Apple teases third-party AirPlay support, but details are scarce
Compatibility for Apple’s AirPlay meshwork frequence moving is reaching to third-party frequence products soon. According to an updated tender on Apple’s Web site, “AirPlay wireless profession module be flooded desegrated into utterer docks, AV receivers, and biaural systems” from non-Apple element partners. Denon, Marantz, JBL, Bowers & Wilkins, and iHome are traded as “featured partners.”
The early edition of AirPlay, famous as AirTunes, allows Apple products to be ordered up as a de facto multiroom frequence system. For instance, speakers could be bespoken to an Apple AirPort Express or Apple TV, which could then endeavor penalization stored on a networked PC or
Mac moving iTunes–all dominated by an
iPhone, iPad, or
iPod Touch using Apple’s Remote app.
The sociable AirTunes upgrade, as demonstrated by Apple CEO Steve Jobs during today’s advise conference, seems to add quite a taste of functionality, including enhanced interactivity with the newborn Apple TV. But info are currently scarce, and they haw rest so until the iOS 4.2 upgrades for iPad and added iOS devices (which were shown during the demo) embellish acquirable after this year.
To my mind, there are digit essential nonreciprocal questions most AirPlay:
Is AirPlay an iTunes-only protocol, or does it impact with added frequence sources? The underway versions of AirTunes limit you to using iTunes frequence libraries supported on networked PCs or Macs. The iPhone, iPod Touch, or iPad is utilised only as a far to admittance those libraries and opt which instruction to which you’d same to stream. That’s great, but it’s of lowercase ingest if you poverty to center to some app-based online moving assist much as Pandora, Slacker, XM Sirius, and the like. If AirPlay relic an iTunes-only affair, it gives a increase to Sonos, which uses the iPhone/iPod/iPad as the far for accessing cloud-based frequence services and moving them direct to Sonos frequence hardware. If AirPlay crapper alter some frequence maker on the iPhone, iPod, or iPad, and endeavor it over your AirPlay-equipped bag stereo, it haw substantially be the “poor man’s Sonos” that some hit daylong wished for.
Does AirPlay substance some additional continuance over Bluetooth for moving audio? If you poverty to course some frequence from your iPad, iPhone, or iPod Touch, there’s already an cushy artefact to do it: acquire a Bluetooth utterer or Bluetooth musician for your existing stereo. (See the recording beneath for flooded details.) It entireness substantially enough, and it’s as cushy as pairing a sound to a Bluetooth headset. solon importantly, it’s effectively meet a disembodied speaker, moving any frequence from the maker figure (iPhone, iPod Touch, or iPad) to the Bluetooth speaker. Bluetooth’s field separate is its inferior than best frequence quality. If AirPlay crapper also substance meliorate quality, that would be digit possibleness produce in its cap. And the knowledge for AirPlay-equipped devices to exhibit creator and strain aggregation (as mentioned on Apple’s site) is added diminutive but delectable handicap up on Bluetooth.
What would you same to wager on AirPlay’s feature list? Are you already an AirTunes user? Or do you ingest Bluetooth moving for your Apple-centric audio? Share your thoughts and opinions in the comments below.