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Sony will mash up Apple's AirPlay 2 and HomeKit in its Android TVs in 2019
It looks like Apple is making some changes to allow content from its platforms to be shown on more third-party devices. Nowhere is that more evident than this week’s reveal at CES 2019 from Sony. In its press event, the company stated that its lineup of smart televisions, all with Google’s Android TV OS installed, will soon add support for Apple’s AirPlay 2 and HomeKit.
In its press release, Sony said the update will be released later in 2019 for its Z9G Series, A9G Series, and X950G Series TVs. The support for AirPlay 2 means that people who own iPhones, iPads, and Macs will be able to watch movies and TV shows from their iTunes app on their big screen TV.
The HomeKit support means that owners can link any HomeKit-based smart home devices to Sony’s TVs. This integration will allow people to use Siri-based voice commands that would connect their TV to things like lights, the thermostat, and more. Of course, Android TV-based smart televisions, including the ones made by Sony, already support Google Assistant with its own voice commands and smart home features.
Other companies like LG, Visio, and Samsung have also announced during CES 2019 that it will add Apple’s AirPlay 2 to its upcoming smart TVs. Samsung is going one step further, with plans to add an iTunes Movie and TV Shows app directly in its 2018 and 2019 smart TVs.
All of this new support comes ahead of Apple’s plan to launch a premium video streaming service later in 2019, with original content that will compete directly with services like Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon Prime Video. It seems clear that Apple wants to make it easier to watch those streaming shows on big-screen TVs as well as on its mobile devices.