Two of tech’s biggest rivals are working together: Apple and Samsung partnered to make it easier for people to watch iTunes content. In an announcement coming out of CES 2019, the companies stated that 2018 and 2019 Samsung Smart TVs will gain the ability to play iTunes movies and TV shows this year, along with AirPlay 2 support. Last year’s Samsung Smart TV models will get these new features via a firmware update, while all 2019 models will come with them built in.
A new, dedicated app for iTunes holds all users’ movies and TV shows purchased through Apple’s service. The app will appear in a carousel along with other services including Netflix, YouTube, and Amazon Prime Video.
Previously, iTunes video playback was limited to the iTunes app on Apple devices and Windows PCs, as well as the Apple TV set-top box. That severely limits users’ access to movies and shows they purchased from Apple, considering all the new ways people can consume digital content today (smart TVs, set-top boxes, mobile apps, to name a few). Now, users will be able to log into their iTunes accounts and play movies and shows directly from their Samsung Smart TV, without needing a dedicated Apple device.
AirPlay 2 support expands on this: users with Apple devices like iPhones and iPads can stream videos, photos, music, podcasts, and other content to their Samsung Smart TV. The announcement specifically mentions playback of movies and shows via the smart TV app, but AirPlay 2 gives users the flexibility to play almost anything from their iPhones and iPads on their Samsung Smart TV. Samsung’s news comes as other companies including LG and Vizio announce support for AirPlay 2 and HomeKit in their newest TVs as well.
It’s possible that this business move hurts the sales of the newest Apple TV 4K, but it’s understandable in the long run. Apple is laying the groundwork for its upcoming TV streaming service, which is slated to debut sometime this year. Numerous content announcements showcased what types of shows and moves we can (and cannot) expect from Apple, but we’ve heard little on how users will access the service. It’s possible that Apple will make the streaming service available on all platforms via one of its apps, be it iTunes or Apple Music.
Apple’s partnership with Samsung is just one of the iPhone-maker’s recent collaborations. At the end of last year, Apple brought its music streaming service to Amazon’s Echo devices, allowing Apple Music subscribers to control playback using the Alexa voice assistant.
We’ll likely see more partnerships like this between Apple and others going forward as Apple focuses more on its services business. The tech giant recently revised its Q1 2019 outlook to account for slumping iPhone upgrades and poor device sales in China. However, Apple consistently highlights its services business in its quarterly earnings reports as it has continued to be successful: in Q4 2018, Apple’s services business hit $100 billion in revenue.
https://arstechnica.com/?p=1436935