Apple is reportedly close to partnering up with Roku to bring AirPlay 2 support to the streaming hardware company’s media players and smart TV sets.
MacRumors‘ sources, who first reported the hook-up could be on the cards last month, now believe the deal is almost finalised. According to the report, AirPlay 2 support would be added to the RokuOS devices via a software update to TV and branded media players.
That could include third-party television sets made by the likes TCL, Sharp, Hisense, Hitachi, Sanyo, and RCA. If a deal is reached, it would certainly include own-branded devices like the Roku Express, Roku Premiere and Streaming Stick ranges.
Related: Roku Streaming Stick+ review
The news follows Apple’s opening up of the AirPlay technology to televisions made by Samsung at CES 2019, which also sees the inclusion of the Apple iTunes Store on a non-Apple TV device for the first time.
The likes of Vizio, LG and Sony are also including AirPlay 2 technology, which enables users to stream content from an iPhone, iPad or Mac to another display. It represents a change in policy from Apple, which had previously guided iPhone and iPad owners towards an Apple TV device if they wish to stream content to the living room TV set.
The AirPlay 2 tech in particular also adds the ability to connect to multiple audio devices. That tech has seen speaker-makers like Sonos rush to add the streaming technology to devices like the Sonos One, Sonos Play and Sonos Beam.
Right now the report claims Apple and Roku are plotting a launch date for the update, but it’s possible the accord may be timed to coincide with Apple’s March 25 event, confirmed earlier today.
A spokesperson for Roku said “we don’t have anything to share regarding to this now.”
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