In January, Samsung announced that AirPlay 2 support would be coming to 2018 and 2019 Samsung Smart TVs this Spring. Today, the company officially rolled out that feature to customers.
Full List of Supported TVs
- Samsung FHD/HD 4, 5 Series (2018)
- Samsung QLED 4K Q6, Q7, Q8, Q9 Series (2018 & 2019)
- Samsung QLED 8K Q9 Series (2019)
- Samsung The Frame Series (2018 & 2019)
- Samsung The Serif Series (2019)
- Samsung UHD 6, 7, 8 Series (2018 & 2019)
As part of the update, Samsung customers also have access to Apple’s new TV App which means they can purchase or rent from the iTunes Store, access their existing library, and subscribe to Apple TV Channels. The TV App works with Samsung’s built-in universal guide and search.
Using AirPlay, customers will be able to play videos, music, and podcasts from Apple devices on Samsung Smart TVs. This is the first time customers will be able to AirPlay video to a device other than an Apple TV. This Samsung partnership is the first time that Apple has worked with set-up manufacturers. In addition to Roku and Fire TV devices, the Apple TV App will be available on VIZIO and LG Smart TVs and the Mac later this year.
At CES, it was announced that AirPlay 2 and HomeKit would be available in LG, VIZIO, and Samsung’s entire 2019 line-up. Apple did not say whether AirPlay 2 would also come to Roku and Fire TV players.
The renewed interest in partnerships with TV manufacturers comes as Apple announced a new streaming service called Apple TV+ with original shows from J.J. Abrams, Reese Witherspoon, and Chris Evans. With the addition of Apple’s TV App, iOS users can now watch those shows on Roku and Fire TV devices.