The new Apple TV and the tvOS

Mugunth Kumar

Agenda

• Hardware

• tvOS input devices

• Software

• tvOS vs iOS

• SDK

• tvOS SDK vs iOS SDK

Hardware

• Apple A5 chip (32-bit)

• Wi-Fi (802.11n) and Ethernet

• HDMI 1.3

• Optical Audio

• Infrared Remote

• Classic Bluetooth

Hardware

• Apple A8 chip (64-bit)

• Wi-Fi (802.11n) and Ethernet

• HDMI 1.4

• Optical Audio

• Infrared Remote

• Bluetooth 4.0

What hasn’t changed?

What hasn’t changed?

• Still the same old HDMI

• No Thunderbolt

• No 4K

• USB-C - Only for service/support

Hardware Improvements

• HDMI 1.4

• Bluetooth 4.0

• Apple A8 chip (64-bit)

Difference

Difference

• Significant improvements in the processor and processor architecture

Difference

• Significant improvements in the processor and processor architecture

• A brand new “Siri” remote

Difference

• Significant improvements in the processor and processor architecture

• A brand new “Siri” remote

• Game Controller Support

Difference

• Significant improvements in the processor and processor architecture

• A brand new “Siri” remote

• Game Controller Support

What the Apple TV really is

Apple is positioning the Apple TV as a game console rather than a traditional TV

But consoles are powerful!

But consoles are powerful!

But consoles are powerful!

• But we all fall into this trap

• Most of us don’t have time to play console games

Price

Price

• Console games take years to develop.

Price

• Console games take years to develop.

• Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 - $250 million

Price

• Console games take years to develop.

• Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 - $250 million

• Grand Theft Auto V - $265 million

Price

• Console games take years to develop.

• Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 - $250 million

• Grand Theft Auto V - $265 million

• World of Warcraft - $50 million

Price

• Console games take years to develop.

• Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 - $250 million

• Grand Theft Auto V - $265 million

• World of Warcraft - $50 million

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_most_expensive_video_games_to_develop

Price

Price

• Almost like movies

Price

• Almost like movies

• Avatar - $237 million

Price

• Almost like movies

• Avatar - $237 million

• Titanic - $200 million

Price

• Almost like movies

• Avatar - $237 million

• Titanic - $200 million

• The Dark Knight Rises - $230 million

Price

• Almost like movies

• Avatar - $237 million

• Titanic - $200 million

• The Dark Knight Rises - $230 million

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_most_expensive_films

Price

Price• iOS Games are cheaper!

Price• iOS Games are cheaper!

• Angry Birds $140k

Price• iOS Games are cheaper!

• Angry Birds $140k

• Fruit Ninja: $400k

Price• iOS Games are cheaper!

• Angry Birds $140k

• Fruit Ninja: $400k

• Temple Run: $250k

Price• iOS Games are cheaper!

• Angry Birds $140k

• Fruit Ninja: $400k

• Temple Run: $250k

Price• iOS Games are cheaper!

• Angry Birds $140k

• Fruit Ninja: $400k

• Temple Run: $250k

• Most iOS games can be developed for less than a million dollars

Price• iOS Games are cheaper!

• Angry Birds $140k

• Fruit Ninja: $400k

• Temple Run: $250k

• Most iOS games can be developed for less than a million dollars

• If you are a developer yourself, you will spend less than half of this to make hit games/apps on App Store.

Apple’ Stance

Apple’ Stance

• Apple is going against this casual gaming market with the new Apple TV

Apple’ Stance

• Apple is going against this casual gaming market with the new Apple TV

• Games that are cheaper to make

Apple’ Stance

• Apple is going against this casual gaming market with the new Apple TV

• Games that are cheaper to make

• Games that don’t take up your time to play

Apple TV is not a TV.

It’s a platform for you to make games

It’s a platform for you to make games

and apps

“The Future of TV is Apps”

“The Future of TV is Apps”

Tim Cook - CEO, Apple Inc

What kind of Apps

What kind of Apps

Immersive apps that don't require constant user interaction

Content Apps

Content Apps

• Photo apps (Instagram, Flickr)

• News Apps (Flipboard)

HomeKit Apps

HomeKit Apps

• Control your Lights (Philips Hue)

• Control your thermostat (Nest)

Data Apps

Data Apps

• Sports + Sports Scores (ESPN/NBA)

• Dashboard that shows glance-able information about your IoT devices

Developer Tools

Developer Tools

• Developer tools showing real time information (Statusboard - Panic)

• Build status

• CI server status

Missing in tvOS 1

Missing in tvOS 1

As on date, no PIP or split-screen multitasking support on tvOS

Multi-user Apps

Multi-user Apps

• Education Apps (Apps that involve storytelling by teachers)

• Medical Apps (Apps where multiple Doctors can interact simultaneously)

Missing in tvOS 1

Missing in tvOS 1

No Multi-peer Connectivity Framework on tvOS

Advertisements

Advertisements

• Don’t fret ads. People are used to watch ads on TV.

Advertisements

• Don’t fret ads. People are used to watch ads on TV.

• Advertisements on Apple TV can be a significant source of revenue for your apps

TVs start Slow

TVs start Slow

• TVs cannot be turned on instantly. Normally takes about 5-10 seconds

TVs start Slow

• TVs cannot be turned on instantly. Normally takes about 5-10 seconds

• Your customers might not turn on the TV, just to use your app

TVs start Slow

• TVs cannot be turned on instantly. Normally takes about 5-10 seconds

• Your customers might not turn on the TV, just to use your app

• They are better off using their iPhones/iPads for these tasks

Software

Software

• tvOS is a modified version of iOS 9

• The third generation Apple TV ran a modified version of iOS 8.3

Differences from iOS

Differences from iOS

• New Remote

• Means new ways to interact

Differences from iOS

• New Remote

• Means new ways to interact

Differences from iOS

• New Remote

• Means new ways to interact

• No mouse pointers

• Focus Engine

Issues to Watch out

• Potential Issues with Overscan

• Design your UI accordingly

Overscan

More Differences

More Differences• tvOS Apps are standalone unlike watchOS apps

More Differences• tvOS Apps are standalone unlike watchOS apps

• Run natively on a hardware plugged into a electrical socket

More Differences• tvOS Apps are standalone unlike watchOS apps

• Run natively on a hardware plugged into a electrical socket

• No battery drain issues

More Differences• tvOS Apps are standalone unlike watchOS apps

• Run natively on a hardware plugged into a electrical socket

• No battery drain issues

More Differences• tvOS Apps are standalone unlike watchOS apps

• Run natively on a hardware plugged into a electrical socket

• No battery drain issues

• Cannot store more than 200Mb of data

More Differences• tvOS Apps are standalone unlike watchOS apps

• Run natively on a hardware plugged into a electrical socket

• No battery drain issues

• Cannot store more than 200Mb of data

• Use iCloud + On-demand resources

Native vs TVML

tvOS - Native vs TVML

tvOS - Native vs TVML

• There is no UIWebView or WKWebView in tvOS

tvOS - Native vs TVML

• There is no UIWebView or WKWebView in tvOS

• All JavaScript apps have to be based on TVML - Apple’s own markup language very similar to HTML

tvOS - Native vs TVML

• There is no UIWebView or WKWebView in tvOS

• All JavaScript apps have to be based on TVML - Apple’s own markup language very similar to HTML

• Plenty of templates on developer.apple.com/tvOS

tvOS - Native vs TVML

tvOS - Native vs TVML• Going native is preferred if you are planning to

make universal apps

tvOS - Native vs TVML• Going native is preferred if you are planning to

make universal apps

• Lots of code reusability

tvOS - Native vs TVML• Going native is preferred if you are planning to

make universal apps

• Lots of code reusability

• The differences between tvOS and iOS are more subtle than Mac OS X and iOS

tvOS - Native vs TVML• Going native is preferred if you are planning to

make universal apps

• Lots of code reusability

• The differences between tvOS and iOS are more subtle than Mac OS X and iOS

• If you are a iOS developer, getting your hands on Native tvOS is straight forward

Lessons Learnt

Lessons Learnt

• Focus Engine is more profound that you think

Lessons Learnt

• Focus Engine is more profound that you think

• Focus engine is so intuitive that your grandma can use it

Lessons Learnt

• Focus Engine is more profound that you think

• Focus engine is so intuitive that your grandma can use it

Lessons Learnt

• Focus Engine is more profound that you think

• Focus engine is so intuitive that your grandma can use it

• Overscan isn’t that great a deal

Questions?

@mugunthkumar