Samsung Smart TVs Adding Support for iTunes Video Content and AirPlay 2

[ipedro]

Holy...

Between this and Apple Music via Alexa devices, is Apple beginning a hard pivot away from using its services to differentiate its devices? AppleTV and HomePod depended on those for competitive advantages.

iTunes on Windows didn’t turn a PC into a Mac.

Getting iTunes on third party TVs and AppleMusic on Alexa is a benefit to Apple users who now have more places to watch and listen to their content. Most important of all, it keeps them in the Apple ecosystem.

Apple users will continue to buy iPhones, iPads, AppleWatches, and Macs, all of which is where the revenue comes from. And yes, those who love the Apple ecosystem experience will buy AppleTVs and HomePods to get the native Apple experience.

Stop it with your sky is falling exaggerations. This strategy is more complex than the two dimensions you’re making your predictions based on.

 

[Spock]

No, those will be kept only for Apple hardware. They’re simply expanding their movie store into more households. Even people who may have iPhones, but Samsung TVs and never bought an Apple TV. Not everyone owns the entire Apple ecosystem. There is no reason to lock iTunes to Apple hardware. Hell when I bought my first iPod I was a Windows only user. Had iTunes not been available on Windows at the time I would’ve never bought one.

It’s not like they’re opening up OS X to generic PC hardware. That’s when I would worry!

Before Apple started allowing Apple Music on Echo I thought the same thing. Things are changing at Apple, I have a feeling 2019 will be a surprising year for Apple.

 

[Dominicanyor]

I don’t believe it.. wow!

 

[Tech198]

Money in the bank for Apple I don't believe it either.

 

[benh310]

I hope to see 4k iTunes support on Mac some day!

 

[Mac 128]

You should check out Vizio (second prop for this brand in today) because their quality is not second to Samsung or LG - especially the P and P-Quantum series. More reasonable prices.

Don't know much about TCL - specs seem OK.

Waiting for the Micro-LED screens; same LCD mode.

Not too keen on OLED, price; also longevity questions.

The picture on the vizio was comparable to the LG. I was looking at a much more expensive 70” Vizio than the 65” LG on sale, despite the Vizio missing a tuner which I wanted. The sales guys I spoke to, who had every reason to sell me the more expensive Vizio, warned me that they saw far more Vizio returned for repair and reliability issues, so that ruled out Vizio for me. But again that was two years ago.

I have a Sony 900E which I will keep until OLED tech comes down in price and has a little more time in the field. So I doubt I will need a new TV for 5-10 years, at which time the entire landscape could have changed dramatically.

In the meantime, I’ve read reviews where the TCL was given very high marks compared to the very well reviewed Sony 900 series. But it’s still a very new brand out of China and I haven’t heard much about support issues, something I’d want to know more about before aI bought. But again, this all happened after I bought my TV. By the time I buy my next one, ill know a lot more about it. And, I expect all of the major brands will have improved their built-in OS, making both my previous observations and the current ones moot. Apple may even have an app for Roku by then.

 

[ksec]

You realize AirPlay 2 is only about 7-8 months old and has already been implemented by other companies such as Sonia, right?

1. AirPlay 1 is on many third-party devices like my old Pioneer AVR. AirPlay 2 will be even more available.

I was referring to AirPlay TV, or AirPlay Video, which was never available outside of Apple hardware.

 

[dontwalkhand]

So I can mirror my iphone/ipad screen to these new Samsung TVs without the need of an Apple TV?

Yes. Not just mirror but “cast” video content as well
[doublepost=1546839325][/doublepost]Is it about time we call iTunes something else? It sounds like a music service but there’s no music to be found on the Samsung TV.

 

[BvizioN]

Since I’ve bought an lg-oled tv I’ve no longer use for my Apple TV. Today’s modern tv-sets make the Appletv obsolete. There hasn’t been any compelling reason for me to keep the Appletv. Much of the services Apple is offering are USA only and I find the Appletv too restrictive. Other than that it’s a stagnant platform.

Same here. Got an LG smart TV that does offer all the popular apps like Netflix, Amazon Video, YouTube etc, with even dedicated buttons on it's remote. I find myself very rarely (a couple of times a month) checking the Apple 4K TV, and only if I wanted to watch any of the movies I have purchased. I love LG TV's so I don't think I will go for Samsung but wish Apple would work the same thing out with LG.

 

[k0bayashi]

So people don't need apple tv anymore.

 

[GregJohn]

not sure if my tv will support it - be nice if it does.

 

[ds2000]

Since I’ve bought an lg-oled tv I’ve no longer use for my Apple TV. Today’s modern tv-sets make the Appletv obsolete. There hasn’t been any compelling reason for me to keep the Appletv. Much of the services Apple is offering are USA only and I find the Appletv too restrictive. Other than that it’s a stagnant platform.

Completely agree, with a PS4 and Chromecast in the house I've had zero use for my Apple TV and sold it 2 years ago. This is a welcome step from Samsung and Apple.

 

[Abazigal]

So people don't need apple tv anymore.

I like the Apple TV remote for scrubbing content. Controlling it via a traditional tv remote is a pain.

Also for playing Apple Music, apps (airvideo, wwdc app).

Just wish it had more games. Grimvalor is my latest fix and I would gladly pay for a tv version.

 

[9081094]

Apple Airport
iPhone SE
Apple HomePod
Apple TV

That list is much bigger when you take every Apple product to the list that isn’t compelling/competitive anymore.

 

[DavidMalcolm]

Not sure how I feel about this. On the one hand, Samsung makes reliable TVs, on the other hand I literally didn't buy one because of how much they make fun of iPhone users in their ads. Also given that Apple ditched them as a processor manufacturer and blessed LG with the support for the UltraFine, I'm surprised to see Apple didn't go this way with TV support. Though who knows, if they're giving support to Samsung, LG can't be far behind, I doubt this is an exclusive deal.

Personally I never buy video content from Apple, but I do use my Apple TV for Netflix and Plex. Though if Plex support and Netflix comes to the Nintendo Switch, I'll have no real use for the Apple TV.

 

[Bonte]

Smart TV’s have come a LONG way. I have the latest LG 4K OLED too and the streaming apps and overall UI runs great. The only reason I have an Apple TV is because all my purchased media content is through Apple. Apple is seeing the future and there is no need for separate hardware clogging up space. It’s all about software services and content.

I also bought my dad an LG because the 'smarts' are not that intrusive but he never uses it, except to send a Youtube stream from his Mac to the TV, and that works only half of the time. I'm now looking into using a Chromecast to get it working reliably, that is if it doesn't conflict with the TV smarts.

It's all way to complicated to work with.

 

[Loge]

If my Apple TV broke tomorrow, I would still buy another one rather than buy a whole new TV.

 

[timber]

I'm with you. I have a four year old Panasonic plasma tv which has great color and an even older Sony tv. The Netflix app on the Panasonic tv needs to be launched twice before it works and each launch takes at least a minute. The picture on the tv is great. Why should I bit a new tv every couple of years to update the apps when I can just buy a new Apple TV if needed and is less expensive. Plus Apple is great with updating the operating system keeping the Apple TV relevant.

I also have a Panasonic plasma (a stupid one). Sticking to picture quality alone (of course it's bezels are large, it's quite heavy at around 40 kg but nevertheless has a much better pedestal that those behind supplied today) there is nothing besides an OLED that impresses compared to it.

Samsung (for example) may use all the alphabet to obfuscate the fact they are still selling LCDs that only do grey but the only real reason to upgrade it would be 4K and I still think that is not worth it. When I do it the doubt will be which OLED supplier to choose from.

So having a separate box (be it ATV or other someone may prefer) that provides the best experience provides the best of several worlds, best picture quality, best UI, best experience, best privacy and the cherry on top, the most cost effective experience.

 

[Menel]

are there any inventive ways to do without the Apple TV and stream movies in 5.1 from your computer? EG, do these TV's have Plex or similar?

They have had Plex clients for a long time. Since 2015 models, if not earlier.

 

[Khedron]

Samsung (for example) may use all the alphabet to obfuscate the fact they are still selling LCDs that only do grey but the only real reason to upgrade it would be 4K and I still think that is not worth it. When I do it the doubt will be which OLED supplier to choose from.

They should learn from Apple and call it something like "Liquid Retina" instead

 

[mattopotamus]

I also have a Panasonic plasma (a stupid one). Sticking to picture quality alone (of course it's bezels are large, it's quite heavy at around 40 kg but nevertheless has a much better pedestal that those behind supplied today) there is nothing besides an OLED that impresses compared to it.

Samsung (for example) may use all the alphabet to obfuscate the fact they are still selling LCDs that only do grey but the only real reason to upgrade it would be 4K and I still think that is not worth it. When I do it the doubt will be which OLED supplier to choose from.

So having a separate box (be it ATV or other someone may prefer) that provides the best experience provides the best of several worlds, best picture quality, best UI, best experience, best privacy and the cherry on top, the most cost effective experience.

I very much share the same opinion as you, but Sony FALD sets are really great for HDR content. It is the only non-OLED I would seriously consider for watching movies.

 

[Delgibbons]

Meanwhile Samsung continue to innovate in MicroLED https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/technology-46782199/ces-2019-samsung-s-new-shape-shifting-tvs-revealed



Bring it on

 

[timber]

I very much share the same opinion as you, but Sony FALD sets are really great for HDR content. It is the only non-OLED I would seriously consider for watching movies.

That is true. Sony's VA FALD LCDs are pretty good.

 

[Awesom-0]

I bought my Apple TV to watch my 500 movies I’ve got in ITunes. Stream music from my 40K Songs in ITunes Match. Also use as a HomeKit hub. How else could I have accomplished that before today’s announcement?

A $30 dollar chromecast or roku if you stopped using iTunes

 

[nburwell]

I just bought a 4K Samsung Smart TV on Black Friday. I didn't even bother connecting the TV to our wifi knowing that I was just going to connect our Apple TV. My wife subsequently got me the Apple TV 4K for Christmas.

I would say this announcement is definitely good for those who don't already have a streaming player (ATV, Roku, Chromecast, etc.). But I still prefer the Apple TV if I'm being completely honest. Just my $0.02.