Qualcomm Atheros just released an iOS version of its home media shifting app Skifta, making it possible to stream media from an iOS device to any DLNA receiver. Skifta was previously only available on Android, and the new release combines the app’s DLNA chops with Apple’s AirPlay protocol.
The new iOS app, which comes both with an iPhone and an iPad UI, mirrors the look and feel of Skifta’s Android app. It can be used to stream content from sources like a network-attached storage drive to an iPad or to stream content from the iPad to an AirPlay or DLNA-capable stereo or TV set. Skifta also offers access to a number of online channels that pull in content from services like Soundcloud, Rdio or Flickr.
Having the ability to stream music or video from an iPad to a DLNA-capable TV set is already pretty neat, but Skifta wants to make many more devices available to both iOS and Android users over the coming months. Skifta recently struck a partnership with ODM speaker maker Tymphany to bring its audio module to soundbars and networked wireless speakers.
That fits right in with the bigger vision behind Skifta: Qualcomm Atheros has long viewed Skifta as a way to promote larger initiatives around the connected house. Skifta Director of Product Marketing Gary Brotman told me during a conversation at CES earlier this week that he envisions Skifta-enabled devices will eventually not just play media, but also receive audio notifications from other devices around the house. Your soundbar may stop playing your music and alert you if your washing machine malfunctions, or if someone is at the door, he said.
Here are a few screenshots of the app:
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