Apple bringing Macs to the living room with AirPlay for Mountain Lion
Apple plans to break down the barriers between the Mac and HDTVs with its forthcoming OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion operating system update, which will bring the AirPlay Mirroring feature currently found on iOS to the Mac.
With AirPlay in Mountain Lion, users will be able to wirelessly broadcast and mirror their Mac desktop in high-definition to the Apple TV set-top box. It's the same ability iPad users have had for months, displaying everything users can do on their device onto the big screen.
It's yet another way that Apple is bringing features first pioneered on its iOS mobile operating system back to the Mac, a transition that began in earnest with the launch of OS X 10.7 Lion last July.
AirPlay Mirroring will allow users to transmit whatever is being displayed on their Mac to an HDTV connected to an Apple TV. That includes websites, videos, applications and anything else, all transmitted without the need for any cables or adapters.
AirPlay Mirroring for Mountain Lion will send a video stream with audio to an HDTV, and will even scale what's on a user's Mac to fit the screen appropriately. Apple has said that a sharper image is possible if a display resolution is chosen to match the 720p output of the Apple TV.
Keynote will also feature support for AirPlay Mirroring, which Apple has highlighted as an easier way to transmit presentations made in the Mac application to a big-screen HDTV.
Support for AirPlay Mirroring will also be found in the iMovie editing application for Mac. Users will be able to quickly display their just-completed movie to an HDTV where everyone can view it.
As it works with iOS, detection of an Apple TV is automatic in Mountain Lion, allowing users to quickly utilize AirPlay Mirroring without the need to set anything up. And the data sent over AirPlay is encrypted for security.
AirPlay Mirroring is already functional in the developer preview of Mountain Lion that was provided to members of Apple's Mac Developer Program on Thursday. The final version of Mountain Lion will be available for users to purchase on the Mac App Store late this summer.
[ View article on AppleInsider ]
Comments
Scaling a screen back to 720p will make smaller fonts and fine detail difficult to see.
Phil
Browse internet with simple voice commands.
And good lord, please have a clear all button in Notification Center. I hate having to tap super tiny buttons on my iPhone twice to clear my notifications.
Hopefully the airplay of the apple TV will be updated as to not restrict it to the 5 device limitation. I'd love for the ability to walk into an auditorium (I give a lot of presentations) and have it just work without having to worry about Apple ID authentication.
What are you talking about?
I don't believe AirPlay requires the AppleTV to be registered in your Apple ID; it just needs to be on the same WiFi network.
1. Fullscreen button
2. AirPlay for Quicktime
3. Decent mouse tracking software
Now I'm getting two of those.
+ more recently iMessage
+ unified notifications and push notifications for Mail
I am so fucking happy today!!! Apple makes software genuinely cool and Apple makey me happy :-)
Siri for Mac should be next on Mountain Lion.
Browse internet with simple voice commands.
Remember how when iOS 5 was announced, there was no mention of Siri?
"One more thing..."
I had 3 wishes for the original Lion:
1. Fullscreen button.
2. AirPlay for video
3. I cannot remember the third
3. Wish for more wishes.
Remember how when iOS 5 was announced, there was no mention of Siri?
"One more thing..."
Siri isn't an iOS 5 feature - it's an iPhone 4S feature...
Siri for Mac should be next on Mountain Lion.
Browse internet with simple voice commands.
Talking to your phone is one thing.
3. Wish for more wishes.
Haha, lol
Nah I just remember it - comment edited, was for decent mouse tracking software
3. Wish for more wishes.
Nah, it's iAD for Mac.
Talking to your phone is one thing.
Since Siri isn't voice recognition (it merely uses it as an interface), couldn't Apple go all out against Google and allow text input for Siri on your computer?
You'd type the same way you'd speak: "Where's the nearest coffee shop?" etc.
Why even do a Google search? It could be integrated system wide.
Siri isn't an iOS 5 feature - it's an iPhone 4S feature...
You missed my point. Apple didn't reveal all of its cards then, as it sure hasn't now.
Apple understands showmanship.
I bet Apple will not make an HDTV, but will let you use your current living-room HDTV as just another display connected to Apple devices and ecosystem. AirPlay gets us closer. Watch for other software enhancements.
Remember how when iOS 5 was announced, there was no mention of Siri?
"One more thing..."
Oh I sooooo hope you are right
My other hope is 5:1 stock split (yes I know it makes no difference math wise ... but it sure as hell would help share sales psychologically)
Hopefully the airplay of the apple TV will be updated as to not restrict it to the 5 device limitation. I'd love for the ability to walk into an auditorium (I give a lot of presentations) and have it just work without having to worry about Apple ID authentication.
That isn't a restriction now. All you need to airplay from a device to an Apple TV is to be on the same wifi network and the Airplay password if there is one
Even if Apple can only sell the iTV to existing Apple product owners ... that is one big market!
Apple is in the business of making money (shocking to consider I know). They would never knowingly create something that has a restricted market. IF they sell a tv this would be but one small feature in the system.
That said, I really think that Apple is going to shock the TV market by not making a TV. The Apple TV will stay a set top box with perhaps more of the viewing apps in the system and maybe inputs for Apple TV compatible blu-ray etc so you can control everything from one screen (the Apple TV one). And they might make a revamped Cinema Display line up with HMDI inputs and a larger than 27 inch size or two. then you could use it with your Apple TV, your computer and so on.
What are you talking about?
I don't believe AirPlay requires the AppleTV to be registered in your Apple ID; it just needs to be on the same WiFi network.
That's correct.