Under The Microscope

Airfoil for Mac Version 4.5 – Now Receiving From iOS and iTunes

Airfoil for Mac IconLess than 8 months ago, we unveiled Airfoil 4, a major update to our tool to help you play audio all around your house. We didn’t stop there though, and now we’re unveiling Airfoil 4.5. This update brings two major new features to Airfoil Speakers, as well as other improvements, including full support for third-party AirPlay devices. Best of all, it’s a free update for all licensed owners of Airfoil 4.

Read on to learn more, or just head over to the Airfoil page to get it now.

Send It Right to Airfoil Speakers

The biggest change in Airfoil 4.5 is actually found in Airfoil Speakers. Airfoil Speakers can now receive audio from several new sources, without even needing to use Airfoil. What does that mean for you?

First and foremost, Airfoil Speakers for Mac can now receive audio from your iOS device! Launch Airfoil Speakers, and it will appear in the list of AirPlay devices on iOS. When you play audio in an app on your iPhone, iPod Touch, or iPad, you can select Airfoil Speakers from the AirPlay list, and you’ll hear the audio right on your Mac.

iOS sending to a Mac running Airfoil Speakers

Send audio from your iOS device right to your Mac

Airfoil Speakers can now also receive audio directly from iTunes. You’ve always been able to do this by setting iTunes as your source in Airfoil, but now you can play audio directly from iTunes on Mac OS X or Windows, right out to any Mac running Airfoil Speakers. We’ve even worked with CatPig Studios to add support for sending from their Radium audio player directly to Airfoil Speakers.

Airfoil Speakers remains a complimentary add-on for Airfoil, but if you’re using it on its own (without Airfoil), you’ll want to be sure to enter your Airfoil license into Airfoil Speakers to ensure it’s fully unlocked.

Enhanced Remote Controls and Metadata

Airfoil 4 added remote control support for Airfoil Speakers, enabling you to control supported sources remotely. With version 4.5, Airfoil Speakers can now remotely control even more sources – we’ve added support for Spotify, Rdio, and Radium! You’ll also get album artwork and track titles from these sources, right inside Airfoil Speakers. To see the full list of supported sources, see this Knowledge Base article.

Airfoil Speakers controlling Spotify

Note the album art and track titles, as well as the remote controls

AirPlay Too

Airfoil 4.5 also adds full support for third-party AirPlay devices, from companies like iHome, JBL, and many more. If you’ve got a certified AirPlay audio device, Airfoil will be able to send audio to it!

A Supported AirPlay device

The B&W Zeppelin Air is just one of many supported devices

Get It Now

All these awesome new features and much more, and yet Airfoil 4.5 is a free update for licensed owners of Airfoil 4. You can download it immediately from the Airfoil page.

If you’re still using Airfoil 3, upgrade to version 4.5 for just $10.

Finally, if you’re a Windows user as well, be sure to check out the newest version of Airfoil for Windows, which has also shipped today!

11 Responses to “Airfoil for Mac Version 4.5 – Now Receiving From iOS and iTunes”

  1. Yarrow says:

    I use AirServer ( http://www.airserverapp.com/ ) currently to receive A/V from iOS devices. Will this conflict at all? If I run both, how do I select which app is in charge of receiving the stream?


  2. valerialaura says:

    You people are the best!!
    :)


  3. Paul Kafasis says:

    Yarrow: There shouldn’t be any conflicts, no. As far as “which is in charge”, I’m not sure I follow. You select where the streams go – you control it all.

    valerialaura: Thanks!


  4. Waldo says:

    How about the airfoil touch speakers? Will the iOS app be updated as well?


  5. Paul Kafasis says:

    Waldo: Oh yes – stay tuned to this very blog!


  6. Yarrow says:

    Paul: in iOS I see my Mac Mini or my iMac as speakers I can send to. On both machines I have both AirServer (for video but it does audio also) and Airfoil Speakers telling devices on my network they can Airplay to them. Will they show up as separate Airplay destinations? If not, can I choose which app provides which Airplay services, somehow?


  7. Yarrow says:

    PS: agree with valerialaura – you guys rock! Such awesome apps :)


  8. kjm says:

    excellent work. ‘just added Airfoil Speakers as a login item, since you’ve gone and made it even more useful. thank you.


  9. Waldo says:

    Paul: awesome news, thanks!


  10. Paul Kafasis says:

    Yarrow: We haven’t used AirServer at all, so you’ll need to test this yourself. They should show up as distinct outputs – you can change the name Airfoil Speakers presents in its preferences, which should help you to distinguish. Try it out and see.

    kjm: Glad to hear it!


  11. Yarrow says:

    Aha! You are right Paul, I can change the name in each app. Thx :)


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