14 DAY TRIAL // Thanks to the latest software update for Apple TV, teachers, educators, and network administrators will no longer have to bother using Bonjour to enable AirPlay for a presentation using an iOS 7.1 device.
According to those who’ve documented the hidden gem, “In addition to Bonjour over UDP negotiation for AirPlay, iOS 7.1 devices will also look for AirPlay sources using Bonjour over bluetooth when doing it’s scan! This means you do NOT need bonjour over UDP for AirPlay -discovery-. Once the host is discovered, AirPlay data is then transmitted over the normal network.”
The feature requires devices that support Bluetooth 4.0, meaning one of the newer Apple TVs and one of the most recent iDevices, including iPhone 5, iPhone 5s, iPhone 5c, iPad 4, iPad Air, iPad mini, and iPad mini with Retina Display.
The Apple TV needs to be running software version 6.1 and the iDevice needs iOS 7.1 for the Bluetooth thing to be possible. Also required is IP connectivity between the two devices. Macs aren’t compatible with the feature yet, as OS X 10.9.2 currently doesn’t support this little gimmick. However, it is being speculated that Apple might add this in the upcoming OS X 10.9.3 update for Mavericks.