Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Sony's Upcoming Smart TVs to Receive AirPlay 2 and HomeKit in Summer 2019, Including $70,000 Model

MacRumors

MacRumors

macrumors bot
Original poster
Apr 12, 2001
68,281
39,089


Sony today announced that some of its upcoming smart TVs will support AirPlay 2 and HomeKit in summer 2019, including its A9G series of 4K OLED TVs, Z9G series of 8K LED TVs, and X950G series of 4K LED TVs.

sony-a9g-800x533.jpg

The TVs themselves will be released on a staggered basis, starting with the X950G series in late April and followed by additional models in May and June, including a 98-inch 8K TV for a whopping $70,000. AirPlay 2 and HomeKit will presumably be rolled out in a subsequent software update.

Apple also lists Sony's upcoming X850G series of 4K TVs in its AirPlay 2–enabled TVs list, but no timeframe for those features was provided for that model.

AirPlay 2 support will allow users to stream videos, music, photos, and more directly from an iPhone, iPad, and Mac to compatible Sony smart TVs, complete with lock screen controls. HomeKit support will enable users to easily control the TVs using Siri voice commands or the Home app on iPhone, iPad, and Mac.


Samsung, LG, and Vizio are also releasing AirPlay 2-enabled smart TVs this year. Earlier this month, we went hands-on with one of Vizio's compatible models.

Article Link: Sony's Upcoming Smart TVs to Receive AirPlay 2 and HomeKit in Summer 2019, Including $70,000 Model
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2019/04/22/sony-tvs-airplay-2-homekit-summer-2019/
Last edited:
What about the TV app? What a bummer that they don't retroactively ship support for AirPlay 2 and the TV app. Got a few 2017 Sony TVs here that wont get to enjoy the Apple TV experience.

I think Samsung said they'd ship an update for older models to support AirPlay 2 (probably 2018 ones?)?
 
  • Like
Reactions: Moi Ici
Lol, Apple straight up giving up on the Apple TV because they’re so damn thirsty for cash and see streaming as a golden carrot being held up in front of them. Pathetic. No one wants their crappy streaming service, can’t wait to see them fail lol...

More hits to the knee so it bends, a little more humbling in order for them. (If it’s even possible to do so, with their heads so far up in the clouds.. :rolleyes:)
 
  • Like
Reactions: EvilEvil
You need a TV well over 120" to see a difference between 8K and 4K unless you're only sitting a couple feet away. And if you're sitting a couple feet away from a 100" display then you have deeper issues that I can't help you with. Not even to mention there isn't 8K content and you can't even get everything in 4K yet. What a pointless TV.
 
  • Like
Reactions: swm, sakurarain, dampfnudel and 2 others
Regbial said:
Lol, Apple straight up giving up on the Apple TV because they’re so damn thirsty for cash and see streaming as a golden carrot being held up in front of them. Pathetic. No one wants their crappy streaming service, can’t wait to see them fail lol...

More hits to the knee so it bends, a little more humbling in order for them. (If it’s even possible to do so, with their heads so far up in the clouds.. :rolleyes:)
Click to expand...

How is this giving up on Apple TV? Did Roku give up on Rokus by doing the same?

Your description of Apple's "thirst" for cash is just mindboggling. We don't even know that this is a paid service yet and here you are declaring they're trying to turn it into their life's blood.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: martyjmclean, ignatius345, Kengineer and 3 others
Question - in terms of iTunes purchased or rented content, is there anything that this "Airplay 2 built into TVs" cannot do that an AppleTV does?
 
anthonymoody said:
Question - in terms of iTunes purchased or rented content, is there anything that this "Airplay 2 built into TVs" cannot do that an AppleTV does?
Click to expand...

They can't run iOS apps like games and whatnot, they may be able to run their own though. Also, only the ones with Homekit support will integrate with homepod and the like. You also can't pack one of these into a carry on bag to use when you stay at a hotel, which I find very convenient.
 
Regbial said:
No one wants their crappy streaming service
Click to expand...

1) ‘No one wants’: I’d love to hear more about the consumer research you’ve completed since this was announced last month.

2) ‘Crappy streaming service’: Presuming you’ve used it then, I’d love to find out more about the different shows since the launch event didn’t go into detail episode by episode. Could you share with us all, as I’m sure other people would be interested too?
 
  • Like
Reactions: martyjmclean, CarlJ, Duane Martin and 2 others
Iconoclysm said:
They can't run iOS apps like games and whatnot, they may be able to run their own though. Also, only the ones with Homekit support will integrate with homepod and the like. You also can't pack one of these into a carry on bag to use when you stay at a hotel, which I find very convenient.
Click to expand...

Since I am itching for a 4K OLED TV which I am hoping to get in late 2020 or early 2021, my current Apple TV will probably be my last one, since I do not care about the ATV games or apps. The only thing I use the ATV is for occasional airplay of home pictures/videos, and hbo, netflix, youtube, amc apps. I guess any decent TV with AirPlay and smart capabilities will offer that in the near future.
 
TimFL1 said:
What about the TV app? What a bummer that they don't retroactively ship support for AirPlay 2 and the TV app. Got a few 2017 Sony TVs here that wont get to enjoy the Apple TV experience.

I think Samsung said they'd ship an update for older models to support AirPlay 2 (probably 2018 ones?)?
Click to expand...
Pretty sure they said that the 4 series and up 2018 and 2019 models will support it.
 
anthonymoody said:
Question - in terms of iTunes purchased or rented content, is there anything that this "Airplay 2 built into TVs" cannot do that an AppleTV does?
Click to expand...

A lot. Having the AirPlay 2 only means you can stream a content from an iOS device and can be controlled using Siri via HomeKit and the Home app. This does not mean TVs with AirPlay 2 support will have the whole tvOS experience.
 
Considering the 2018 A8G is not supported I would have a hard time even considering buying a Sony with support that ended not even 5 months after a product releases. Especially when it's the same fast chip driving the two.

I'm sorry Sony, but you may have the bee's knees in motion handling and color look up, but LG is a darn close second option that gets me 98% of the way there and has a excellent UI for navigating.

I don't know one person who glows about Sony anymore considering they don't make their own panels, they don't support their product, and they load it up with bloatware to make the OS run like a dog. That's a hard pass.
 
  • Like
Reactions: jimthing and martyjmclean
macduke said:
You need a TV well over 120" to see a difference between 8K and 4K unless you're only sitting a couple feet away. And if you're sitting a couple feet away from a 100" display then you have deeper issues that I can't help you with. Not even to mention there isn't 8K content and you can't even get everything in 4K yet. What a pointless TV.
Click to expand...
In 8K you can practically feel the breath of the lions in the veldt.
 
  • Like
Reactions: macduke
Looking forward to the day that I have enough disposable income that I can drop $70k on a TV. Not that I'd even drop $70k on a TV, just that that's gotta be a good spot to be in :rolleyes:
 
  • Like
Reactions: martyjmclean
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back