MacLife UK – August 2019

list of content already announced, there’s little

chance it won’t make a big impact.

TV+ isn’t Apple’s only trick. It’s also just

launched a brand new Apple TV app, which

simpliĽes and pulls together streaming options

from a host of diļerent providers, as well as

essentially integrating the rental and purchasing

facilities of iTunes. Landing Ľrst on iOS and tvOS

devices, shortly after on the latest Samsung smart

TVs, and on the Mac later this year, the new app

also adds ol·ine viewing support for services like

HBO, in some cases marking the Ľrst time such

services have allowed content downloading. Some

might call it stealth marketing — by steering users

towards accessing Netľix or Prime Video content

through the Apple TV app, the company gets eyes

on the TV+ service when it launches.

GETTING CLEVER

Smart TV isn’t just changing in terms of the

services it carries. Many major players are applying

some form of AI to their interfaces as well as their

picture processing. LG’s ThinQ screens, for

example, can harness Google Assistant and use

their own internal brains to oļer up intelligent

voice control, banishing the frustration of battling

through smart TV menus — as long as they really

do know what you’re asking for — and adding

new functionality.

And the smarter TVs get, the more we’ll be able

to do with them using our mobile devices. More

HomeKit and Airplay 2 integration, and more is

surely coming, means greater automation and

additional functions available — it’s a beneĽt to

both sides of the equation. While we don’t think

Siri will be built into our screens any time soon

(particularly since the rumors of an Apple TV set

have surely been further quashed by this new level

of third–party cooperation) the spread of HomeKit

does at least mean some level of additional control

being made available to Siri on your phone.

HOW TO Send content to a Chromecast from your Mac

Start the browser

You’ll need the Google Chrome

web browser installed, and a second–gen

Chromecast or later (we found that the

first gen wasn’t listed as a target). Open

Chrome, click the three–dot (...) icon in

the top right, and select "Cast".

Select the source

Chrome can send all sorts of

things to a Chromecast, from the content

of your current browser tab to a specific

media file to your Mac desktop. Use the

Sources options at the base of the menu

to select what to send.

Select the target

Choose your Chromecast device

in the upper list. A new "cast" icon will

appear in the Chrome extension area; if

you want to cast media like YouTube, look

out for the same icon in–browser, or click

this one to stop streaming.

Sony’s XG95 series has Google Assistant and Chromecast built in and should be

updated to support AirPlay 2 later this summer.

Image rights from top: Google, Sony.

Home Life

72 AUG 2019 maclife.com