AirPlay and AirPlay mirroring feature of iOS is WP's biggest hurldle to overcome

[saintforlife]

AirPlay is the biggest advantage (and the coolest feature) Apple has over all other platforms when it comes to making people stay loyal and stick with iOS, more so than any apps or ecosystem. I can't emphasize enough how cool and convenient AirPlay mirroring is and how easy it is to set up with one click of a button on your iPhone or iPad.

What does Windows Phone 8 and Nokia have in store to counter this killer feature from Apple? Please tell me it is something better than DLNA. Android has AirTwist which is a start, but still doesn't have the full 'mirroring' function.

For people that don't know what AirPlay is:
https://forums.windowscentral.com/e...pUvbUpU1700226%26subId2%3Dvbwp&token=RLfZpJpM

 

[anon(5335877)]

...is the biggest advantage Apple has over all other platforms when it comes to making people stay loyal and stick with iOS, more so than any apps or ecosystem. I can't emphasize enough how cool and convenient AirPlay mirroring is and how easy it is to set up with one click of a button on your iPhone or iPad.

What does Windows Phone 8 and Nokia have in store to counter this killer feature from Apple? Please tell me it is something better than DLNA. Android has AirTwist which is a start, but still doesn't have the full 'mirroring' function.

I thought there was a thread on this?

http://forums.windowscentral.com/wp8-general-discussion/196780.htm

In there they said SmartGlass, but I'm not sure if it's supports mirroring. I can't find any real info regarding mirroring, I guess we have to wait?

 

[smoledman]

Yes there better be an answer to these killer iOS features.

 

[Heron_Kusanagi]

WP8 has gone gold. So it's time to wait for the full feature release.

 

[smoledman]

Maybe Belfiore has something truly awesome to show us in 6 weeks.

 

[12Danny123]

Maybe Belfiore has something truly awesome to show us in 6 weeks.

Agreed. I think we'll be stunned!! MS has stuff up it's sleeve people

 

[Mio_Ray]

Here is a thought. Play a game, browse a webpage, operate an app... Put down the device and continue your work another device!

That would make Airplay look like a kids toy.

Sent from my Lumia 800 using Board Express

 

[vp710]

Here is a thought. Play a game, browse a webpage, operate an app... Put down the device and continue your work another device!

That would make Airplay look like a kids toy.

Sent from my Lumia 800 using Board Express

And it's more than that.

The demos showed an episode of Game of Thrones playing on a TV and a WP automatically providing relevant info to "augment" the show, like maps of the world, characters, families and so on. Same thing possible with games. You can apparently use a WP as a remote / game controller as well. AND more!!

There's so much stuff in the works with MS, it's exhilarating and I think this is why MS will sweep away the competition like a tsunami. Have you guys ever watched videos of tsunamis on youtube? It usually starts slow and people are fooled by this gentle and shallow stream coming in but they quickly realize it's not stopping, and the faster the stream gets, the bigger the waters get. By the time the tsunamis in full on mode and tearing everything apart, they've barely managed to make it to safety and have no other option but to wait in disbelief and pick up the shreds when it's passed.

 

[mmacleodbrown]

Picture Balmer bug eyed and sweating on stage yelling "Integration integration integration"

 

[rockstarzzz]

Picture Balmer bug eyed and sweating on stage yelling "Integration integration integration"

But at this very moment he needs this!

[YT]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KMU0tzLwhbE[/YT]

 

[theefman]

I really don't know why so many are so hung up on what apple does. I already use Smartglass with my Windows 8 tablet and can already send media to my Xbox. When it's finished and we can use all the promised features is anyone really going to be saying how much they want it to be like apple?

 

[sconrad308]

I was playing with it a little bit tonight and this will beat Apple Air Play and Apple TV, imagine doing everything you do with Air Play and Apple TV but it also being a game console and everything else.

I really don't know why so many are so hung up on what apple does. I already use Smartglass with my Windows 8 tablet and can already send media to my Xbox. When it's finished and we can use all the promised features is anyone really going to be saying how much they want it to be like apple?

 

[Shibby48]

I really don't know why so many are so hung up on what apple does. I already use Smartglass with my Windows 8 tablet and can already send media to my Xbox. When it's finished and we can use all the promised features is anyone really going to be saying how much they want it to be like apple?

"When it's finished" is why I switched to Apple. When it is finished, I may switch back...but MS is still playing catch-up. Please ref. my post on a similar topic:

http://forums.windowscentral.com/marketplace-apps/185334.htm

 

[michail71]

I was playing with it a little bit tonight and this will beat Apple Air Play and Apple TV, imagine doing everything you do with Air Play and Apple TV but it also being a game console and everything else.

I messed around with the xbox and Lumia 920 and I couldn't seem to do anything useful with it. Can you project media to the xbox like you can with iOS and apple TV? All I could get working was using my phone as an xbox controller which just seemed kind of gimmicky.

One major annoyance was all the app launching and having to sign into the xbox with the same account. With airplay it just works and with no fuss whatsoever.

 

[brmiller1976]

Airplay is super-proprietary and requires a bunch of extra Apple hardware (or an Airplay-certified speaker, which costs hundreds of dollars extra).

Bluetooth audio works just as well, has higher playback fidelity, and costs a LOT less.

 

[unstoppablekem]

Maybe Belfiore has something truly awesome to show us in 6 weeks.

lets hope he adds Xbox video support...

 

[michail71]

Airplay is super-proprietary and requires a bunch of extra Apple hardware (or an Airplay-certified speaker, which costs hundreds of dollars extra).

Bluetooth audio works just as well, has higher playback fidelity, and costs a LOT less.

Have you ever used airplay?

My experience with BT audio has been orders of magnitude worse and more problematic than anything I've ever experienced with airplay. Not to mention the range restrictions and dropouts.

I have a $99 apple TV in my home theater system that's hooked into thousands of dollars worth of audio equipment. Airplay has always sounded amazing. Since it doesn't do any trans-coding I'm not sure how the fidelity could be impacted.

Airplay is fast, supports simultaneous multiple devices, preserves the original sound source, supports video, works on local LAN and doesn't require any pairing, configuration or fussing around beyond being on the same local network.

 

[brmiller1976]

I am quite familiar with Airplay. It is installed throughout an office where I used to work for screen mirroring and music, and never worked quite right for the average user.

Bluetooth is easier, higher quality, faster, cheaper and non-proprietary.

The WORST thing that Microsoft could do is introduce another damnable and redundant proprietary approach. Leave the $70 proprietary connectors and $500 proprietary speakers with Apple.

 

[michail71]

The only issue I could see in an office was people having too many choices of where to output their media. I could see that becoming a mess in an office environment.

I had my kids once choose the wrong apple tv, I happened to be watching Netflix at the time and then all of a sudden a youtube video comes up.

But my only investments in Airplay have been two $99 apple TVs. Every other media device I've had I've wanted to go "Office Space" on and smash to bits.

I'd really have to disagree though about BT audio being higher quality. Airplay is lossless so the best it could be would be same, if BT is lossless. That's like saying BT would be higher quality than a cabled connection.

 

[brmiller1976]

Airplay is lovely in theory. Take it beyond an occasional use situation and it quickly breaks down.

It's also 100% locked down and 100% proprietary. Apple controls everything that may be played through it, and even what apps may or may not access it. As a result, third party solutions like Sonos not only cost more due to Airplay, but they cannot even use the full feature set.

No thanks. If I wanted expensive, closed, and "different for different's sake," I'd choose Apple. Microsoft doesn't need to go aping that approach.