LG Expands AirPlay 2 and HomeKit Rollout to United States, Remaining 4K UHD TVs Will Receive Update in October

LG today announced that AirPlay 2 and HomeKit are now available through a firmware update on select 2019 OLED and NanoCell 4K UHD smart TVs with ThinQ AI capability in the United States. The remaining 4K UHD TV series in LG's 2019 lineup are expected to receive these features in October.

LG began rolling out AirPlay 2 and HomeKit on July 25, but the firmware update was not available in the United States until July 29.

AirPlay 2 support enables users to stream videos, music, podcasts, and more directly from an iPhone, iPad, or Mac to a compatible LG smart TV, with no Apple TV necessary. And with HomeKit, users can easily control the TV's power, volume, source, and more using Siri or the Home app on iPhone, iPad, and Mac.

AirPlay 2 and HomeKit are also available in beta on select Vizio smart TVs, and both features will be rolling out to select Sony models later this summer. Samsung also offers AirPlay 2, but not HomeKit, on select TVs.

Many customers have petitioned LG to offer AirPlay 2 and HomeKit on its older smart TVs, but the company has not budged so far, noting that it "cannot guarantee" that pre-2019 models "will be able to deliver a seamless user experience." LG did note that it "may be a possibility in the future."