It not just Samsung TVs. Apple says that Airplay 2 along with Siri controls via HomeKit are coming to TVs from leading manufacturers.
Apple technology in your TV
Samsung has announced that it will be integrating an iTunes app and Airplay 2 into its 2018 and 2019 TVs. It is a surprising development and it will expand further, says Apple.
- ”AirPlay 2–enabled TVs. Now that’s smart. Leading TV manufacturers are integrating AirPlay 2 directly into their TVs, so now you can effortlessly share or mirror almost anything from your iOS device or Mac directly to your AirPlay 2–enabled smart TV. You can even play music on the TV and sync it with other AirPlay 2–compatible speakers anywhere in your home,” says Apple.
In addition, Apple says that you will be able to use Siri on your iPhone to start playback of specific movies or TV show on you TV such as ”Hey Siri, play Game of Thrones on my living room TV”.. This is possible through Airplay 2 and HomeKit.
- ”With AirPlay 2 and HomeKit, you can use Siri on your iPhone to send a video to your TV.1 Better yet, ask Siri to play a specific show in a specific room.”
It is already possible to do something similar by asking Siri to play a song from Apple Music on an Airplay 2 compatible speaker. However, this is the first time that it will be possible with video services and TVs. It is not even possible to do on Apple TV yet (ask Siri on iPhone or HomePod to play video on Apple TV).
Control your TV from iPhone
Lastly, Apple said that you will be able to control Airplay 2-compatible TVs from your iPhone’s lock screen and control center. This is already possible with Apple TV and we presume that it is limited to video content that has been sent via Airplay – and perhaps the new iTunes app for TVs.
- ”Use the remote that’s always with you — your iPhone. Convenient built-in controls appear in apps, on the Lock screen, and in Control Center. So you can easily play, pause, fast-forward, rewind, and adjust the volume on your TV.”
So far, only Samsung has confirmed that it is bringing Airplay 2 to TVs but we may see more announcements this week at CES 2019.
Why now? Apple is gearing up to be a major player in the TV space with its own video streaming service. This is possibly just the first step in an effort to make more TVs compatible with its current and future services. Apple Music is also available on third party devices such as Android smartphones and Amazon Echo.
