AirPlay allows wireless streaming to Apple, third-party devices
Apple's upgraded wireless media streaming feature, now known as AirPlay, will soon offer video and photo streaming to Apple TV directly from iOS 4.2 devices, and allows users to send music and album art to third-party hardware.
Announced on Wednesday, AirPlay is the improved and rebranded AirTunes, which allows users to stream music from their computer to other locations in their home. Previously, that streaming required an Apple-branded AirPort Express or another computer running iTunes.
With AirPlay, users will be able to stream to speaker docks, AV receivers and stereo systems from companies including Denon and Bowers & Wilkins.
Like with AirTunes, AirPlay allows users to simultaneously stream music to multiple devices in different rooms throughout the house. All of this is done via a computer running iTunes and connected to a network over Wi-Fi or Ethernet.
As before, users can select "Multiple Speakers" in the bottom right corner of iTunes to stream to multiple locations throughout the house. Users can also control the volume for individual AirPlay devices by using the free Remote application for the iPhone and iPod touch.
AirPlay also streams information about music to external devices, including song titles, artists, album names, elapsed and remaining time, and album artwork. AirPlay-enabled speakers with graphical displays can then show this information as a track plays.
In addition to Denon and Bowers & Wilkins, featured partners with AirPlay include Marantz, JBL and iHome.
And listed as "coming soon" is the ability to stream music and video from an iOS device to the new Apple TV. During his keynote Wednesday, Apple Chief Executive Steve Jobs demonstrated this by streaming the movie "Up" instantly from an iPad running iOS 4.2 over Wi-Fi. iOS 4.2 is set to ship for the iPad this November; no date was given for the iPhone or iPod touch.
Users can start watching a movie or TV show on their iPhone, iPad or iPod touch, and tap the AirPlay icon in the video. By choosing Apple TV, whatever they are watching will instantly begin streaming to their widescreen TV.
Announced on Wednesday, AirPlay is the improved and rebranded AirTunes, which allows users to stream music from their computer to other locations in their home. Previously, that streaming required an Apple-branded AirPort Express or another computer running iTunes.
With AirPlay, users will be able to stream to speaker docks, AV receivers and stereo systems from companies including Denon and Bowers & Wilkins.
Like with AirTunes, AirPlay allows users to simultaneously stream music to multiple devices in different rooms throughout the house. All of this is done via a computer running iTunes and connected to a network over Wi-Fi or Ethernet.
As before, users can select "Multiple Speakers" in the bottom right corner of iTunes to stream to multiple locations throughout the house. Users can also control the volume for individual AirPlay devices by using the free Remote application for the iPhone and iPod touch.
AirPlay also streams information about music to external devices, including song titles, artists, album names, elapsed and remaining time, and album artwork. AirPlay-enabled speakers with graphical displays can then show this information as a track plays.
In addition to Denon and Bowers & Wilkins, featured partners with AirPlay include Marantz, JBL and iHome.
And listed as "coming soon" is the ability to stream music and video from an iOS device to the new Apple TV. During his keynote Wednesday, Apple Chief Executive Steve Jobs demonstrated this by streaming the movie "Up" instantly from an iPad running iOS 4.2 over Wi-Fi. iOS 4.2 is set to ship for the iPad this November; no date was given for the iPhone or iPod touch.
Users can start watching a movie or TV show on their iPhone, iPad or iPod touch, and tap the AirPlay icon in the video. By choosing Apple TV, whatever they are watching will instantly begin streaming to their widescreen TV.
Comments
Apple's upgraded wireless media streaming feature, now known as AirPlay, allows users to send music to third-party devices, and soon will offer video and music streaming to Apple TV from iOS 4.2 devices.......
AirPlay, especially with the iPad, could be a biggie. We'll have to see how it's implemented.
As before, users can select "Multiple Speakers" in the bottom left corner of iTunes........
Doesn't the 'multiple speakers' option show on the bottom right?
If AirPlay can stream video from third party apps on iOS devices, you don't really need apps on Apple TV because any app could transmit the video to Apple TV and you would have all the controls on your multitouch iOS device...
Anyone able to download iTunes 10 yet? Not available where I'm looking...
Nope. It'll be here when 160 million iTunes users stop trying to download it all at the same time.
Or is Apple going to require me to buy another device to perform this apparently simple function?
Doesn't the 'multiple speakers' option show on the bottom right?
Yea but in the UK it's just the opposite...
I'm curious when we'll start seeing products from the referenced companies that are AirPlay-ready. This could help simplify and improve some things in my house.
And put lots of super expensive whole house audio systems right out of business...
This would work great for me, as I have a Mac mini as a media center - that way, if a friend comes over and says "hey, check out this cool movie!" we could watch it on the big screen.
Curious to know if the promised features for the *new* AppleTV will be available on the *existing* AppleTV. Any references about this on the Apple site?
The old ATV was based on an intel CPU I think and running a highly modified version of OS X... The new ATV is based on the Apple A4 and almost assuredly iOS in some incarnation... Some will scream NIT NECESSARLY but let's be honest... What is Apple more likely to do.
1 - Invent some brand new OS for the AppleTV?
2 - Port that highly modified version of OS X to the A4?
3 - Use iOS and have their developers write a ATV like media player?
Oh and if you do pick 1 or 2 then remember that they'd have to have custom versions of Netflix and the Youtube apps developed totally on the down low.. Interesting no?
Something just came to me... What if Apple were to rerelease an Airport Express that did HDMI out and then they released this new iOS based ATV front end to iPad devices...
I can't believe more people aren't curious about this, given how many people wanted iOS and apps on Apple TV.
If AirPlay can stream video from third party apps on iOS devices, you don't really need apps on Apple TV because any app could transmit the video to Apple TV and you would have all the controls on your multitouch iOS device...
As I read it, you can't do anything but stream out of iTunes, no 3rd party apps. The website is a bit misleading the way it says, if its on your iPhone/iPad/iPodTouch you can stream it to your AppleTV. But the fine print implies nothing about 3rd party apps and seems to imply "if its in iTunes".
Anyone know if this will allow streaming from an iDevice to a Mac?
This would work great for me, as I have a Mac mini as a media center - that way, if a friend comes over and says "hey, check out this cool movie!" we could watch it on the big screen.
Wow, a geek with friends;-)
If Apple let Panasonic, LG and Samsung build airplay into their televisions, for streaming not just music but also photos and videos, Apple would see their itunes video sales and rentals explode.
Apple doesn't make anything from iTunes movies or music... It's nothing more than a necessary evil to safeguard it's iDevice sales. Which is why Netfix is showing up on iDevices... Apple kept them off as a gesture of goodwill to the studios... Since the studios are still giving apple the cold shoulder Steve said SCREWEM welcome aboard Netflix and soon Directv, FiOS and HBO ... If the studios aren't gonna sell their crap direct then there's plenty of other sources stepping up to bat.
To steal a line from a really great movie..
"if you think that by threatening me you can get me to be your slave... Well, that's where you're right. But - and I am only saying this because I care - there are a lot of decaffeinated brands on the market today that are just as tasty as the real thing."
If Apple let Panasonic, LG and Samsung build airplay into their televisions, for streaming not just music but also photos and videos, Apple would see their itunes video sales and rentals explode.
Even more fun. Once GoogleTV adds Apps, there is bound to be some developer who'll create an AirPlay client app so you can stream from your Mac or iOS device directly to your GoogleTV set top box.
I can't believe more people aren't curious about this, given how many people wanted iOS and apps on Apple TV.
If AirPlay can stream video from third party apps on iOS devices, you don't really need apps on Apple TV because any app could transmit the video to Apple TV and you would have all the controls on your multitouch iOS device...
This sounds like a giant win. I think you need the individual app to decide what to display on the big screen and what to show on the little one. I know there are currently some restrictions on what goes to video out on an iOS device (presumably because of worries about illegal copying of content), but this isn't a problem when it's just one apple device talking to another.