About AirPlay Technology
Apple prefers to do things wirelessly, and one area where it has excellent wireless features is media. AirPlay is a technology invented by Apple and used to broadcast audio, video, photos, and the contents of device screens to compatible, Wi-Fi-connected devices. For example, if you want to stream music from an iPhone X to a Wi-Fi compatible speaker, use Airplay.
AirPlay Availability
AirPlay is available on every device sold by Apple. It was introduced in iTunes 10 for the Mac and was added to iOS devices with iOS 4 on the iPhone and iOS 4.2 on the iPad. AirPlay is compatible with:
iOS 4.2 or newer iPhone 3GS or newer Any iPad model 2nd generation iPod touch or newer A Mac made in 2011 or later Apple Watch (Bluetooth audio only) Apple TV (2nd generation or newer)
AirPlay doesn’t work on the iPhone 3G, original iPhone, or original iPod touch.
AirPlay Mirroring
AirPlay mirroring technology lets AirPlay-compatible iOS devices and Mac computers display whatever is on the screen via an Apple TV device. With this feature, you can show the website, game, video, or other content that is on your device’s screen on a big-screen HDTV or projector screen, as long as an Apple TV is attached to it. Mirroring is often used for presentations or large public displays. This capability requires Wi-Fi. Devices that support AirPlay Mirroring are:
iPhone 4S and neweriPad 2 and newerMost Macs2nd generation Apple TV and newer
How to Use AirPlay Mirroring on an iOS Device
To mirror what you are doing on an iPhone (or other iOS devices) to a TV or projector screen that is attached to an Apple TV device:
How to Use AirPlay Mirroring on a Mac
Screen mirroring from a Mac is a little different.
AirPlay Streaming for Music, Video, and Photos
With AirPlay, users stream music, video, and photos from their iTunes library or iOS device to compatible, Wi-Fi-connected computers, speakers, and stereo components. Not all components are compatible, but many manufacturers include AirPlay support as a feature for their products.
AirPlay on Windows
While there used to be no official AirPlay feature for Windows, things have changed. AirPlay is built into Windows versions of iTunes. This version of AirPlay isn’t as full-featured as the one on the Mac. It lacks mirroring capabilities, and only some types of media can be streamed.
AirPrint: AirPlay for Printing
AirPlay also supports wireless printing from iOS devices to Wi-Fi-connected printers that support the technology. The name for this feature is AirPrint, and most current printers support the technology.
