iOS 17's AirPlay Feature for Hotel Room TVs Rolling Out 'This Spring'

[MacRumors]

Starting with iOS 17.3 and iPadOS 17.3, you can wirelessly stream content from your iPhone or iPad to a compatible hotel room TV via AirPlay, and we have now learned that the feature should begin rolling out at hotels over the coming months.

A spokesperson for LG today informed MacRumors that the company expects the first hotels to install AirPlay-enabled smart TVs "later this spring," meaning that the feature should be available by mid-June at the latest. LG last year announced that it would be the first manufacturer to offer AirPlay on both new hotel room TVs and older models released in "recent years," suggesting the capability could be enabled with a software update on some existing hotel room TVs.

Apple first announced this feature at WWDC 2023 last June, and it said that IHG Hotels & Resorts would be the first to offer it at select hotels. IHG owns many well-known hotel brands in the U.S. and abroad, including Holiday Inn, Crowne Plaza, Kimpton, InterContinental, Candlewood Suites, Staybridge Suites, Hotel Indigo, Avid, and others.

IHG and other major hotel companies, including Hilton, Hyatt, Marriott, Wyndham, and others, did not respond to our requests for comment.

Once available, the feature will allow you to scan a unique QR code on a hotel room TV to establish an AirPlay connection, allowing you to wirelessly stream videos, music, and photos from your iPhone or iPad to the TV. After the pairing process, your device will also automatically be connected to the hotel's Wi-Fi network.

"With no logins or passwords to remember and no separate app to download, this will be the simplest way for a hotel to enable guests to access their personal entertainment apps and accounts on the big screen in their room," LG said last year.

Google already offers a similar Chromecast streaming feature on some hotel TVs that works with both iPhones and Android devices.

With thousands of hotels across the U.S. alone, it will likely take a long time for the AirPlay-enabled TVs to roll out widely. Where it is available, the feature will provide a much improved experience for quickly and seamlessly streaming content.

Article Link: iOS 17's AirPlay Feature for Hotel Room TVs Rolling Out 'This Spring'

 

[coffeemilktea]

At last, the dream of streaming the vast collection of cat video compilations I have on my phone to the hotel TV is within my grasp.

 

[ShivneelSingh]

I miss those days when Apple would announce the next MacOS or iOS update in June, and ALL features would roll out in September or October.

 

[CalMin]

This is awesome, although I expect it will be years before I go into a hotel and this actually works. I have gotten to the point where the TV in the room is basically redundant because I just watch my own iPad content. Being able to use a TV for this (like I do at home) will be a nice quality of life upgrade.

As with CarPlay, it will be a while before we see it everywhere. And like with CarPlay, if other business see it as a threat to their revenue streams, it will be blocked, disabled or removed.

 

[brubeast]

I look forward to enjoying this feature in 25 years when the average hotel takes advantage.

 

[ShivneelSingh]

This is awesome, although I expect it will be years before I go into a hotel and this actually works. I have gotten to the point where the TV in the room is basically redundant because I just watch my own iPad content. Being able to use a TV for this (like I do at home) will be a nice quality of life upgrade.

As with CarPlay, it will be a while before we see it everywhere. And like with CarPlay, if other business see it as a threat to their revenue streams, it will be blocked, disabled or removed.

Yeah I don’t see this rolling out at high-end hotels because they charge like $20 to rent a movie. “Accessorial” is how they earn a lot of profit.

 

[Unami]

Nice in theory, but the hotels I'm staying at have just the crappiest Samsung-TVs money can buy. I usually just bring my AppleTV and a HDMI-cable.

 

[mattopotamus]

This is awesome, although I expect it will be years before I go into a hotel and this actually works. I have gotten to the point where the TV in the room is basically redundant because I just watch my own iPad content. Being able to use a TV for this (like I do at home) will be a nice quality of life upgrade.

As with CarPlay, it will be a while before we see it everywhere. And like with CarPlay, if other business see it as a threat to their revenue streams, it will be blocked, disabled or removed.

I can't remember the last time I got in a rental that didn't have CarPlay.

 

[icanhazmac]

Looking forward to this but as many have said, it will be a while until it is widely available.

As it stands now I bet I haven't turned the TV on in 99 of my last 100 hotel stays.

 

[Promostyle]

Curious... In hotel, who watches video on a TV?

 

[turbineseaplane]

I’ve been traveling for over a decade with an HDMI cable and a 30 pin and now lightning connection kit

Works everywhere with no hassles or concerns about compatibility

 

[mikeray]

It would be great to know where I can get these tvs!

 

[G5isAlive]

Yeah I don’t see this rolling out at high-end hotels because they charge like $20 to rent a movie. “Accessorial” is how they earn a lot of profit.

B

Nice in theory, but the hotels I'm staying at have just the crappiest Samsung-TVs money can buy. I usually just bring my AppleTV and a HDMI-cable.

you guys need to upgrade from the no tell motels… I usually stay at Marriott’s and the tv’s are both decent and many of them already support the equivalent android cast technology.

of course, the bad news is with the bigger the tv, the harder it is to hack in with an hdmi cable because they tend to mount them closer to the wall. Life isn’t fair. Do hope Airplay gets instituted soon.

Curious... In hotel, who watches video on a TV?

business travelers? Parents with young kids? anyone that needs some quiet time to just relax.

 

[Surf Monkey]

I look forward to enjoying this feature in 25 years when the average hotel takes advantage.

That’s the problem with this. Unless Apple is sending out a massive army to install the hardware at no cost to the hotel owners we can expect this to appear in a VERY small number of hotels now and for the foreseeable future.

 

[Dremmel]

This has the potential to be amazing if hotels take advantage of it.

 

[Surf Monkey]

Curious... In hotel, who watches video on a TV?

Lots of people. Not everyone staying in a hotel is on vacation. One very high profile example is stand up comedians and improv troops. Watching video in hotel rooms as they tour the country is what they do. The same holds true for any traveling job that doesn’t include a tour bus. Those people watch video on the bus.

 

[Surf Monkey]

This has the potential to be amazing if hotels take advantage of it.

The question is: what advantage does it offer the hotelier? Are more people going to book rooms because they have this? Enough people to offset the costs of installing it in all the rooms?

 

[turbineseaplane]

This has the potential to be amazing if hotels take advantage of it.

Why would they want to help you avoid paying them $20 for an in room movie?

 

[G5isAlive]

That’s the problem with this. Unless Apple is sending out a massive army to install the hardware at no cost to the hotel owners we can expect this to appear in a VERY small number of hotels now and for the foreseeable future.

No hardware required. This is all done by software upgrade in LG TV’s. Just like when LG rolled out airplay in their home TV line a few years back. The software upgrade was even available for TV’s there were several years old. The bottle neck is going to be the hotels implementing the software download. The fact that many have done this already for androids bodes well.

 

[mattopotamus]

Curious... In hotel, who watches video on a TV?

What does that even mean? I feel confident most people turn it on at night if they are not just watching videos on their phone.

 

[Sorinut]

Curious... In hotel, who watches video on a TV?

🤷🏻‍♂️

I travel quite a bit and I don't think I've turned on the tv in a hotel in five years.

I usually read.

 

[Coffee50]

The question is: what advantage does it offer the hotelier? Are more people going to book rooms because they have this? Enough people to offset the costs of installing it in all the rooms?

I think if hotels already have LG TV's its just a software update. They mentioned models released in recent years, so even older models will be able to receive the update.

 

[G5isAlive]

Why would they want to help you avoid paying them $20 for an in room movie?

So not sure what hotels you guys are staying at, but i havent been in one that offered in room movie rentals in years. Usually they are smart tv's with free options for NetFlix and YouTube and other streaming options, and sometimes even for casting from an android device. This is already happening, LG is just a tad late to the party with Airplay.

 

[turbineseaplane]

I think if hotels already have LG TV's its just a software update. They mentioned models released in recent years, so even older models will be able to receive the update.

Again, assuming they aren't running and financially preferring their own system on said TVs

I'm amazed at how often I see totally custom rolled UIs on hotel TVs still, and how elaborate they can be.

 

[G5isAlive]

The question is: what advantage does it offer the hotelier? Are more people going to book rooms because they have this? Enough people to offset the costs of installing it in all the rooms?

Question has already been answered. This type of technology (casting from personal devices) is already offered in high end hotels in the form of android casting. It's done in software so the cost is minimal to deploy. Frequent travelers with the budget for it will select hotels with modern amenities.