Now that AirPlay 2 is out with iOS 11.4, we’re starting to learn more about when speaker makers will release support in their products. Libratone shared this week that two of its speakers will work with AirPlay 2 starting in September.
Both the compact ZIPP mini and full size ZIPP Bluetooth and Wi-Fi speakers will gain AirPlay 2 support through a free software update from Libratone due out in three months.
Libratone ZIPP and ZIPP mini join Apple’s HomePod and newer Sonos speakers as the first to work with AirPlay 2. Speakers connected to Apple TV 4 and Apple TV 4K also work with AirPlay 2.
HomePod and Apple TV-connected speakers already work with AirPlay 2, and Sonos plans to release support later next month. Apple has also shared a list of specific speakers that will eventually work with AirPlay 2, but so far Sonos and Libratone are the only speaker makers sharing a timeline.
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Both Libratone speakers will fill a slot in the AirPlay 2 speaker market currently left open. ZIPP and ZIPP mini are both Wi-Fi speakers which allow them to work with AirPlay 2, but they’re also portable units that work with Bluetooth when Wi-Fi isn’t available.
ZIPP mini and ZIPP are also priced below HomePod at $249 and $299 — $100 and $50 below HomePod’s list price. Apple has also said it will release a second AirPlay 2 speaker under the Beats brand, but connection and price details are unknown for now.
Libratone ZIPP mini and ZIPP are both available for purchase already, and AirPlay 2 support will come through a free software update in September — enabling Siri control from iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, and HomePod. AirPlay 2 also allows speakers from different brands to work together for streaming audio across multiple rooms in sync.
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