Apple Seeds Ninth Beta of tvOS 17 to Developers

Apple today seeded the ninth beta of the upcoming tvOS 17 beta to developers for testing purposes, with the update coming a week after Apple debuted the eighth beta.

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 typically garner as much attention as updates to iOS and macOS, and are never as feature rich, but tvOS 17 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.

tvOS also features a range of new aerial screen savers, adds support for third-party VPN apps, introduces Dolby Vision 8.1 on compatible devices, and more. Details can be found in our Apple TV roundup.

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

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Top Rated Comments

Moriakum Avatar
24 months ago

I wish they’d let us go back to 5 icon rows, 6 looks cluttered and amateurish.
I prefer 6.
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
fwmireault Avatar
24 months ago

No iOS 17 beta 9 suggests RC will be released tomorrow. Only iOS 11 and 12 had beta 9 or higher.
I'm pretty sure the RC will be released minutes after the event, with a public release the following week. It's often the same pattern
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ediks Avatar
24 months ago
the beta we’ve all been waiting for
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
fwmireault Avatar
24 months ago

RC isn't a GM.

Edit: We should get an RC this week.
The last time Apple released a GM was three years ago. I don't know what to tell you.


Edit: Typo

Attachment Image
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
missingar Avatar
24 months ago

I wish they’d let us go back to 5 icon rows, 6 looks cluttered and amateurish.
I don’t like it either. Choice would have been nice here.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
chrfr Avatar
24 months ago

RC isn't a GM.

Edit: We should get an RC this week.
Apple no longer uses the term "GM." Release Candidate has replaced that term.
There will be no release candidate until next week; this does not necessarily mean that there won't be another beta this week, though that is unlikely. The release candidate would likely reveal iPhone 15 features in advance, so it won't be released until the phones have been announced.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)