Apple has released iOS 11.4 which means we all get to finally try AirPlay 2, Apple's streaming feature that has been in development for almost a year now.
AirPlay 2 is Apple's updated way to store content to TVs and other devices. It's built for video and audio but it's the audio side that everyone's interested in as it means you can pair two Apple Homepod speakers, arguably a feature that really should have been available day one of the Homepod’s release.
That said, AirPlay 2 has finally arrived to the masses. It's available on the Homepod and, as of early July, on Sonos' entire 2018 catalog of products. We'll have more details down below, but the addition of AirPlay 2 brings Siri support on top of Amazon's Alexa - creating one of the first smart speakers to have two assistants on the same device.
Why do we care about AirPlay 2 in the first place? Not only does it bring Siri support to devices, but it allows you to create multi-room systems (like what Sonos has done with its own software) on any AirPlay 2 compatible device. All you need to do to activate AirPlay 2 is swipe up from the bottom of the screen on your iOS device and select the music playback section. In it, you'll find your AirPlay 2-compatible speakers - all of which can stream the same music simultaneously.
So what speakers are AirPlay 2-compatible? We're glad you asked.
AirPlay 2: Sonos
AirPlay 2: Bang & Olufsen
- Beoplay M3
- BeoVision Eclipse (audio only)
- Beoplay A6
- BeoSound 1
- BeoSound 2
- BeoSound 35
- BeoSound Core
- BeoSound Essence mk2
- Beoplay A9 mk2
AirPlay 2: Libratone
- Libratone Zipp
- Libratone Zipp Mini
AirPlay 2: Naim
- Naim Mu-so QB
- Naim Mu-so
- Naim ND 555
- Naim ND5 XS 2
- Naim NDX 2
- Naim Uniti Nova
- Naim Uniti Atom
- Naim Uniti Star
