Amazon’s Fire TV Stick is one of the best streaming dongles available today. At just $39, it’s actually better than Google’s Chromecast in a number of ways, with one being the built-in Appstore from where you can install a ton of apps on the dongle itself to enhance its functionality. And since Fire TV Stick is running a fork of Android called Fire OS, you can even sideload Android APK files for apps that aren’t available on Amazon’s Appstore.
Out of the box, the Fire TV Stick (and Fire TV set-top box) understandably don’t support Apple’s AirPlay or Google’s Cast for beaming videos, music, photos and screen mirroring from iOS or Android devices onto the big screen. It has its own proprietary standard for accepting videos, photos and screen mirroring beamed wirelessly from mobile devices and that of course is available only on Amazon’s own Fire OS range of devices, including the Fire Phone and Kindle Fire tablets.
But as mentioned earlier, thanks to Fire TV Stick’s ability to install apps, you can easily add AirPlay and even Google Cast functionality to Fire TV Stick, essentially turning it into an all-in-one device that accepts AirPlay (like Apple TV) from iOS devices, Google Cast (like Chromecast) from Android and iOS devices, DLNA and Amazon’s own streaming protocol.
Previously we have already told you guys on how to add Google Cast functionality to Fire TV Stick, today we are going to talk about the app which brings Apple’s AirPlay feature to Fire TV Stick.
Called AirPlay/DLNA Receiver (PRO), this app effectively bridges the compatibility-divide between the Fire TV Stick and Apple’s iOS and Mac devices. It also works on the Fire TV set-top box!
When installed on Fire TV Stick, it basically allows the device to receive media-based content sent from any device that supports Apple’s AirPlay. Simply put, all media content including music, videos, and photos on an iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, and Mac can be streamed directly to the Amazon Fire TV Stick thanks to AirPlay/DLNA Receiver (PRO). And that is not it, this app even supports AirPlay Mirroring from all iOS devices and Macs!
Yes there are other apps that claim to offer this type of functionality on Fire TVs, but in our tests, the AirPlay/DLNA Receiver (PRO) worked the best and is easily one of the most reliable and feature packed with instant out-of-the-box support for iOS 9. At $4.99, the app might be on the expensive side but it’s totally worth having.
Research may suggest that the Apple TV 4 is hogging the majority of the set-top box streaming market, but Amazon’s Fire TV Stick undoubtedly has its place in the market, especially for those who travel a lot. At just $39.99 it is an absolutely fabulous cheap option for those who want a streaming or AirPlay alternative while on the move.
In addition to providing AirPlay on the move, you can also install apps like Plex, Slingplayer, Kodi and even play games like Crossy Road on it.
Download: AirPlay/DLNA Receiver (PRO) for Fire TV Stick from Amazon: $4.99
If you don’t have Fire TV Stick yet, you can get one from here:
Buy: Fire TV Stick with Standard Remote from Amazon: $39.99
Buy: Fire TV Stick with Voice Remote from Amazon: $49.99
You may also like to check out:
You can follow us on Twitter, add us to your circle on Google+ or like our Facebook page to keep yourself updated on all the latest from Microsoft, Google, Apple and the Web.