In a surprise move, Samsung has announced it will offer iTunes Movies and TV Shows and Apple AirPlay 2 support on 2019 Samsung Smart TV models beginning this spring.
Support on 2018 Samsung Smart TVs will be made available via firmware update. In an industry first, a new iTunes Movies and TV Shows app will debut only on Samsung smart TVs in more than 100 countries. AirPlay 2 support will be available on Samsung Smart TVs in 190 countries worldwide.
With the new iTunes Movies and TV Shows app on Samsung Smart TVs, Samsung customers can access their existing iTunes library and browse the iTunes Store to buy or rent including a selection of 4K HDR movies. iTunes Movies and TV Shows will work seamlessly with Samsung’s Smart TV Services, such as Universal Guide, the New Bixby and Search, to create a consistent experience across Samsung’s platform.
With AirPlay 2 support, Samsung customers will be able to play videos, photos, music, podcasts and more from Apple devices directly to Samsung smart TVs, including QLED 4K and 8K TVs, The Frame and Serif lifestyle TVs, as well as other Samsung UHD and HD models.
“We pride ourselves on working with top industry leaders to deliver the widest range of content services to our Smart TV platform,” said Won-Jin Lee, EVP, Service Business of Visual Display at Samsung Electronics.
“Bringing more content, value and open platform functionality to Samsung TV owners and Apple customers through iTunes and AirPlay is ideal for everyone.”
“We look forward to bringing the iTunes and AirPlay 2 experience to even more customers around the world through Samsung Smart TVs, so iPhone, iPad and Mac users have yet another way to enjoy all their favorite content on the biggest screen in their home,” said Eddy Cue, SVP of Internet Software and Services at Apple.
Broadband TV Views. With the new Samsung deal Apple seems to be shifting its TV plans away from its Apple TV ecosystem onto TV sets from the market leader in quite a few markets. The announcement comes at a time when Netflix, Spotify and Epic Games have decided to drop taking new subscriptions via Apple. It is the first time Apple’s TV service can be viewed on third party devices, probably in anticipation of a full re-launch of the service which will include Apple Originals.
In November 2018, the Apple Music streaming service was made available on Amazon’s Echo smart speakers, the first time the company made its content available on third-party devices.
