Airplay 2 - the new way to stream wirelessly

[therock]

This should be fun and interesting..

I am using Airplay for most of my music at home..

 

https://www.whathifi.com/advice/apple-airplay-2-everything-you-need-to-know

 

 

 

What is AirPlay?

Before getting into AirPlay 2, it's worth looking back at the original AirPlay. Launched in 2010 as part of iOS 4 (around the time of iPhone 4), AirPlay was a way to stream audio, video, and photos wirelessly to Apple TV - and eventually, to dedicated audio products.

It was built on Apple’s 'AirTunes' software from 2004, which was predominantly used to stream audio from iTunes to AirPort Express - so you could wirelessly listen to music across your home network from your Apple device.

Content would travel over your wireless network, rather than via Bluetooth, but it proved quite difficult to get a product set up. Those early products also didn’t have the most stable connection, and music would often drop out.

Updates to AirPlay made it a lot simpler and more reliable, and - as long as your Apple device is on the same wi-fi network - music can be streamed to it at the tap of a button.

MORE: Best AirPlay speakers 

What is AirPlay 2?

We saw our first glimpses of AirPlay 2 at WWDC 2017. The main focus of the update is on streaming music from your iOS device to more than one product.

This is Apple's first real move into multi-room technology, and also the first major update in recent years to AirPlay. As a wireless protocol, many feel AirPlay fell by the wayside a while ago in comparison with Bluetooth or Chromecast.

How does it work?

image: https://images.cdn.whathifi.com/sites/whathifi.com/files/styles/big-image/public/brands/news/2017-June/airplay_ios10.png?itok=cgDlM46h

AirPlay on iOS 10

From what we saw at Apple’s presentation, AirPlay 2 will offer the ability to stream music wirelessly to, and between, compatible speakers on the same wi-fi network. This is through the Control Centre on iOS devices, an Apple TV box, or iTunes.

You can define where in your house the speaker is located, using labels such as ‘Living Room’ or ‘Kitchen’. From there, you can control which speakers are playing music at any time, both invidivually and as a group. 

As long as the speakers are AirPlay 2-compatible, you’ll be able to connect speakers from different manufacturers together through this system, giving you more versatility regarding the products you want to use when setting up your multi-room system.

MORE: Apple Music vs Spotify – which is better?

 

Which Apple products will have AirPlay 2?

image: https://images.cdn.whathifi.com/sites/whathifi.com/files/styles/big-image/public/brands/news/2017-June/apple_airplay_all_products.jpg?itok=D2wbjUrv

Any Apple device that supports iOS 11 will also get AirPlay 2:

iPhone

• iPhone X
• iPhone 8 Plus
• iPhone 8
• iPhone 7 Plus
• iPhone 7
• iPhone 6S Plus
• iPhone 6S
• iPhone 6 Plus
• iPhone 6
• iPhone SE
• iPhone 5S

iPad

• 12.9in iPad Pro (first generation)
• 12.9in iPad Pro (second generation)
• 9.7in iPad Pro
• 10.5in iPad Pro
• iPad (fifth generation)
• iPad Air 2
• iPad Air
• iPad mini 4
• iPad mini 3
• iPad mini 2

iPod touch

• iPod touch (6th generation)

It’s assumed MacBooks and other Mac computers will also support AirPlay 2 once they are updated to the MacOS High Sierra operating system on 25th September.

Read more at https://www.whathifi.com/advice/apple-airplay-2-everything-you-need-to-know#RsZ8W8DzYjwx5S3B.99

 

http://www.pocket-lint.com/news/141261-apple-airplay-2-what-is-it-how-does-it-work-and-what-devices-are-supported

 

 

 

What can Apple AirPlay 2 do?

• Control multiple speakers from the iPhone or iPad
• Multiple users can add songs to one playlist

Apple AirPlay 2 will add speaker control to the Home app, meaning you will be able to individually control all of your AirPlay speakers from your iPhone for the first time. This is something that can already be done using a MacBook with iTunes, but iOS devices have lacked the ability.

Apple didn't confirm during its keynote address which streaming services will support AirPlay 2, and of course only gave demos using Apple Music, but we believe Spotify has already said that it will be working with the new technology. Considering it's more down to the phone sending the audio signals to the speakers, we'd expect any streaming service you have installed on your iPhone to be able to work with AirPlay 2 speakers.

When you play music from your iOS device, you will be able to select which speakers around your home you want it to be sent to and control individual volumes of those speakers. Something Apple didn't demonstrate was whether you would have the ability to send different songs to different rooms. We would be surprised if you could, though, as the speakers rely on the iPhone to get their music, as opposed to Sonos speakers for example, which are individually connected to the internet, so can obtain different songs from cloud servers.

Another new feature with AirPlay 2, is the ability for multiple users to add songs to one playlist. Say you're at a party, and one person has their iPhone as the music source, playing Apple Music. Other Apple Music users will be able to send songs they want played to the source iPhone, to save having to connect and reconnect several phones.

 

[Lala81]

can summarise what's special about it?

Lol it's just all streaming to me.

[Mustank]

When I reach home, my hall speakers will play 1812 to welcome the return of the king

When I go toilet, the toilet speakers will play flight of the bumblebee to help me do my small business

When I go to sleep, room speaker will play Chopin paint nocturnal

When I go to work, my hall speakers will play ride of valyire

When I lim kopi at home on a raining day just like this, my portable speaker plays vivaldi winter

:xd: