IT House News on January 11, according to MacRumors, a netizen stressed that it is now possible to use Microsoft Xbox to join Apple FaceTime calls from the TV, and this feature is not yet possible on Apple TV.
User u/JavonTEvans explained in a post on Reddit how they used Xbox to make FaceTime calls on their TV. Simple setup includes using a Logitech C930 webcam connected to the Xbox Series S. To join a FaceTime call, they simply open the Microsoft Edge browser on Xbox, navigate to their email provider, and open an email with a FaceTime link.
IT House has learned that thanks to the FaceTime link, this setup can theoretically be implemented from any device with Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge installed. Apple introduced FaceTime links in iOS15, iPadOS15 and macOS Monterey last year, giving users of non-Apple devices like Android smartphones and Windows PCs an easy way to join FaceTime calls without the need for a dedicated app.
Because Apple TV doesn't have a FaceTime app, no additional port to connect to the camera, and no browser to open a FaceTime link, FaceTime calls are completely impossible for Apple's own TV devices. The only option for Apple TV users is to make a FaceTime call from another device via AirPlay, but the video will still be streamed from the console's camera.
After the homePod was discontinued in March 2021, multiple reports said Apple was developing a combination of Apple TV and HomePod that could be equipped with a camera to support FaceTime calls. That seems to be supported, with Apple adding the FaceTime and iMessage frameworks, as well as AVFCapture for capturing images, to the underlying software running on the HomePod, a move that could be adapted to future combination devices.