will release its newest operating system update tvOS 17 on Monday, Sept. 18. A report from 9to5 Mac indicates that Apple confirmed the release on Tuesday at the “Wonderlust” event.
The new version of the Apple operating system will incorporate some fantastic new features and enhancements that users will love. As always, Apple TV devices can be used to stream some of the top streaming platforms on the market, like Netflix, Disney+, Hulu, Max, and of course Apple TV+ and MLS Season Pass.
As first announced in June, tvOS 17 will bring Facetime compatibility to Apple TV devices. Facetime will use the camera on a person’s phone and link it directly to their TV screen via the Apple TV, so customers can use the biggest screen in the house for calls if they prefer.
Apple’s new software update will also include a feature users have been asking for for a long time: a Siri remote finder. Users with Gen 2 and later devices will be able to download the remote finder to their phone and will see the small dot on their phone screen grow larger and larger as they get closer to their remote.
Travelers will also appreciate the tvOS 17 update, as it will bring AirPlay functionality to select hotel smart TVs in the United States. That will allow traveling patrons with Apple devices to stream their favorite services on those TVs via AirPlay, unlocking their full streaming library without forcing them to watch on a laptop or phone. In addition to these features, tvOS 17 will introduce third-party VPN support to Apple TV devices for the first time.
If you just can’t wait for tvOS 17, you can find step-by-step instructions on how to join the public beta for the update here. Otherwise, Apple TV device owners will see the update installed automatically on or shortly after Monday, Sept. 18.
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