LG's 2019 UHD UM7X TVs Now Support AirPlay 2 and HomeKit

[name99]

Serious question here:
What's the value of having AirPlay in something like a TV?
OK, sure, so you save $100 on an aTV (maybe $150 if you insist on a 4K aTV; but you can buy a refurb or on eBay). But you give up so much in return!
Sure, now you can stream NetFlix or whatever from your phone. But you have a horrible split UI, no easy remote. And if you watch things in pieces, not one long sitting, the AirPlay connection dies under all sorts of mysterious circumstances -- after too much time, when the phone leaves the house, ...

It just seems a very sucky way to consume content, and Apple customers pay a little more to avoid suck!

Is there something I'm missing? Some sort of great use case for AirPlay either
- in ADDITION to having an Apple TV or as a
- REPLACEMENT for an aTV?

Or is the idea that this is basically for Android/Roku/TiVo homes, and the only time it's ever expected to be used is when a friend comes over and wants to display something from their phone?

 

[fmcshan]

Just updated and the HomeKit integration with smart TVs is awesome!

 

[Khedron]

I don't think a normal customer representative would have such information at hand to be honest... I own a C8 as well and imho the CPU should manage AirPlay. The TV feels snappy and there are not stutter times...

Do you have any info on that? Source? Something?

Like said, I think that the ThinQ branded TVs with the (?) quad core CPU should manage airplay... my bet is that LG simply does not have the manpower to roll out AirPlay to every TV it wants, so it starts with the high end models... I hope the C8 gets the update tho...

Source: https://9to5mac.com/2019/07/24/lg-homekit-airplay-2-2018/

 

[bn-7bc]

Your best option is to keep the TV disconnected from the network at all times. Update the firmware via a USB thumb drive--not to use AirPlay, because AirPlay needs a network connection, but just to make sure other bugs are fixed. Connect the TV to the network and you leave yourself unnecessarily open to spying and malware. Use AirPlay via an Apple TV connected to the TV via HDMI.

You might be right but some people might actually want to youse those features that thay payed for as a part of the tvs price and to do that they need a network connection, unless the tv has bluetooth and arpkay/airplay 2 kan use that for sound. Personsly isent the apple tv route as well, but in some homes geting the lermision for extra cables, bix, and remore might be barder than just on extra device on the wifi

 

[ideal.dreams]

I have a B8 model bought last fall. Not a peep. I am sure its processor is up to speed. What say you, Apple?

I bought an E8 last fall too, I am sure it's capable of handing AirPlay 2 but am doubtful that functionality will ever be added to the 2018 models.

 

[jparchem]

In the Home app, LG TV users can do things like switch inputs, turn the television on and off, and adjust the volume. Siri can also be used for these commands, so a simple "Hey Siri" voice request on an iOS or macOS device can adjust the volume or turn the TV on or off, much like other HomeKit products.

Is that accurate? I find no way inside the Home app to change volume.

The only thing HomeKit integration seems to brings is the ability to turn the TV on/off and change inputs. Controlling the TV with Siri appears limited to turning the TV on or off.

 

[rmoliv]

Any chance 2018’s SK (Super UHD, now called Nano Cell) models will get updated for AirPlay 2 and HomeKit integration?

 

[doctorempire]

I have the LG - 43" Class - LED - UM7300PUA Series - 2160p - Smart - 4K UHD TV with HDR, purchased through Best Buy. Will this tv have the update? Someone posted a list of models that will have the update but it had the PLB instead of PUA, which when I put into google gave me results in Russian. The sad thing is that it advertises Airplay on the box and in the store all the staff say it works with airplay. We have been patiently waiting for this update and I still do not see it coming up on the TV. Thanks for any information.

 

[zv470]

And like a sucker, I upgraded my only-two year old TV to a 2019 model in anticipation of Airplay for Sony TVs. I should have known better.

Yea we bought one too. I feel your pain. Perhaps they will release an update later this year. I’m sure Sony has their engineers working overtime. Poor sods. And I bet management is what’s holding everything back.

 

[jparchem]

What so you do once you download the latest firmware to enable HomeKit and AirPlay 2?

@mlody Go to the "Home Dashboard" on the TV and click on the new "AirPlay" tile under "Mobile" to get started. It will guide you through after that.

 

[TheChud]

Software_File(Version_04.70.03) -- 26/09/2019

Detailed applicable model list : Please check with reference Tab exactly
* SW information

1. Improvement
1) Apple Airplay2 & HomeKit service
2) TV Voice assistant using mobile LG TV plus App
3) Adding Voice assistant feature in Netflix
4) Enhancement to Amazon Alexa service
5) Enhancement to Home Dashboard

2. Applicable model list
55UM7510PLA
65UM7510PLA
55UM7610PLB
65UM7610PLB
55UM76107LB
65UM76107LB
55UM7660PLA
65UM7660PLA
43UM7500PLA
50UM7500PLA
43UM76007LB
50UM76007LB
49SM8200PLA
55SM8200PLA
65SM8200PLA
49SM82007LA
55SM82007LA
65SM82007LA
49SM8000PLA
55SM8000PLA
65SM8000PLA
43UM7450PLA
50UM7450PLA
55UM7450PLA
65UM7450PLA
70UM7450PLA
65UM7100PLA
70UM7100PLA
75UM7110PLB
43UM7490PLC
49UM7490PLC
43UM74507LA
50UM74507LA
55UM74507LA
65UM74507LA
43UM71007LB
49UM71007LB
55UM71007LB
60UM71007LB
43UM7100PLB
49UM7100PLB
55UM7100PLB
60UM7100PLB
43UM7300PLB
49UM7300PLB
50UM7300PLB
55UM7300PLB
65UM7300PLB
43UM7390PLC
49UM7390PLC
43UM7400PLB
49UM7400PLB
55UM7400PLB
65UM7400PLB
65UM7600PLB
43UM7600PLB
50UM7600PLB
75UM7600PLB
43UM7650PLA

Strange the 50UM7300AUE didn’t make the list as it’s advertised on the box and the website to support AirPlay 2 and HomeKit.

 

[ikramerica]

Let’s get Roku updated already.

 

[indiekiduk]

I was very interested in HomeKit support on these LG TVs so I went to Currys to see them. On the majority of them (e.g. the ones that are not 2019 branded as "nanocell") have a massive air gap between the glass and the panel, a bit like the gap in the iPad vs the iPad Air/Pro but much bigger and more noticeable. This casts a shadow around the edge of the TV and to me looks very low quality, reminds me of an old rear-projected TV. No other brand has this, Samsung, Sony etc. the glass attached to the panel there is no gap. Needless to say I would be buying one of these LGs and the wait for a HomeKit TV continues...

The image below is from the 7450

 

[monkeytboypaul]

New member with a 50UM7500PLA in the UK..

No sign of new firmware via WebOS check for update option in the menu... I wonder if they're slowly rolling it out to those listed models across different countries? Downloaded the firmware direct from the website onto a USB stick, as per LG's guidance in the LG_DTV folder, but the TV didn't detect it.

 

[KesterK]

New member with a 50UM7500PLA in the UK..

No sign of new firmware via WebOS check for update option in the menu... I wonder if they're slowly rolling it out to those listed models across different countries? Downloaded the firmware direct from the website onto a USB stick, as per LG's guidance in the LG_DTV folder, but the TV didn't detect it.

Yea, appears to maybe be USA only currently. I’m UK too. Has anyone outside the USA got AirPlay on the LG TVs that got the update earlier in the year?

 

[eas]

I’ll just throw in C7 support would be nice although I know there’s zero chance of that happening as even the C8 and similar are very unlikely to get the upgrade. And TVs back to 2016 easily have the processing power to cope.

On a related matter, I wonder if Apple will release the AppleTV app for LG TVs going back a few years or whether that’ll be modern sets only?

I've wondered about that. I'm guessing that there may be incentives (revenue share, one time fee, etc) to manufacturers to get the AppleTV app on as many devices as possible. If so, that might get LG to bring it to older models.

 

[KesterK]

Yea, appears to maybe be USA only currently. I’m UK too. Has anyone outside the USA got AirPlay on the LG TVs that got the update earlier in the year?

AirPlay update now available in the UK.