Sony updates some 2018 and 2019 TVs to support AirPlay 2 and HomeKit

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HomePod and iPhone
HomePod and iPhone (Image credit: iMore)

What you need to know

  • Sony is rolling out an update to some of its TVs.
  • The update adds support for HomeKit and AirPlay 2.
  • Some 2018 and 2019 TVs are seeing the update already.

Sony has started rolling out a new software update to some of its 2018 and 2019 TVs, with support for AirPlay 2 and HomeKit added once it is installed. The update is being applied to select 2018 and 2019 models.

Sony announced that it intended to update some TVs to support AirPlay 2 and HomeKit earlier this year, with that update now rolling out as part of a wider Android 9 refresh. It also adds support for Dolby Atmos, according to FlatPanelsHD (via MacRumors).

The update is available for the 2018 A9F and Z9F models as well as the 2019 A9G, Z9G, X950G, and X850G (55, 65, 75, 85"), the company said. Other Sony TVs will not receive the new features. It is worth noting that the 2018 A9F and Z9F models were not included as compatible models in the original announcement but they are now listed as compatible.

With AirPlay 2 support these TVs will be able to wirelessly receive video and audio from a range of Apple devices, while HomeKit support adds the TV to the Apple Home app on iPhone, iPad, and Mac. That also opens up a world of Home automation that wasn't previously available as well.

This update doesn't bring the Apple TV app with it, unfortunately. Hopefully an announcement on that front will arrive sooner rather than later.

Oliver Haslam
Oliver Haslam
Contributor

Oliver Haslam has written about Apple and the wider technology business for more than a decade with bylines on How-To Geek, PC Mag, iDownloadBlog, and many more. He has also been published in print for Macworld, including cover stories. At iMore, Oliver is involved in daily news coverage and, not being short of opinions, has been known to 'explain' those thoughts in more detail, too. Having grown up using PCs and spending far too much money on graphics card and flashy RAM, Oliver switched to the Mac with a G5 iMac and hasn't looked back. Since then he's seen the growth of the smartphone world, backed by iPhone, and new product categories come and go. Current expertise includes iOS, macOS, streaming services, and pretty much anything that has a battery or plugs into a wall. Oliver also covers mobile gaming for iMore, with Apple Arcade a particular focus. He's been gaming since the Atari 2600 days and still struggles to comprehend the fact he can play console quality titles on his pocket computer.