Forget FaceTime on your Apple TV, Android TV could soon let you take phone calls

Apple announced that its Apple TV devices will soon be able to make and accept FaceTime calls for the first time when tvOS 17 ships later this year, but that's nothing. Now, it appears that Google is already working on allowing devices running its Android TV software to accept actual telephone calls as well.

That's according to a new report based on the Android TV 14 beta that is now available, with leaker Mishaal Rahman taking to Twitter to share the details.

According to that leak, there are already references to an option to enable call notifications as well as receive calls on an Android TV device. The text related to those options suggests that, when enabled, users will be able to receive calls from supported apps. It isn't clear what those supported apps will be, or what developers might need to do in order to make the feature work.

However, the wording does suggest that there is a chance that developers of apps like WhatsApp and others could use the same tools to allow their apps to make and receive calls from an Android TV device.

That isn't all that Android TV 14 appears to be getting ready to add, either. The same leaker says that there are new HDR controls as well as improved audio device options for those who want them.

It's still going to be a while until Android TV 14 is ready for release to the public, but it does at least appear that Google is working on making some pretty big changes via this release. Now we just have to wait for televisions and set-top boxes to get the update before we can take these new features and changes for a spin.