Apple Seeds First Beta of tvOS 17 to Developers

Apple today seeded the first beta of an upcoming tvOS 17 beta to developers for testing purposes.

apple tv 4k yellow bg feature
Registered developers are able to download the tvOS 17 update by opting in to the beta through the Settings app on the Apple TV. A registered developer account is required.

tvOS updates don't receive as much attention as updates to iOS and macOS, and are never as feature rich, but tvOS 17 adds brings FaceTime to the TV for the first time. The ‌Apple TV‌ 4K can connect to an iPhone or iPad that serves as the camera, with the ‌FaceTime‌ interface showing up on the TV's screen.

All of the ‌FaceTime‌ features are available, including Center Stage to keep you front and center, plus there are new gesture-based reactions that let you use your hands to generate on-screen effects. For example, if you make a heart with your hands, the screen will display hearts.

Split View for ‌Apple TV‌ lets users watch television with friends and family using SharePlay, and there are controls for transferring calls between the TV and an ‌iPhone‌ or ‌iPad‌ as needed. Third-party apps like Zoom will also be able to take advantage of this functionality, so those apps will also work on the TV screen.

Control Center on ‌Apple TV‌ has been revamped and it is easier for users to access key settings and information, plus there is a new feature that allows the ‌iPhone‌ to locate a Siri Remote that's been misplaced.

Related Roundup: Apple TV
Buyer's Guide: Apple TV (Don't Buy)

Popular Stories

iPhone SE 4 Vertical Camera Feature

iPhone SE 4 Production Will Reportedly Begin Ramping Up in October

Tuesday July 23, 2024 2:00 pm PDT by
Following nearly two years of rumors about a fourth-generation iPhone SE, The Information today reported that Apple suppliers are finally planning to begin ramping up mass production of the device in October of this year. If accurate, that timeframe would mean that the next iPhone SE would not be announced alongside the iPhone 16 series in September, as expected. Instead, the report...
iPhone 17 Plus Feature

iPhone 17 Lineup Specs Detail Display Upgrade and New High-End Model

Monday July 22, 2024 4:33 am PDT by
Key details about the overall specifications of the iPhone 17 lineup have been shared by the leaker known as "Ice Universe," clarifying several important aspects of next year's devices. Reports in recent months have converged in agreement that Apple will discontinue the "Plus" iPhone model in 2025 while introducing an all-new iPhone 17 "Slim" model as an even more high-end option sitting...
Generic iPhone 17 Feature With Full Width Dynamic Island

Kuo: Ultra-Thin iPhone 17 to Feature A19 Chip, Single Rear Camera, Semi-Titanium Frame, and More

Wednesday July 24, 2024 9:06 am PDT by
Apple supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo today shared alleged specifications for a new ultra-thin iPhone 17 model rumored to launch next year. Kuo expects the device to be equipped with a 6.6-inch display with a current-size Dynamic Island, a standard A19 chip rather than an A19 Pro chip, a single rear camera, and an Apple-designed 5G chip. He also expects the device to have a...
iPhone 16 Pro Sizes Feature

iPhone 16 Series Is Less Than Two Months Away: Everything We Know

Thursday July 25, 2024 5:43 am PDT by
Apple typically releases its new iPhone series around mid-September, which means we are about two months out from the launch of the iPhone 16. Like the iPhone 15 series, this year's lineup is expected to stick with four models – iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, and iPhone 16 Pro Max – although there are plenty of design differences and new features to take into account. To bring ...
icloud private relay outage

iCloud Private Relay Experiencing Outage

Thursday July 25, 2024 3:18 pm PDT by
Apple’s iCloud Private Relay service is down for some users, according to Apple’s System Status page. Apple says that the iCloud Private Relay service may be slow or unavailable. The outage started at 2:34 p.m. Eastern Time, but it does not appear to be affecting all iCloud users. Some impacted users are unable to browse the web without turning iCloud Private Relay off, while others are...
iPhone 17 Plus Feature Purple

iPhone 17 Rumored to Feature Mechanical Aperture

Tuesday July 23, 2024 9:32 am PDT by
Apple is planning to release at least one iPhone 17 model next year with mechanical aperture, according to a report published today by The Information. The mechanical system would allow users to adjust the size of the iPhone 17's aperture, which refers to the opening of the camera lens through which light enters. All existing iPhone camera lenses have fixed apertures, but some Android...

Top Rated Comments

trusso Avatar
15 months ago
I don’t ask much from tvOS. Just refrain from pushing any ads on me. And yes, that includes tv+ content anywhere outside the tv+ app.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ApostolisApo Avatar
15 months ago

I got the same problem. My older 4k (1Gen) Apple TV manage to do the update but my main 4K fails in the same way as you describe. It goes through step 1 and 2 but end up at 16.6.
I've tried Apple Seed and tvOS17 beta with the same result.
Same here
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
oldwatery Avatar
15 months ago
Still not as reliable as a Roku…so hope this fixes some of the issues I keep having.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
_Spinn_ Avatar
15 months ago
Really looking forward to this update. Still wish we could update through the Home app like we can with HomePods. And that tvOS would get the Home app.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
dantracht Avatar
15 months ago

I got the same problem. My older 4k (1Gen) Apple TV manage to do the update but my main 4K fails in the same way as you describe. It goes through step 1 and 2 but end up at 16.6.
I've tried Apple Seed and tvOS17 beta with the same result.
I ended up giving up. The watch os 10 beta almost killed my AW as well, that’s the chance you take on first betas I guess. Ended up having to restore my watch. Will hold off for a few betas I guess. I’m glad the 2015 HD is still supported!
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ricketysquire Avatar
15 months ago
Did they drop support for any Apple TVs yet? I upgraded from an Apple TV 4/HD to a first gen Apple TV 4K earlier this year. I know not much of an update, but it was a cheap and I got an Apple TV that supported 4K resolutions.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)