OS X Mountain Lion supports display mirroring via AirPlay on systems containing 2nd generation Intel Core processors or later.

[11] As of iOS 4.3, third-party apps like ApowerMirror,[12] AirServer, and Reflector may send compatible audio and video streams over AirPlay.

[18] AirPlay wireless technology is integrated into speaker docks, AV receivers, and stereo systems from companies such as Naim, Bose, Yamaha, Philips, Marantz, Onkyo, Bowers & Wilkins, Pioneer, Sony, Sonos, McIntosh, Denon,[19] and Bang & Olufsen.

During the January 2019 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, television makers Samsung, LG, Vizio, and Sony announced they would be producing sets with built-in AirPlay 2 receiving capability.

[27] The protocol supports metadata packets that determine the final output volume on the receiving end.

This makes it possible to always send audio data unprocessed at its original full volume, preventing sound quality deterioration due to reduction in bit depth and thus sound quality which would otherwise occur if changes in volume were made to the source stream before transmitting.

The AirPort Express' streaming media capabilities use Apple's Remote Audio Output Protocol (RAOP), a proprietary variant of RTSP/RTP.

Using WDS-bridging,[28] the AirPort Express can allow AirPlay functionality (as well as Internet access, file and print sharing, etc.)

At WWDC 2011, Steve Jobs, then CEO of Apple Inc., announced AirPlay Mirroring as a feature in iOS 5 where the user can stream the screen from an iPad 2 to an HDTV wirelessly and securely without the need for cables.

[26] On April 8, 2011, James Laird reverse-engineered and released the private key used by the Apple AirPort Express to decrypt incoming audio streams.

[36][37] An open-source AirPlay mirroring server (receiver) known as RPiPlay is available for the Raspberry Pi and Desktop Linux operating systems.