AppleInsider Staff
LG on Monday announced select 2019 smart TVs now benefit from integration with the Apple TV app and Apple TV+ service, with availability rolling out in the U.S. and more than 80 other countries.
The Korean tech company touted the new capability in a press release, saying owners of compatible televisions can access the app and corresponding streaming service via the LG Home Launcher.
Like previous Apple TV app integrations, including select Roku devices, LG TV owners are able to subscribe to Apple TV Channels, browse an existing iTunes video library and buy or rent shows through the native app. Apple TV+ access enables streaming of Apple's original series and specials.
While a complete list of supported hardware was not provided, the company notes all 2019 OLED TVs and NanoCell TVs (series SM9X and SM8X) now Apple technologies including Apple TV, AirPlay 2 and HomeKit. LG announced plans to Integrate AirPlay 2 and HomeKit last July, and subsequently rolled out the feature as part of a software update issued later that month.
LG plans to bake the Apple TV app into select UHD TVs (series UM7X and UM6X) in February, while both the app and Apple TV+ will be made available on 2018 model year TVs later this year through an over-the-air firmware release.
Today's news arrives almost a month after LG at CES said the Apple TV app and Apple TV+ would arrive on 2020 model year smart TVs.
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8 Comments
That's good news! Now Apple only need to make Apple TV+ compatible with "compatible Apple TV models"! There is a large number os Apple TV 3rd generation (listed as compatible by Apple) users, like me, who just can't watch Apple TV+ content. Every time I play either a series or a movie from Apple TV+, in a few minutes, I'd get AV sync issues.
The same issue is not reproducible in any of the other apps, like Netflix. Solution so far: plug the HDMI cable on my MBP to watch Apple TV+ content.
Hope Apple TV+ catches on to such an extent that TV manufacturers have a dedicated Apple TV+ button on their remotes, just like they have Netflix right now.
If I turn that LG TV off and on again, does it remember it was in Apple TV mode and go straight back to it, or do you have to manually press some buttons/menus to return to the Apple TV app? I own a car with Apple CarPlay but when I turn my car on I have to wait 30 seconds for the car manufacturer's splash screens to finish displaying before I have to manually press the screen to restart CarPlay.