Realistically, after Apple's announcement, any product in a category where other models offer AirPlay is going to have the same problem.  Even the preferred partners like iHome and B&W who have committed to AirPlay compatibility will have to try and sell the non-AirPlay units in the interim.  My gut feeling is that no current dock will be AirPlay upgradeable (save for the extra box add-on of an AE unit) and customers who desire direct integration will have to wait for next gen models to appear in 2011.  I would expect CES to be chock full of AirPlay compatible prototypes and future product announcements.  Audyssey is in  the same boat with the South of Market Dock, having revealed and now launched it very shortly after the AirPlay announcement.  I asked them directly and they said that they are looking into AirPlay for future products, but the current SoM dock will remain as is.  Like others here though, my guess is that B&O will not upgrade the 8 to include AirPlay soon, or even at any point in the future.

 

Jeff

PhilLondon:

I think they were not even aware of AirPlay until it was announced by Apple a few weeks ago.

Airplay has not even launched yet .....

Never mind all the tweaking and updating that apple will need to do afterwards before it will be fully stable.

 

Airplay for audio is the same as the old AirTunes. It's been there for a few years now and its specs are stable.

The only benefit of having airplay vs airport express is that the wireless is built in.  I use an airport express with a digital optical cable at one end for my stereo receiver and a 3.5 size at the other (digital, not analogue) plugged in to the airport express.  

I guess B&O would have known about airplay because companies like Apple need companies like B&O to adopt it in their products.  I would also suggest that the licencing fees would be outrageous for B&O.  Which kind of reminds me why apple doesn't integrate HDMI (they don't want to pay).  Apple is too closed and I agree with Trip's comments earlier about integrating this kind of tech.

Can't wait to touch one in the flesh and listen to it. 

Michael:

The only benefit of having airplay vs airport express is that the wireless is built in.

Just a few precisions on the advantages of integrated AirPlay over Airport express.

With Integrated AirPlay:

• you do not use the so-so DAC of the AirPort express,
• the volume slider on the iPhone controls the actual device volume, rather than sending a lower signal,
• and more importantly, the remote control commands are passed by the device back to the iPhone or iTUnes. Let's say you press the UP key on your Beo4 or Beosound 8 remote, and the Beosound 8 receives it and sends a signal to iTunes or the iPhone that will make it skip to the next song.

P.

 

Is this still a B&o forum? Am I the only one who thinks Apple is enormously overrated, very user-unfriendly (iTunes!). I prefer Windows Media player.

I don't  want to put a PC on and use iTunes when playing music. In fact I don't want to use Apple or a computer at all. So hopefully B&o comes up with there own network-system.

jc:

I don't  want to put a PC on and use iTunes when playing music. In fact I don't want to use Apple or a computer at all. So hopefully B&o comes up with there own network-system.

Exactly this would be the trick if Beosound 8 has airplay: You don´t need to put a PC on when playing music, you only start the song from your IPod/IPad and the song would be streamed directly to Beosound 8!

/Räuber

It is quite amazing now, with airplay, the iPhone is not only a 2 way remote control, it also becomes the source of music!

I am sure AirPlay will be a success in a year or 2.