Google Wants To One-Up Apple With New AirPlay Competitor

AirPlay is one of Apple’s killer features in iOS or the Mac. As long as you have an AirPlay-compatible speaker or, better yet, an Apple TV in range, you can automatically stream video or audio to another device, all without pairing first.

Now according to a new report, Google wants to not only launch its own bonafide AirPlay competitor, but one-up AirPlay by offering true second screen capabilities to customers using Android devices with their Google TVs.

Right now, Android users have various options available to them when it comes to audio and video streaming, most of it provided by DLNA. The problem is that different device manufacturers implement only portions of DLNA, and it’s a fragmented mess.

Google’s idea is to launch an AirPlay-like standard for Android devices. But this standard would do more than just mirror your screen. It would actually allow your tablet to show data that supplemented what was on your display.

GigaOm explains:

And it’s not just about remote control functionality and beaming a video from your mobile phone to the TV we are talking about. The new protocol makes it possible for data to flow in both directions, Drayson explained, which would enable developers to build second-screen experiences that correspond to what’s happening on live TV as well. Also on the roadmap: beaming content from your laptop to your TV screen.

So, imagine watching an NFL football game, and loading up a corresponding Android app that would show you an overview of the field and real-time stats simultaneously. That’s the kind of functionality we’re talking about.

Sounds like quite the trip, but Google needs to get its hardware partners on board for any of this to take off. Meanwhile, Apple’s already got the living room penetration, and they could literally introduce similar functionality as soon as iOS 7.

• Source GigaOM

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