There's no AirPlay on the Quest, but that's not for lack of trying. In a post on X, Meta CTO Andrew 'Boz' Bosworth says the company is happy to do the “heavy lifting” of bringing Apple's media streaming to the Quest—if Apple will allow it.
Legendary programmer and former Oculus CTO John Carmack recently wrote that he “always wanted to get Apple AirPlay support on Meta Quest” while working on Meta X. However, he noted that Apple “will not cooperate” on bringing the wireless streaming protocol, which allows audio, video, and other media content to be streamed from one device to another.
I've always wanted Apple AirPlay support on Meta Quest but was told Apple wouldn't cooperate.
There were certainly groups that said “damn the meta”, but there are certainly groups that want AirPlay to be a widespread standard on every screen and want to see the value in it…
— John Carmack (@ID_AA_Carmack) August 21, 2024
Bosworth responded: “We’d be happy to do whatever heavy lifting is necessary to support this!”
That’s a big “if.” While AirPlay isn’t exclusive to Apple devices, as many Google TV and Android TV users can attest, it does require Meta to enter into a partnership with Apple, which would be a first. Apple may be reluctant to “give away” one of its major ecosystem benefits, especially when Meta is clearly following Vision Pro’s lead by integrating a number of Vision Pro-style features, such as bringing native support for the spatial MV-HVEC video codec to the Quest.
Such a partnership typically includes a licensing agreement, access to the AirPlay SDK and documentation, and a submission process for testing and validation. Additionally, Apple typically requires manufacturers to regularly update the firmware on their devices to stay compatible with new versions of iOS, macOS, and tvOS, and to include any updates to the AirPlay protocol.
It’s not yet clear to what extent Apple will allow AirPlay support. With the Vision Pro, users can not only stream media from iOS and Mac devices to the headset, but also stream gaming sessions to AirPlay-enabled TVs so viewers can follow the action; this is less likely since AirPlay sessions require Apple hardware to be launched. That functionality is essentially covered by Meta’s own broadcasting feature, though.
In the meantime, there are some unofficial workarounds that currently include basic AirPlay support on the Quest. Skybox VR Video Player It has an experimental feature for AirPlay, but it has had mixed results when it comes to casting and screen mirroring.
Here's a video courtesy of YouTuber 'The Construct' that walks you through the intricacies of getting AirPlay working using the paid app on Quest.