Without a doubt, the modern television experience has been flawlessly incorporated with smart TV applications. With a variety of content options, users can now easily download and install new programs straight into their smart TVs, improving their watching experience.
This post explores the world of smart TV applications and offers some insights into the difficulties smart TV app development companies face.
What are smart TV apps?
Smart TV applications are designed specifically for smart televisions. They allow users to stream, play, and browse directly from their TV screens. Unlike web and mobile applications, smart TV apps are focused on passive content consumption.
source: pcmag.com
Benefits of smart TV app development for businesses
Developing and launching a smart TV app isn’t just a smart move — it’s a game changer. You can gain:
Expanded reach
Imagine your app in living rooms around the world! With smart TVs becoming a household staple, your app can reach a vast and varied audience, from tech enthusiasts to casual viewers.
Enhanced user engagement
Smart TVs are a playground for rich, engaging content. Those large screens and killer sound systems mean you can create experiences that truly captivate and entertain users.
Revenue generation
You have a whole toolset of alternatives at your disposal to monetize your app and maintain a steady flow of revenue. This includes in-app sales, subscriptions, advertisements, and pay-per-view options.
Brand visibility
Stand out in the crowd. Being on smart TV platforms puts your brand front and center, building recognition and loyalty as users see your name across their favorite devices.
UI/UX considerations to bear in mind
Smart TV application development is way too different from mobile and web app building. Consequently, many UI/UX rules here are different or more important than on mobile and web platforms.
The general rules of UI/UX for smart TVs are as follows:
- Dark mode only. Ensure the interface is optimized for dark environments to reduce eye strain.
- Error tolerance. Design interfaces should accommodate common input errors and guide users to correct them.
- Focus state function. Clearly indicate which element is currently selected to aid navigation.
- Simplified navigation. Limit navigation depth to no more than three sub-screens to prevent user confusion.
- Several user roles. Support multiple user profiles with distinct settings and preferences to personalize the experience.
- Consistent layout. Maintain a uniform layout across different screens to help users familiarize themselves quickly.
- Responsive design. Ensure the app adapts well to different screen sizes and resolutions.
- Legible fonts. Use large, readable fonts suitable for viewing from a distance.
- Minimal text input. Reduce the need for text input, leveraging alternative input methods like voice commands.
- Load time optimization. Optimize the app for fast load times to keep the user engaged.
- Accessible color schemes. Use color schemes that are accessible to users with color vision deficiencies.
Functions frequently used in smart TV apps
Though the exact set of functions varies by app type, some functions are commonly needed in nearly every smart TV app.
- QR code authorization. Allows quick access to TV content by scanning a QR code with a camera.
- Search. Enables content search by title, actor names, genre, release date, and country of origin.
- Recommendations. Provides personalized content suggestions based on viewing history.
- Continue watching. Offers the option to resume videos from where they were last paused.
- Feedback. Allows users to rate and review movies and shows.
- Favorites. Lets users bookmark content for later viewing.
- Offline viewing. Permits downloading content for offline access.
- Casting. Supports casting content from mobile devices to the TV.
- Smart home integration. Integrates with smart home devices and displays notifications.
Problems smart TV app development companies cope with
Like we’ve said, smart TVs come with their own bunch of challenges. Here they are:
- Limited computational power. TVs have weaker processors, leading to less smooth animation and slower code execution compared to browsers.
- Poor documentation. Some manufacturers provide little to no documentation, forcing developers to rely on forums for solutions.
- Testing on real devices. Emulators don’t fully replicate TV functionality and have unique bugs, necessitating real TV testing.
- No debugging tools. TVs lack built-in debugging tools, requiring developers to create custom solutions.
- Connection loss handling. Apps must robustly handle network disconnections, as tested by manufacturers like Samsung.
- Diverse JavaScript APIs. Each manufacturer’s unique API complicates cross-platform development.
Is it even worth it?
Of course! There are countless opportunities to reach a large audience and provide interesting content with smart TV applications. Despite the difficulties, the potential advantages make the investment worthwhile.
To nail the process, we recommend you outsource the development to smart TV app development companies. They are familiar with speed optimization, platform-specific nuances, and the best practices for designing UI/UX that are easy to use. By utilizing their knowledge, you can make sure your app is unique and offers consumers a flawless experience across a variety of smart TV platforms.
