13 
There could be some really awesome new products coming our way next month at Apple’s rumoured September iPhone event. The Telegraph is reporting that Apple is going to release an update to AirPlay—dubbed “AirPlay Direct”— that would take away the need for a home Wi-Fi network.
All you’d need to stream music would be your iOS device over cellular data and AirPlay speakers. But does that mean it would be an ad-hoc wi-fi connection? With Wi-Fi Plus Cellular popping up in the iOS 6 beta, such an idea might make more sense for when you’re away from your home network. I guess we’ll see in a couple of weeks. [The Telegraph]
It also makes sense for standard Airplay. When I Airplay HD video originating from my NAS to my ATV via the iPad, it works seamlessly, but when I try full screen mirroring from many on-demand services I get endless buffering issues. Many other people have this and it is reputed to be issues with the wifi base station. Various configuration changes on their wifi module has helped other people but so far I have had no success. I am of course hoping a direct connection between my iPad and the ATV would eliminate this issue.
Other than that (which could be avoided if the various on-demand services followed the Airplay rules properly) Airplay works a treat.
I, too, am hoping sometime down the line direct connection to ATV from either a macbook/ipad/iphone will happen.
Should definitely make mirroring less susceptible to current lag issues (when base station isn’t as close as you’d like)
I hope Google sues for copying Wifi Direct (2011)
What would be the point though? Jury wouldn’t look at the evidence.
Why would they? Google doesn’t own Wifi Direct, it simply started using it in 2011. Wifi Direct is little more than an ad-hoc standard which is certified by the Wi-Fi Alliance (who own the wi-fi trademark), an alliance that Apple are already associated with.
Whether what Apple is planning uses the Wi-fi direct standard or it’s own propriety standard is something between Apple, itself and the Wi-Fi Alliance – but nothing to do with Google.
It was a half arsed joke, couldn’t really care.
I was laughing at this part:
“New Version of AirPlay that Doesn’t Need a Separate Wi-Fi Network”
It already exists and is called Wifi Direct. My 5 year old projector has this!
I’ve literally no idea why ALL companies aren’t doing something like this. Bar networkable amplifiers, which aren’t cheap, there’s no wireless way to get music from your laptop/computer/xbox/HDD/NAS drive to an amp and speakers. It’s ridiculous!
The market STILL seems to be all about iPod docks, which is only half way to the perfect solution. I want to wirelessley network to where my total music collection backup lives. And what about Spotify users?!
Because batteries are shite and if you are going to plug them in to charge, you might as well plug them into the music dock.
erm… i have 2 sony boxes that wirelessly stream from my NAS. i have a 3rd that can stream from NAS to AVR (onkyo 709) all my video and audio and pics too. this can be controlled via my iphone or android too…
there are plenty of devices that stream from laptops etc… maybe you need to look for them. luckily im not locked into the fruity way of doing things so i have a vast array of choices that dont rip me off
Man, this wireless stuff has been around for a long time. Way back yonder I setup a Slim Server (Squeezebox) Network which allowed wireless access to all my music, either from my computer or the cloud to my hifi in the living room. Worked fantastic. After 7 years I am still using it and every room in the apartment has some sort of Squeezebox player.
But since I bought my Apple TV, I also have that connected to my hifi, so I can use Spotify from my iPad and Airplay perfectly across to my hifi with the best possible user interface.
Any Mac user can also Airplay direct from their laptop or iMac to their hifi if an ATV is connected.
It’s all there, and been there for a while.