- Apple May Finally License AirPlay to TV Set Makers
For years we’ve urged Apple to license its Apple TV technology to TV set manufacturers and allow consumers to play videos from iTunes devices on their TV sets just like they can now do with music. Apple may finally be doing just that.
Apple is seriously considering expanding its AirPlay technology to TV sets, according to Bloomberg.com, citing two people familiar with the matter. AirPlay is currently used to stream audio, but only audio, to a very few third-party surround sound systems including Pioneer, Bowers & Wilkins, Denon, Marantz, JBL and iHome. The AirPlay technology in iPads, iPhones and iTunes is capable of streaming video but currently only to Apple devices such as the new Apple TV.
Apple chief Steve Jobs said at the iPad 2 announcement that the company is working to add AirPlay to every iPad app. A large installed base of AirPlay-enabled TV sets would accelerate third-party developers to do that.
Currently only BridgeCo has a license to make AirPlay chips that can be embedded in consumer electronics equipment to receive AirPlay streams. The chips currently are not allowed to receive videos.
Bloomberg.com reported that its two contacts said BridgeCo is already working with several makers of TV sets. It’s unclear whether BridgeCo or only Apple sells the chips to CE makers.
Current AirPlay Apps That Stream Video to TV Sets with the New Apple TV |
Air Video streams any video |
Authentic Yoga |
Baseball Gameplan for playing tips |
Discovery Channel in HD |
ESPN the magazine |
Fitness Class for workouts |
Golfplan for tips on playing |
IMDB for playing movie trailers |
Martha Stewart Makes Cookies |
MLS Match Day for soccer |
My Daily Clip for classic movie moments |
Newsy for news and opinion |
Vevo for watching music videos |
Philips Electronics director of marketing Jasper Vervoort told Bloomberg.com that his company would definitely be interested in using the technology in TV sets. Philips’ share of the US TV set market is very low but it is a more popular brand in Europe.
It’ll be interesting to see whether either Sony or Samsung implement AirPlay technology because each has dreams of the grandeur of making their own technology a standard. Competition in the market for TV sets is intense, and Sony already sells Google TV sets and Blu-ray Players. Samsung has also committed.
LG and the very aggressive Vizio would seem to be prime candidates. Both are very successful in the States. Vizio says it’s number one in sales of LCD sets in the States. All but three of its 2011 TV sets are smart TVs including one that’s a Google TV. LG seems to be wandering around in a search for a better smart-TV strategy. The user interface is different on the TV set and the Blu-ray player. A Am LG “more to come” widget has been the same for almost a year.
AirPlay-Enabled Video Apps
Apple has a section of its app store for AirPlay-enabled video apps like ESPN magazine, Discovery Channel and IMDB for playing trailers on TV sets that are connected to the new Apple TV. AirPlay does not work with the original Apple TV.
It’s the enormous number of people that use Apple products and iTunes (who doesn’t!) that will give Apple leverage in getting AirPlay accepted as a standard. It would also seal the deal when it comes to making Apple a “standard” technology like Windows became because other CE makers could use it in their sets.
It would deal a blow to Apple’s increasing rival Google and its Google TV and Android technology. However, Google TV lets users browse the Net on their TV sets, something that would not come with AirPlay.
AirPlay in TV sets would help sales of TV shows and movies at iTunes because anything purchased there could be easily played on AirPlay TV sets. What would be missing is a subscription service like Netflix although it is offered on iPads and iPhones in the States and could be played on AirPlay TV sets. Netflix is also on every new Apple TV.
Whether the Bloomberg.com report is accurate of not, we still say that Apple should get its technology embedded in TV sets and Blu-ray players.
Can’t you see it now? Stickers on tens of thousands of TV sets and Blu-ray players that say “Apple AirPlay Inside.”
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