LG Officially Launched AirPlay 2, HomeKit Support for These Smart TVs

LG announced on Tuesday that it is currently rolling out AirPlay 2 and HomeKit support for certain 2019 TV models in the U.S.

The TV maker began deploying AirPlay 2 and HomeKit last week, but the official firmware update didn’t become available until Monday, July 29.

1. AirPlay 2 will allow users to stream videos, music, podcasts and other content straight from an iOS device or Mac to their LG TVs.
2. HomeKit support means that users will be able to control their LG smart TVs — including adjusting volume and powering the device off — with Siri voice commands or the Home app.
3. Users will also be able to add their LG TVs to scenes or other HomeKit automations.

Support for the Apple features should now be available via firmware update on select OLED and NanoCell 4K UHD smart TVs that have ThinQ AI capabilities, LG said in a press release. The only exception appears to be the SM8100 model.

LG says the remaining TVs in its 4K UHD TV lineup will receive AirPlay 2 and HomeKit in a future release sometime in October.

As far as older LG smart TVs, LG has said that it “cannot guarantee” that models made before 2019 will “be able to deliver a seamless user experience.” In other words, the company may not have plans to offer Apple features on older TV models. But it did note that AirPlay 2 support “may be a possibility in the future.”

LG is one of several smart TV makers who announced AirPlay 2 and HomeKit support back at CES ’19. As you might expect, that came as a surprise to Apple users familiar with the Cupertino tech giant’s walled-garden approach to software.

The rollout means that LG is currently the only global TV manufacturer to support HomeKit (along with being one of the first to support AirPlay 2). While Samsung currently offers AirPlay 2 functionality on some of its smart TVs, it doesn’t offer HomeKit support.

AirPlay 2 and HomeKit are currently available as a beta feature on some Vizio smart TVs. Sony is also expected to roll out support for the two features sometime this summer.