The next Apple TV device could have a camera built in with support for FaceTime and more

It's been a good long while since Apple last updated the Apple TV streaming box, with 2022 being the last time that the Apple TV 4K was refreshed. However, there have been a few rumors over the last couple of years that Apple intends to not only launch a new Apple TV but also completely revamp it, adding a camera to the mix for the first time.

Apple has of course not confirmed that it is working on a new Apple TV let alone what that new set-top box will have to offer. However, a new report by Bloomberg's Mark Gurman suggests that the new Apple TV could well change the way people use the device moving forward.

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According to Gurman, writing in the weekly Power On newsletter for Bloomberg, Apple has discussed automating household functions and offering a revamped Apple TV with a built-in camera. That camera will do a couple of things, starting with the obvious - it will be used to offer FaceTime video calling features as presumably support for third-party apps like Skype and Zoom. But beyond that, things are much more interesting.

According to Gurman, Apple is also working on using the camera to sense gestures which could then be used to control the Apple TV software. It isn't yet clear what that will look like but the Apple Vision Pro may give us a clue. The spatial computer uses cameras to detect when someone is moving their hands and fingers as its main method of input, and it's possible that Apple could bring the same technology to the Apple TV in the future, too.

There's no timeframe for when any of this will happen, unfortunately, and it's important to remember that there is no guarantee that it ever will. However, Apple is also thought to be working on a number of new smart home devices including a potential HomePod with a display, similar to Amazon's Echo Show smart speakers. That device will also likely have a camera for video calling features, so it's possible similar gesture-based inputs could be offered there.

It's worth noting now that Apple often works on a variety of different products and theories but not all of them can turn into shipping products. That means that not everything that leaks will eventually be made available for sale in the Apple Store, no matter how cool some of these devices might sound.

For now, attention can turn to what we we do expect soon - a new OLED iPad Pro as well as a refreshed M2 iPad Air with both now expected to debut in May.