Apple's AirPlay from iPhone to Apple TV
Hours after tech specs declared that Apple Vision Pro could stream video to an iPhone, iPad, or Apple TV in 1080p, the tech specs have been revised downward.
Apple added the ability to select an iPhone or iPad as an AirPlay target in iOS 17.2. As it turns out, this was intended for people not wearing an Apple Vision Pro headset to see what's on the internal screens.
Tech specs revealed for the first time on Friday morning initially said that AirPlay streaming to at target device like an iPhone or Apple TV set top box could be "up to 1080p." In a late Friday evening change, Apple has revised that downward to 720p.
Interestingly, the list of compatible streaming targets includes the decade-old second generation Apple TV, which was only capable of 720p streaming. It wasn't until the third generation that 1080p streaming was added to the device.
It's unclear why the change was made. AirPlay screen mirroring from a Mac to target device is limited to 1080p, but an AirPlay target can also pick up a video stream from the source when directed by a device.
For instance, a Mac can mirror a display to an Apple TV at 1080p. That same Mac can send a video stream's network data to a device like an Apple TV, and it will stream natively on the Apple TV without a "middle-man" device.
In the case of an Apple Vision Pro's eye screens, this is clearly the former, not the latter. AppleInsider has reached out to Apple for comment and clarification.
