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Samsung's smart TVs to get Apple TV app and AirPlay 2 support starting today

Samsung's smart TVs to get Apple TV app and AirPlay 2 support starting today
PHOTO: Apple

With the release of iOS and tvOS 12.3, Samsung has today announced that it's started to roll out a firmware update to select TVs to include the new Apple TV app and AirPlay 2 support. The company says the Apple TV app will come to its smart TVs in more than 100 countries while AirPlay 2 support will arrive in 176 countries.

According to this page on Apple's website, these are the Samsung TVs getting AirPlay 2:

  • 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)

At CES 2019 this past January, Samsung announced that its 2019 and 2018 8K and 4K QLED TVs are getting an “iTunes Movies and TV Shows app” sometime this year. Through this TV app you can access your existing iTunes library as well as buy or rent new movies and TV shows. The app will also integrate with Samsung’s smart TV services, such as Universal Guide, the new Bixby on TV, and search.

Fast forward to early this morning, and Apple has announced at its services-focused event a new Apple TV app. In addition to letting you access your iTunes movie and TV show purchases and rentals, you can use it to watch shows from popular streaming services, including Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, ESPN+, and more (but not Netflix).

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In certain countries like the United States, you can even use the app to subscribe and access cable channels such as Showtime, CBS, and MTV. And of course, when the new Apple TV+ streaming service launches this fall, this is where subscribers access Apple original shows and movies.

 

With the latest iOS and tvOS software updates, the new Apple TV app is now on the iPhone, iPad, Apple TV 4K, and Apple TV HD. But Apple has also announced that the app is coming to popular streaming boxes and streaming sticks, such as Amazon’s Fire TV devices and Roku.

[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UOgvriiNVU4[/embed]

Smart TVs from major brands are also getting the app, with the first being Samsung’s smart TVs this spring. I’m trying to get some clarity, but my understanding is that this revamped Apple TV app is the aforementioned iTunes Movies and TV Shows app. (Update, Apr 1: Samsung has confirmed to me that my understanding is correct.)

I also understand that this app will come as part of a TV firmware update as early as May. After Samsung, LG, Sony, and Vizio’s smart TVs are also expected to get the app, but no firm timeline is given for these other TVs.

This article was first published in Hardware Zone

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