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Samsung smart TVs get iTunes movies and TV shows, Airplay 2 support

Apple goodness will come to Samsung's 2019 models, but the Korean firm's older devices won't be left in the lurch.
By
January 7, 2019
TL;DR
  • Apple and Samsung have announced that iTunes movies and TV shows will soon be available on Samsung smart TVs.
  • The service, along with Airplay 2, will be available on 2019 and 2018 models.
  • Apple previously brought Apple Music to the Amazon Echo speakers.

We don’t often hear about Apple bringing its services to non-Apple platforms, so it comes as a bit of a surprise to see the Cupertino company team up with Samsung.

The two companies announced that Apple’s iTunes Movies and TV Shows service, as well as Airplay 2, will land on Samsung’s 2019 smart TVs from spring. Don’t fear if you’ve got an older model, as Samsung confirmed 2018 models will receive the features via a firmware update (no timeline here though).

As for geographic availability, the iTunes Movies and TV Shows app will be available in over 100 countries, while Airplay 2 will launch in more than 190 countries.

Samsung confirmed that users can access their existing content library from the app, but consumers can buy or rent content via the app too. The Korean company also noted that the Apple app will be compatible with the “new Bixby.”

Apple’s quest for bigger numbers

The Apple iTunes page on Apple's website.

The move to bring these features to Samsung smart TVs could be a smart move for both companies. Samsung now has an exclusive service to offer its users (it’s unclear if this is a timed exclusive though), while Apple can tap into the new audience in order to earn even more cash. Additionally, iOS users can easily enjoy their existing library on the bigger screen — no Apple TV needed.

It’s far from the first time Apple has brought an app or service to a non-Apple platform. Just last month, we saw Apple Music arrive on Amazon’s Echo speakers. Going back a few years, the company brought Apple Music to Android. It’s a no-brainer for Apple as a bigger device footprint would surely help it boost its services division revenues.

NEXT: Google in 2019 — All in on AI