Apple Classics
We look back at Apple Air Tunes
AirTunes let you stream music over your home network,
detecting remote speakers connected to AirPort Express
Is it really ten years since Apple introduced its groundbreaking wireless audio streaming protocol? How time flies. AirTunes was first released back in June 2004, along with the first-generation of the AirPort Express wireless base station, as seen here. Working seamlessly with iTunes running on either Macs or PCs (and later, iOS devices), AirTunes let you stream your music all over your home network. The then-current iTunes 4.6 automatically detected remote speakers connected to your AirPort Express base station, and displayed them in a simple pop-up list. When you selected them, AirTunes wirelessly streamed your iTunes music from your computer to your speakers. AirPort Express had a range of up to 150 feet, and multiple base stations could be bridged together to send music to extended areas.
An important update to AirTunes was announced at the iPod event in September 2010. Taking the stage, Steve Jobs said, “Now, what is AirPlay? You know what AirTunes is; listen to music from all over your house from your mobile device. We’re changing the name of AirTunes to AirPlay, and it’s not just music anymore. You can stream all kinds of media anywhere in your house.”
These days, you don’t even need an AirPort Express to use AirPlay. Third-party manufacturers release speakers and sound systems that can receive an AirPlay stream without one. You can also stream TV shows and movies from iTunes to an Apple TV unit, allowing you to enjoy your video content on your TV instead of your Mac. Compatible iOS apps mean you can stream all sorts of content from your mobile devices, too.
When first released all those years ago, AirTunes was a minor feature, but a useful bonus for those who bought an AirPort Express base station. Today, it’s been freed from its hardware restriction and expanded into an incredibly useful streaming format. It’s exciting to imagine where the next ten years will take it.