New rumors suggest that Apple may be revamping its Apple TV experience by introducing a built-in camera capable of video calling and hand gestures.
Apple TV may be controlled via hand gestures soon
According to a report by Bloomberg journalist Mark Gurman’s Power On newsletter, these features are part of Apple’s broader ambition to enhance its smart home offerings. This would mark a significant shift from requiring an iPhone to conduct FaceTime calls on Apple TV, potentially streamlining the user experience by allowing direct calls from the device.
The idea also extends to introducing more interactive gesture controls, a step beyond the existing capabilities enabled by tvOS 17, which include simple gestures like triggering fireworks with a thumbs-up during a FaceTime call. However, the specifics of these new gestures remain unspecified.
These developments hint at Apple’s ongoing exploration of in-air gesture controls, a concept further underscored by a patent granted in April 2023 and the gesture-based interactions on the Vision Pro headset. This innovation could address some user frustrations with the Apple TV’s Siri Remote, offering a more intuitive control scheme.
While the potential for a new Apple TV equipped with these features seems promising, with Gurman speculating a launch in the first half of 2024, it’s still uncertain whether Apple will proceed with these plans.
The success of such features would heavily depend on their execution, as they need to offer a genuinely convenient alternative to current methods without complicating the user experience.