Everything you need to know about AirPlay 2

During the last inaugural keynote of the Worldwide Developer Conference WWDC that took place on Monday, June 11, Apple announced iOS XNUMX, the new version of its operating system for mobile devices, which will come with a whole series of novelties and features that have the potential to transform, once again, the way we use and interact with our devices, especially if we refer to the iPad.

One of those novelties was the announcement of AirPlay 2, the new version of this technology that allows us to transmit audio and video from an iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch or Mac device to a compatible device such as Apple TV. AirPlay 2 builds on this functionality that has already existed for years and builds on it to introduce three new features that could really change the way we users use technology. If you want to know much more about AirPlay 2, do not miss what comes next.

Air Play 2 Compatible Devices

The vast majority of Apple users, if not all, already know what AirPlay is, that function that allows us, for example, to play a video on our iPhone and send it to Apple TV to see it on the big screen; or listen to our favorite playlist through compatible speakers, controlling the playback from our iPhone. AirPlay technology is especially useful for presenting in meetings without having to use cables, but also for showing our friends and family the zillions of photos we have taken on our last vacation trip or, for example, to see content in the Apple TV from certain platforms that have not yet released the corresponding app, for example, the Mitele content.

And now, after many years enjoying this technology, it is the turn of the second generation, AirPlay 2, which it will officially arrive sometime next fall as an integral part of the new iOS 11 and macOS High Sierra operating systems.

As I have mentioned before, AirPlay 2 incorporates three new and very interesting functions however, before seeing what AirPlay 2 can do (or can already do since the beta versions are already in circulation from the same keynote of WWDC 2017) maybe we should know which devices will be compatible with the second generation of AirPlay since, unfortunately for many users, not all devices will receive this novelty.

The devices and equipment compatible with AirPlay 2 will be:

• IPhone devices (with iOS 11):
  • 7 iPhone Plus
  • iPhone 7
  • iPhone 6s
  • 6s iPhone Plus
  • iPhone 6
  • 6 iPhone Plus
  • iPhone SE
  • iPhone 5s
• IPad devices (with iOS 11)
  • 12,9 ”iPad Pro (XNUMXst generation)
  • 12,9 ”iPad Pro (XNUMXnd generation)
  • 9,7 ”iPad Pro
  • 10,5 ”iPad Pro
  • iPad (from 2017)
  • iPad Air 2
  • iPad Air
  • iPad mini 4
  • iPad mini 3
  • iPad mini 2
• iPod touch (with iOS 11) XNUMXth generation.
• Apple TV (with tvOS 11) XNUMXth generation
• Mac computers (with macOS High Sierra)
  • MacBook late 2009 onwards
  • iMac late 2009 onwards
  • iMac Pro (will go on sale at the end of the year)
  • MacBook Air from 2010 onwards
  • MacBook Pro 2010 onwards
  • Mac Mini from 2010 onwards
  • Mac Pro 2010 onwards

What's new in AirPlay 2

The novelties that AirPlay 2 introduces and that the previous generation of this technology cannot do are reduced to three fundamental aspects:

1. AirPlay 2 adds support for controlling speakers through the Home app, which means that users will be able to select through which speakers the audio is played, control the volume for those speakers independently and regardless of the location in the home.
2. AirPlay 2 will also support multi-room audio, like the Sonos.
3. And if we talk about playlists, AirPlay 2 will allow multiple users to add songs to playlists; The name of this feature is "Shared Up Next", and while it is perfect for Apple Music, it will also be available for third-party applications, as Apple has made the AirPlay 2 API available to developers.

Compatible Speakers

Evidently the new HomePod will be compatible with AirPlay 2 when it launches later this year, but not all existing AirPlay speakers will support the unique features of AirPlay 2. Libratone and Naim are the two companies that have already confirmed that their current AirPlay speakers will be upgradeable to AirPlay 2 via a software update, while Bowers & Wilkins has confirmed that a new speaker will need to be purchased to get AirPlay 2.

Some of the manufacturers that will offer support for the new generation of AirPlay are:

• Bang & Olufsen
• Naim
• Angry
• DEVIAL
• DYNAUDIO
• Hits
• Polk
• Denon
• McIntosh
• Marantz
• Bowers & Wilkins
• Libratone
• blue sound
• Definitive Technology

In addition, if you own a 4th generation Apple TV with tvOS 11, any speaker connected to it will automatically function as an AirPlay 2 speaker.