“In a series of uncharacteristic partnerships with tech rivals, Apple has shown its willingness to rethink how its tightly-controlled ecosystem of software and services can expand beyond the iPhone,” Steve Kovach writes for CNBC. “pple’s first major partnership announcement came in November, when Amazon said it would bring Apple Music to Echo devices and let users control playback using Alexa, a competitor to Siri.”
“At CES in Las Vegas… TV makers like Sony and Vizio announced new models that work with Apple’s AirPlay 2 technology, which lets you beam video from your iPhone or iPad to a TV,” Kovach writes. “The TVs are also compatible with HomeKit, Apple’s system for controlling smart home devices like connected light bulbs and power outlets. Until now, these features have mostly been restricted to Apple TV.”
“The big one came from Samsung, one of Apple’s major rivals. The Korean gadget maker announced at CES on Sunday that it would bring a new iTunes app to some models of Samsung TVs, meaning you’ll be able to log into your Apple account on your Samsung TV and stream movies and TV shows from your iTunes library,” Kovach writes. “Amazon’s Alexa can now control Apple Music, and Samsung has convinced Apple to write an iTunes TV app based on Samsung’s Tizen operating system. Those new Sony TVs run on Android, meaning you’ll be able to use Siri to control Google software. This is just the beginning. It’s not a stretch to imagine the partnerships announced over the last month will extend to other platforms too, like Google Home speakers, Roku boxes and Amazon’s FireTV.”
Read more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: Reaching beyond the installed base is smart not only for growing services, but also for giving the hoi polloi a fleeting glimpse of the garden and the tempting fruit (intuitive UIs, iMessage, privacy, security, high quality original content, etc.) that thrives inside its protective walls.
A little sip of ice water here and there can go a long way towards coaxing the sufferers out of their self-imposed hell.
SEE ALSO:
Apple is changing its attitude about working with partnersApple’s HomeKit was a surprise winner of CES 2019 – January 9, 2019
LG smart TVs, including ‘World’s First Rollable OLED TV,’ to support of Apple’s AirPlay 2 and HomeKit
Monday, January 7, 2019
VIZIO to support Apple’s AirPlay 2 and HomeKit – January 7, 2019
Apple promotes HomeKit at CES, spotlights new smart home accessories for 2019 – January 7, 2019
Apple inks deal with to distribute content on Samsung smart TVs – January 7, 2018
What ever happened to facetime being open standard?
Apple has been fighting some patent trolls that have been making this impossible, silently replaced most of the contended issues, but apple still unable to fully release it.
iTunes ran on Windows PCs about 15 years ago. Where was the “walled garden”.
For quite a while I’ve had a Marantz music system in my bedroom which was blissfully unaware of Apple’s walled garden and allows me to play audio from my iPhones and iPads via AirPlay. AirPlay was always intended to be used by third party manufacturers.
Where Realnetworks was sued into oblivion for giving iPod users a choice of device management.
I wouldn’t have bought an iPod if iTunes didn’t work on windows. That started me on a path to being “all apple”.
I’m NEVER buying a phone based on Android.
I just wish I could call for my company to buy Macs. Right now, I can’t- simply because I don’t know for certain WHAT Apple will do with the Mac line. It’s worse now than back in the early ’90s when a local vendor couldn’t put together a package of several Macs for a small office that I worked at. We were ready to spend 30k to 40k on a package of computers and the vendor just couldn’t put it together*. It was sad. Now the power, design, usability, longevity, connectivity, and price isn’t an issue. The issue is What is Apple’s Mac strategy? What do I say when my boss asks me “do you think Apple will support these Macs in 4 or 5 years?” That’s more sad. Allocation of software development dollars must be a nightmare. Will customers buy our Mac software if we develop it? Start thinking like that and the writing is on the wall. Considering how loyal I am to Apple, writing these words is painful. Real painful.
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*the vendor was “Micro Center”, a relativity large (then and now) retailer. They are still in the same location and they still sell Macs. I was just in that store, looking at monitors and the Mac sales person didn’t know much. A grave mistake. I just I should say “another grave mistake”. History repeats itself. 🙁
Hey Zerorandy, just a reminder… if you are gonna post here… try to tone it down a little. Keep your foul language to yourself. Much appreciated!
I think the sad part is that zerorandroidy gives zero fscks about anyone except himself. I mean, that’s what zerorandy’s name really means: ZeroFscks.
Sad. Build the border wall and keep Zeroes out. Glad to see Apple already has a wall.
“Those new Sony TVs run on Android, meaning you’ll be able to use Siri to control Google software.” I don’t get this statement. Is there now a Siri that runs on Android. More likely is that you’ll be able to control Apple software (iTunes) on the Sony TVs via Google Assistant.
Build bridges not walls!! 😤😤
With Opera as My President (much love) I demand that Apple Immediately open its borders to Android.
Hey “open borders” George – tear down the walls around your own privileged life and maybe we’ll believe you. Until then we need walls to keep skumbagges like leftist you OUT.