AirPlay upgrade part of expected inbound iOS 17 changes

AppleInsider

The changes arriving in iOS 17 and iPadOS 17 will include enhancements to AirPlay to make it easier to work with hotel TVs, a leaker claims, as the rumors continue to flood in ahead of WWDC.


iOS on an iPhone 14 Pro Max

As time grows short before Apple's WWDC 2023 keynote, the rumors about what Apple will launch start to rise in pace. In a Sunday preview of iOS 17 and iPadOS 17, an alteration to AirPlay is listed as a big change to the mobile operating systems.

According to Mark Gurman in his "Power On" newsletter for Bloomberg, the software updates will have a change made to AirPlay that will make it easier to "beam content to TVs and speakers you don't own." While this could include other people's homes, Gurman offers it could also potentially work for devices located in hotels.

Gurman's other preview features includes a smart display-like interface that kicks in when the iPhone is locked and in a landscape orientation. The feature, previously raised in rumors, would display calendar appointments and other details, as well as notifications.

There's also mention of a journaling app with location services support, so that users could take notes and update friends on activities, as well as to log mood and emotions. The Wallet app will also apparently be upgraded to match Apple's continued expansion into financial services.

In preparation for the Apple headset, SharePlay will supposedly get some enhancements, but exactly what that entails isn't mentioned. Health app updates may include mood logging and "managing vision problems, as well as arriving on the iPad for the first time.

Apple has already confirmed some accessibility changes arriving in iOS 17, including Personal Voice, which can allow users to create a version of their voice for text-to-speech purposes.

There have previously been claims that the lock screen will introduce more options for personalization, as well as a more simplified Apple Music interface.

The groundwork for sideloading is also expected to be included in iOS 17, with Apple bracing itself for EU law changes due in 2024.

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eightzero

Hotels will not stand for this. They want you to pay for that entertainment system. I've seen HDTV's installed and locked into the wall to cover the HDMI (and other) ports. And you can bet their proprietary software will block anything else.

slow n easy

I'm wondering if it will get my Bose Waveguide radio to work again. It has mostly alway worked with AirPlay 2 and then it stopped working so I had to switch to the HomePod. I think that when the new version of AirPlay comes out, I will try to see if I can get the Bose system to work again. The sound quality is about equal but the Bose system sounds much louder even though the speaker is a lot smaller. Apple must not realize that not everyone listens to music and Podcasts right directly in front of the speaker. Sometimes we might be far away from the speaker. I even added a 2nd speaker for a stereo pair and I'm not sure it's any louder.

eightzero

JP234 said:

There are numerous YouTube videos showing how to change the inputs on a hotel TV. Especially the ones that use that annoying "clean remote" (the blue and white one). Just press and hold a sequence of keys, like with a video game joystick. Set it to the second HDMI port, plug in your Apple TV or Mac with an HDMI cable, and watch whatever you want. Been doing this for two years now. Works everywhere.
Here's one: 

Sure. If you can access the physical AV and HDMI ports. I've seen them physically locked into the wall, with a security lock and key. And the way it is done is *clearly* not just to discourage theft, but to be sure you can't use the TV for anything other than their proprietary house AV system to buy content. 

roundaboutnow

eightzero said:

Hotels will not stand for this. They want you to pay for that entertainment system. I've seen HDTV's installed and locked into the wall to cover the HDMI (and other) ports. And you can bet their proprietary software will block anything else.

A lot of hotels have seen the writing on the wall--they see that guests have personal mobile devices to access their own entertainment services now, so the market for in-room on-demand entertainment is nowhere near what it once was, and there isn't anything the hotels can do about it. Now, as an enticement to stay at their property, many hotels have put in place solutions like Sonifi's that include a screen casting feature. Sonifi's solution is basically Google Chromecast which lets guests cast from their iOS or Android device to the room's TV. There are provisions for restricting access to only your room's TV and automatic disconnect when you check out.

So if the Airplay update will facilitate the use of Airplay instead of (or in addition to) Chromecast in hotel TVs, there may well be a market for it.

PS: Another application for Airplay involving "TVs and speakers you don't own" would be corporate conference rooms. Besides Apple TVs, there are several 3rd-party wireless screen-mirroring devices being used in conference rooms that have Airplay capability. Probably most use AirServer software, which also includes Chromecast capability and (FWIW) Miracast.

mattinoz

Would love "AirRemote" so you can use your own phone as universal remote and not have to touch the TV remote for any device in a hotel room. I mean who knows where they have been. 

If they could make that part of Airplays abilities I'd be very happy. 
Each device could broadcast a tiny swiftUI of the remote layout that is the same the physical remote or streamlined. 

eightzero

roundaboutnow said:

eightzero said:

Hotels will not stand for this. They want you to pay for that entertainment system. I've seen HDTV's installed and locked into the wall to cover the HDMI (and other) ports. And you can bet their proprietary software will block anything else.

A lot of hotels have seen the writing on the wall--they see that guests have personal mobile devices to access their own entertainment services now, so the market for in-room on-demand entertainment is nowhere near what it once was, and there isn't anything the hotels can do about it. Now, as an enticement to stay at their property, many hotels have put in place solutions like Sonifi's that include a screen casting feature. Sonifi's solution is basically Google Chromecast which lets guests cast from their iOS or Android device to the room's TV. There are provisions for restricting access to only your room's TV and automatic disconnect when you check out.

So if the Airplay update will facilitate the use of Airplay instead of (or in addition to) Chromecast in hotel TVs, there may well be a market for it.

PS: Another application for Airplay involving "TVs and speakers you don't own" would be corporate conference rooms. Besides Apple TVs, there are several 3rd-party wireless screen-mirroring devices being used in conference rooms that have Airplay capability. Probably most use AirServer software, which also includes Chromecast capability and (FWIW) Miracast.

You might be right - ultimately there may be a business model to market this, perhaps even through hotel loyalty programs. I suspect at this point, few hotel guests ask at the time or booking or checkin if they can use their own devices on the TV. Perhaps there will be widespread degradation of "yelp" reviews for hotels that lock down their TVs. Their in room entertainments systems are a source of revenue, and hotels aren't likely to change quickly, particularly after making an investment in equipment that last decades.

Interestingly, this is a very different situation than CarPlay on rental cars. People have come to expect that their rental will interface with their phones now. Gone are the days when the rental agencies try to upsell a GPS device at the counter. @gruber at daringfrireball has an excellent analysis of this regarding GM's recent decision to drop CarPlay.

MplsP

If a hotel completely locks down a device there’s little you can do. There are plenty of hotels who don’t and plenty of other locations where the ability to easily stream to a device would be quite useful. I’ve never used it and don’t know exactly how it works but a lot of TVs have chrome cast built in - perhaps Apple is looking at piggybacking on that protocol. 

chasm

Did you guys actually read the article? This is about a change to **AirPlay**. No port access required.

Most every TV made since 2018 has AirPlay built in, and to the best of my knowledge it can’t be disabled.

I often bring my Apple TV box with me on trips to plug into the HDMI port on the hotel TV if its accessible, but I’ve noticed that increasingly I don’t have to — AirPlay works very well for most uses.

elijahg

Would be nice if it actually worked more than 50% of the time to HomePods.

cincytee

eightzero said:

Hotels will not stand for this. They want you to pay for that entertainment system. I've seen HDTV's installed and locked into the wall to cover the HDMI (and other) ports. And you can bet their proprietary software will block anything else.

I must not be staying at the hotels you are. The places where I've stayed were recently remodeled to put the TVs on swiveling stands for easier viewing around the room. Ports are not blocked. And there's no "in-house" entertainment offered besides the ~30 TV channels (combination local and cable, too many of them ESPN variants). 

mike1

eightzero said:

JP234 said:

There are numerous YouTube videos showing how to change the inputs on a hotel TV. Especially the ones that use that annoying "clean remote" (the blue and white one). Just press and hold a sequence of keys, like with a video game joystick. Set it to the second HDMI port, plug in your Apple TV or Mac with an HDMI cable, and watch whatever you want. Been doing this for two years now. Works everywhere.
Here's one: 

Sure. If you can access the physical AV and HDMI ports. I've seen them physically locked into the wall, with a security lock and key. And the way it is done is *clearly* not just to discourage theft, but to be sure you can't use the TV for anything other than their proprietary house AV system to buy content. 

I've stayed in hundreds of hotels over the years and have never seen the ports blocked or locked. However, what I have experienced is that the remote controls provided have no input selector and the software disable the controls on the TV. In that case, I ask the front desk to send someone up with the TV's original remote so I can switch the input. They are always helpful. More recently, it seems less problematic to switch inputs because many guests use them as computer monitors etc.

eightzero

chasm said:

Did you guys actually read the article? This is about a change to **AirPlay**. No port access required.

Most every TV made since 2018 has AirPlay built in, and to the best of my knowledge it can’t be disabled.

I often bring my Apple TV box with me on trips to plug into the HDMI port on the hotel TV if its accessible, but I’ve noticed that increasingly I don’t have to — AirPlay works very well for most uses.

I have yet to see AirPlay on a hotel HDTV.

cincytee said:

eightzero said:

Hotels will not stand for this. They want you to pay for that entertainment system. I've seen HDTV's installed and locked into the wall to cover the HDMI (and other) ports. And you can bet their proprietary software will block anything else.

I must not be staying at the hotels you are. The places where I've stayed were recently remodeled to put the TVs on swiveling stands for easier viewing around the room. Ports are not blocked. And there's no "in-house" entertainment offered besides the ~30 TV channels (combination local and cable, too many of them ESPN variants). 

This must be the case. I have never seen this. More often than not, they have made the HDTV inaccessible by HDMI port or AirPlay. Hiltons, Marritots, several name brand Vegas strip resorts. All locked.

mike1 said:

eightzero said:

JP234 said:

There are numerous YouTube videos showing how to change the inputs on a hotel TV. Especially the ones that use that annoying "clean remote" (the blue and white one). Just press and hold a sequence of keys, like with a video game joystick. Set it to the second HDMI port, plug in your Apple TV or Mac with an HDMI cable, and watch whatever you want. Been doing this for two years now. Works everywhere.
Here's one: 

Sure. If you can access the physical AV and HDMI ports. I've seen them physically locked into the wall, with a security lock and key. And the way it is done is *clearly* not just to discourage theft, but to be sure you can't use the TV for anything other than their proprietary house AV system to buy content. 

I've stayed in hundreds of hotels over the years and have never seen the ports blocked or locked. However, what I have experienced is that the remote controls provided have no input selector and the software disable the controls on the TV. In that case, I ask the front desk to send someone up with the TV's original remote so I can switch the input. They are always helpful. More recently, it seems less problematic to switch inputs because many guests use them as computer monitors etc.

I asked about this once. They refused, saying "all the remotes are the same."

To be fair, I am not a frequent traveler, and those of you that are may have seen a significant change recently, so I might be wrong about this. But the last time I stayed in a name branded hotel, this was pretty clear - they very much discouraged you putting your own content on the device they paid to install to generate revenue for them.