Apple’s TV App and Apple TV+ arrive on 2019 LG TVs

The Apple TV app, including access to the new streaming service Apple TV+, has now arrived on LG smart TVs. This week, LG announced the launch of the Apple TV app on compatible 2019 LG smart TVs in the U.S. and in over 80 other countries worldwide. The app will also arrive on 2018 smart TVs later this year, and it's available on 2020 TVs at launch.

Users are able to access the new app from the LG Home Launcher, and can then stream Apple TV+ shows, subscribe to Apple TV channels, access their iTunes video library, and buy or rent over 100,000 movies and TV shows from iTunes.

In addition, LG touts that Apple's wide range of titles available in Dolby Vision - like most Apple TV+ content - will be supported on LG's latest TVs. Apple's AirPlay 2, which allows users to mirror content from their iPhone, iPad or Mac on their TV, is also available. So is Apple's HomeKit, allowing the TV to be controlled with Apple's Home app or by using Siri.

The Apple TV app, AirPlay 2, and HomeKit will now work on all of LG's 2019 OLED TVs, NanoCell TVs (series SM9X and SM8X). Later this month, the app will arrive on select UHD TVs (series UM7X and UM6X). And later this year, support will be extended to LG's 2018 TVs via an over-the-air firmware upgrade. However, anyone buying a 2020 LG TV will have the Apple TV app available at launch, the company says.

With the launch of Apple TV+ in November, Apple had no choice but to support a wider ecosystem in order to accommodate the variety of ways people today watch TV. Today, the TV app works on all Apple devices and the web, plus streaming media players like Fire TV and Roku. However, only Samsung was the first to have the TV app available across a wide number of smart TVs. According to Apple's website, other TV manufacturers including Sony and VIZIO, only offer AirPlay 2 support for now.