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Samsung Smart TVs Will Support Apple AirPlay 2 and iTunes Videos in Spring 2019 (venturebeat.com)

Posted by msmash on from the up-next dept.

If the late 2018 deal that brought Apple Music to Amazon Echo speakers wasn't surprising enough, Samsung today announced a similar partnership with Apple for 2018 and 2019 Samsung Smart TVs: support for iTunes movies, iTunes TV shows, and AirPlay 2 will be coming in spring 2019. From a report: The deal is all but unprecedented for Apple, which has historically restricted playback of iTunes videos solely to its own devices, including Apple TVs, iPods, iPhones, iPads, and Macs, with no support for competing media players such as Roku, or various smart TV platforms. That said, PCs running iTunes have been able to play iTunes videos, and the company has allowed third-parties to license both AirPlay and AirPlay 2 for years. According to Samsung, a firmware update to 2018 Smart TVs will add a new iTunes Movies and TV Shows app in more than 100 countries. AirPlay 2 will become available on Samsung Smart TVs in 190 countries around the world. There are lots of unanswered questions about this iTunes deal. The Verge: Is Apple going to allow Samsung's smart TV tracking to snoop on iTunes viewers? Smart TVs are notorious for tracking what people watch, but Apple's entire brand is privacy. What usage data will Samsung see from the iTunes app?

Samsung smart TVs run Tizen, Samsung's wacky custom operating system. Is Apple building a Tizen iTunes app? Is there a Tizen team inside Apple? Or is Samsung building this app? Who will be in charge of updating it and fixing bugs? Smart TV apps are not known for being updated well or very often.

49 comments

  1. Forget about the details by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Insightful

    The only thing I want to know is what guarantee both Samsung and Apple give me that this will keep working for the lifetime of the TV, lets say 10 years? Also considering future altercations between them, that may, or may not, end up in court.

    1. Re:Forget about the details by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      No guarantees. Fortunately, the TV will still work as, well, a TV, regardless of anything that might transpire in the future. You shouldn't consider this a primary reason to make this purchase.

    2. Re: Forget about the details by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I doubt it and I see Apple is embracing the new economy as expected

    3. Re:Forget about the details by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      This is actually a very curious outcome but given Samsung's track record, it will likely only work for that 2019 model and the previous 2018 model, nothing older, nothing newer.

      As for how it will work, there's been sufficient power in the TV systems for a while, we know the Apple TV box itself isn't anything special hardware wise (literately an iphone without a screen, battery or WWAN radio.) So the Apple AirPlay is simple enough, there are software applications out there to let you use other hardware with it. It's not terribly different from "chomecast" in terms of how it would work on the hardware.

      The question is if "Will Samsung introduce this functionality on ALL of their SmartTV's, including 2015, 2016, 2017 models" which the answer is likely "fuck no", because this is a killer feature that I would willingly buy a Samsung TV for, if I knew it was going to work forever. It likely will not.

      But at this point I don't even own a smart TV and the only reason I haven't bothered to buy one is that the technology kept moving and the computer screens I've been using have been "good enough for now"

    4. Re:Forget about the details by pslytely+psycho · · Score: 1

      It's Apple and Samsung. I can easily see them bricking devices via updates due to a court ruling not in their favor in a fit of spite.

      --
      Donald Trump, on a crusade to make Nixon look respectable
    5. Re: Forget about the details by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      What is airplay anyway? Is it Bluetooth, WiFi?

    6. Re: Forget about the details by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I see; "embracing the new economy" is applespeak for "race to the bottom". Cute.

    7. Re: Forget about the details by jrumney · · Score: 1

      Airplay is DRM over Wi-Fi.

  2. Smell like desperation by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    coming off apple.
    Will the cultists tolerate the sullying of the apple brand?

    1. Re: Smell like desperation by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Who knows? I am all for. Apple expanding coverage in countries outside the US, Apple will make decent cash out of this, possibly several hundred dollars per device every year.

  3. S. J. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Steve is spinning even faster in his grave.

  4. Tizen by markdavis · · Score: 3, Informative

    >"Samsung smart TVs run Tizen, Samsung's wacky custom operating system."

    Um, it isn't "wacky" nor really "custom". It is a Linux distro developed by the Linux Foundation. You know, one of the most important supporting organizations for one of the most important and widely used operating systems in the world.

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/...
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/...

    Tizen can also run Android apps (with a compatibility layer). It is true that Samsung is the only one who is making LOTS of use of it right now. And since Apple already supports Android for iTunes, it shouldn't be a huge feat to make it run in Tizen.

    https://support.apple.com/en-u...

    Not that I am a fan of iTunes, but I can see where having such support would benefit both Samsung and Apple.

    1. Re:Tizen by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Any reason why you feel you need to start your argument with "Um"?

      Does it make it more effective?

  5. I wonder by 93+Escort+Wagon · · Score: 4, Interesting

    This reminds me of the situation with Apple’s Time Machine network backups - they allowed third-party support, then eventually killed off the Airport line of routers (which had Time Machine support baked in).

    If Apple is loosening the reins on its AirPlay streaming, it makes me wonder if they’re planning to kill off the Apple TV soon.

    --
    #DeleteChrome
    1. Re:I wonder by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Not likely.

      The reason they stopped producing the Time Capsule was because the hardware market shifted in a way that these nice routers were obsolete too quickly. Let someone else take the risk. Nobody wants to pay a premium for a router that has a flakey power supply and a 5400rpm hard drive. With the rapid changes to M.2 SSD's, local storage is preferred, as the network is too slow.

      The Apple TV is needed to play Apple's content on all other TV's still. Apple killed off their stand-alone monitors for the most part for the same reason as the router, there are better devices out there and people do not see it as premium Apple Product.

      The only products Apple sells that people are willing to pay a premium for are the iPhone, iPad and Apple TV, because there are no better options, and the rubbish that the Android manufacturers put out is laughably bad. The most popular "streaming box" is a nVidia Shield box preloaded with piracy video apps.

      Piracy is what is driving Android sales, and as soon as a better toy comes out, the support for those efforts disappears as well.

    2. Re: I wonder by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      AppleTV isnâ(TM)t going anywhere. Appleâ(TM)s video service is going to launch some time this year.

    3. Re: I wonder by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      'The only products Apple sells that people are willing to pay a premium for are the iPhone, iPad and Apple TV'

      The Mac, the Watch, and AirPods.

    4. Re:I wonder by tlhIngan · · Score: 1

      This reminds me of the situation with Appleâ(TM)s Time Machine network backups - they allowed third-party support, then eventually killed off the Airport line of routers (which had Time Machine support baked in).

      If Apple is loosening the reins on its AirPlay streaming, it makes me wonder if theyâ(TM)re planning to kill off the Apple TV soon.

      They allowed third-party support for ages - most NAS devices for years have support for Time Machine and this was not a new thing. Apple only cancelled their Airports because the home router space is becoming much too crowded - why spend $200 on an Apple when a Netgear supporting the latest and greatest can be had for $150?

      It's why Apple existed the monitor business as well - plenty of companies making really decent monitors for half of what an Apple monitor costs basically means there's no justification to buy an Apple monitor, and the fact that monitors are pretty much commodities now means Apple can't really innovate or improve in the area. An Apple 30" monitor was great back in the day when everyone was stuck with 15" and 17" monitors, but with 24" 1080p monitors becoming ultra common and 28" 4K monitors are practically everywhere, there's no room for Apple to compete.

      For the AppleTV, AirPlay was something Apple licensed ages ago - practically all networked AV receivers support it today, and many new ones support the latest AirPlay2 protocol.

      But more importantly, the AppleTV is working in a space that is under-developed. As long as Apple feels they can bring innovation into it, the AppleTV will be around. And given the primary competition is Roku, there's still plenty they can do.

    5. Re:I wonder by thegarbz · · Score: 1

      If Apple is loosening the reins on its AirPlay streaming, it makes me wonder if they’re planning to kill off the Apple TV soon.

      Personally I hope they kill iTunes.

    6. Re:I wonder by jabuzz · · Score: 1

      AppleTV is working in a space that is under-developed. You need to get out more. There is Roku, FireTV, random boxes running Kodi, Chromecast and oh all those smart TV's that have the likes of Netflix, Prime Video and other streaming/catchup services baked into the TV.

      On the other hand Apple exited the home WiFi just as whole home mesh networking with roaming between access points took off.

    7. Re:I wonder by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Not the same thing, idiot

  6. Amazing... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    It looks like apple has finally cracked TV!
    By rolling over and giving up.

    1. Re: Amazing... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Is this only available in the lower forty eight? I am in Fairbanks and I canâ(TM)t find any proxy or virtual way.

  7. Video: Linux and license revocation, in American. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Video: Linux and license revocation, in American. (Yes you can revoke)

    We have noticed that many of you have rejected
    the very idea of waddling through long written
    soliloquies on the subject.

    So, the information in a format that is more
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    Video: openload.co/f/mT_AH3xmIUM/TruthAboutLinuxandGPLv2__.mp4
    Audio: ufile.io/sdhpl

    Enjoy.

  8. Why not? by gnasher719 · · Score: 2

    Apple doesn't build TVs. So they are not going to lose customers to Samsung with this. On the other hand, it improves the value of MacOS and iOS and their usefulness for Apple's customers. I can't see any reason why Apple wouldn't do this.

    1. Re: Why not? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I do not buy TVs from computer makers. I do buy PCs from tv makers

    2. Re:Why not? by SeaFox · · Score: 1

      Apple doesn't build TVs. So they are not going to lose customers to Samsung with this.

      You mean, except those people who were buying an Apple TV to use with their Samsung TV, and now now longer have a convincing reason to buy the expensive Apple streaming device?

    3. Re:Why not? by MikeDataLink · · Score: 1

      You mean, except those people who were buying an Apple TV to use with their Samsung TV, and now now longer have a convincing reason to buy the expensive Apple streaming device?

      Nope. That Same-sung TV my have access to iTunes, but it won't run the boat loads of other apps the Apple TV does. Apple will increase iTunes marketshare without affecting the Apple TV sales, because the target audience would have never purchased one in the first place.

      --
      Mike @ The Geek Pub. Let's Make Stuff!
    4. Re: Why not? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Yes, i think so too , apple needs to be part of this new world or iPhones will be less functional than android phones . Good move apple.

    5. Re:Why not? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      The Samsung supports more apps than the Apple TV does, you know...

    6. Re:Why not? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I imagine that the potential revenue from content sales and the possible halo effect that users who otherwise would not have bought into the Apple ecosystem is the driving factor.

    7. Re:Why not? by thegarbz · · Score: 1

      Apple doesn't build TVs.

      No, they build very expensive gadgets that plug into TVs and offer this functionality. They will lose customers to Samsung with this.

  9. Why bother? by Excelcia · · Score: 1

    Why bother with any of this? Samsung smart TVs actually work really well as dumb TVs too. Don't give it network access, and it's a great dumb TV that will work very well with anything I hook up to it.

    I very much prefer any "smart" device that I own to be under my control, not be a black-box listening device in my home, thank-you.

    1. Re: Why bother? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      Actually In the 43" size TCL uses better panels than Samsung and are 15% cheaper.
      Samsung's panels aren't really capable of reproducing 10bit color, and the color curves are weird. There is quite a lot of artefacting on Samsung TVs

    2. Re:Why bother? by gnasher719 · · Score: 1

      Is it indeed listening?

      AirPlay 2 is just a technology that lets you stream video and music from Apple devices to any receiver implementing it, with provisions that allow sound to be synchronised precisely between two devices, and a stereo signal being properly mixed by two devices.

      The most well-known AirPlay 2 receiver is Apple's HomePod which _can_ listen (but will only listen when you speak the magic words "Hey Siri" and even then will filter out automatically everything from others present), but that's absolutely no requirement.

    3. Re:Why bother? by ChatHuant · · Score: 2

      Is it [Samsung smart TV] indeed listening?

      Indeed it is (and it doesn't even need AirPlay for this). I posted this before, but here's how you can disable some spyware - until they change this in the next mandatory update (for your own good, of course).

      Note that even the most restrictive settings won't disable all snooping - if your TV is connected to the Internet it will report on you.

    4. Re:Why bother? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I very much prefer any "smart" device that I own to be under my control

      So often with modern technology that is an illusion, what device are you referring to that is under your control?

  10. Good for Samsung by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I hope they are collecting 30% of everything apple makes from using their TV as a distribution device.

  11. Not the older smart TVs models? by antdude · · Score: 1

    Since they have apps too. :(

    --
    Ant(Dude) @ Quality Foraged Links (AQFL.net) & The Ant Farm (antfarm.ma.cx / antfarm.home.dhs.org).
  12. Re:Traitor Drumpf must hang. by jamesborr · · Score: 1

    Is this really on topic?

  13. This helps me by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Now I won't need to include Samsung when comparing brands for my next purchase.

  14. Re:Traitor Drumpf must hang. by pslytely+psycho · · Score: 1

    No, that idiot posts the same shit on every article. Just the recent incarnation of shit posters. At least it's short and doesn't reply to itself over ten or so posts like APK or super-long drivel like the GNAA or ASCII swastika posts.
    Trolling used to be an art. Now it's just 'how big of a dick can I be to everyone else.'

    --
    Donald Trump, on a crusade to make Nixon look respectable
  15. next they'll allow pc's by sad_ · · Score: 1

    next step is allowing pc's to run macos, since apple is no longer interested in timely releasing new workstations and they are basically just pc's anyway.
    their main selling items are portable devices (phones & tablets) and they want to kill off the personal computer.

    --
    On a long enough timeline, the survival rate for everyone drops to zero.
  16. Re:Good for Samsung by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Perhaps Samsung will just get their copy of the data Apple collected from users, so they can also monetize that. By privacy, the Apple means of course their traditional monopoly to monetize user data.

  17. Or Apple could... by imcdona · · Score: 1

    I dunno... add industry standard Miracast support to the iPhone.

  18. How awful!! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    This will reduce the smug of apple and their cultist by about 3% worldwide.
    Dark times for apple indeed.
    Im sure the faithful are working on their spin how this is a genius move by apple and will sell like hotcakes.