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Apple adds iOS 16 restrictions: DRM content is no longer supported through HDMI adapters after AirPlay

Shulou Source: shulou.com Published: 2023-11-24 13:52:11 10月01日 Update

CTOnews.com, January 5: after Apple released an update to iOS 16 a few months ago, users found that they could not play DRM-restricted content on older Apple TV models through AirPlay. Recently, some users reported that they could not play DRM content through the HDMI adapter.

According to a number of posts on Apple Discussion Forums, iPhone and iPad users can no longer use HDMI adapters to watch videos on streaming platforms such as Netflix, Amazon Prime Video and HBO Max. Users say the adapter still supports screen casting, but the screen darkens when they try to play any video that is restricted by DRM.

A Reddit netizen said in a post earlier today that Netflix support staff confirmed to him that it is no longer possible to watch movies and programs on the platform using HDMI adapters on devices running iOS 16, and that this situation will not change.

The post reads:

I just talked to Netflix support about issues where HDMI cannot be used after iOS 16. They said they had decided not to support HDMI. For those of us who live in remote areas or even 12 miles from the city without access to the Internet, mobile phones are my main way of watching.

As mentioned earlier, however, this problem does not seem to be specific to Netflix. In fact, it may have something to do with what caused the AirPlay, which is restricted by DRM, to stop working on the old Apple TV. Once iOS 16 was released to the public, users noticed that they could no longer project the content of Netflix and other streaming applications on Apple TV running old software through AirPlay.

It is not clear what has changed, because Apple has never said anything about it. However, it seems that iOS 16 uses a new version of DRM, which is not compatible with old devices.

CTOnews.com small class: DRM, English full name Digital Rights Management, can be translated as: digital rights management. Digital rights management refers to the technology of rights protection, use control and management of digital content, such as audio and video program content, documents, e-books, etc., in the process of production, dissemination, sale and use. Digital rights management mode is mainly divided into two modes: "flexible digital rights management" and "rigid digital rights management".