Provided the utility and market share of Smart TV platform is on the rise, becoming knowledgeable of the techniques and approach of Smart TV app development becomes necessary. Smart TV not only allows you to stream the live TV show on your TV devices but it has completely changed.

The user experience of conventional TV platforms. In the contemporary era, smart TV has emerged to be a way to stay connected with the world.

This article aims at providing a comprehensive guide to building smart TV apps in 2023.

What aspects can guide your choice of a Smart TV platform?

Since you are aiming to enter the Smart TV market, the main aim should be to research consumer preferences while they choose a smart TV app. In this sense, the main aspect will be your target audience. Specifically, which segments of the audience do you want to target? Also, the revenue model of your business falls under key consideration.

Before going for a particular Smart TV platform, you need to understand the concept of the OS, its build process, and its utility in Smart TV devices.

It is due to each compatible OS that your Smart TV devices can be connected to the internet. It is similar to software that you have to link either with your set-top boxes or TV devices.

Whatever the choice, Smart TV app development will be profitable anyway. Although as of 2022, the Samsung TV platform has the largest market share globally, the coming year can probably see some changes in the ranking or popularity of the Smart TV platforms.

Now, let’s start with five popular TV OS (WebOS, Fire TV Os, Tizen TV OS, and SmartCast) and their respective development guide

WebOS (LG TV)

As you know, LG TV devices operate on WebOS. Although this OS used to be popular with names like HP WebOS, Open WebOS, and Palm WebOS, now it is only known to be WebOS. WebOS is based on the Linux Operating system. It can be used to build StandbyME models, virtual keypads, and even buttonless remote control units. The StandbyME model is based on webOS OSE 2.19. 0.

Getting more familiar with the features of WebOS

WebOS provides services such as security, devices, networking, and media-controlled functionalities. Also, the System Bus supported by WebOS facilitates app interaction. This is possible with the system components Device Manager, Notification Manager, Cloud Services, Connect SDK Gateway, and others. Consider the below-provided image. The extended features of WebOS allow users to use their mobile devices to navigate across the TV apps of WebOS.

Source: WebOS.tv.developer

If you are into WebOS TV app development, you can use your JavaScript skills to build TV apps on this platform. This, in hand, lets you execute operations like background processing and low-level channeling. You can use Node.js to design these JS-based services.

The sequence of the Home Screen design

While you are farming the Home Screen design of your WebOS TV, you have to consider the below-given sequence.

• Consider designing the Hero Banner at first. This is to render high-quality content. The AI Board or Search category also falls under this segment. So, you cannot skip this segment.
• Secondly, you have to focus on the interface of your TV recommendation. You need to design it in such a manner that the content recommendation shows up as per the user’s watchlist.
• Thirdly, consider the App section. All the interesting apps need to be prioritized in this segment. Note that the criteria ‘interesting’ should be based on the viewer’s watchlist.
• At the fourth position, you have to consider the Home Dashboard. This is needed for the inputs.
• Frequently viewed channels at the fifth ranking of priority.
• Other LG channels. This includes recommended channels along with the VODs.
• Sport-based channels will be at the seventh number.
• LG shopping channels. Note that this can be only accessible to US viewers.
• OTT video recommendations
• Editor’s pick is the last priority.

As we are up for providing comprehensive guidance to the smart TV app, we cannot overlook the app-building workflow.

App building workflow for WebOS TV

For the workflow, you need to

1. Getting started

• Installing all the fundamental tools needed for the WebOS.
• Building the first basic TV app
• Get to know more about the basics of this WebOS TV.

1. App Development

• App designing criteria
• App Implementation
• To test and debug the app

1. App distribution

• Check whether the features of the app have met the checklist of WebOS TV app development.
• App submission and distribution.

Fire TV OS (Amazon TV)

Amazon TV is based on Fire TV OS. you have to use tools such as any Android Frameworks or Android Studio to build the TV apps of Fire OS. Besides, it can consider the Fire App Builder for the task of Fire OS TV app development. Most importantly you can only add customizable functionalities to your TV app if you are well-versed with the Fire OS TV technology.

It can connect multiple devices such as the Fire Stick of Amazon to your Amazon TV app. So, opting for Fire Os can be profitable if you are looking for high-quality video streaming services. With this OS, you can embed 4k quality video, HDR, and Dolby Atmos sound opinion to your Amazon TV app. Also, note that, if you don’t have a payment account on Amazon, you cannot avail of the service of Amazon Fire OS products.

The prototype of the Android platform- Fire OS

Yes, Fire OS is said to be the basis of the Android platform. Every Android app supports products built with Fire OS. it gets simpler for the developers. If you are a developer, you don’t have to implement different patterns of coding. You simply can use the same pattern of coding to distribute the app on the Amazon platform.

The distinction between Fire OS and Google Android based on services

You cannot use services provided by Google and Fire OS simultaneously for the same products. Either you have to choose Google/Android services or can go for Fire OS service. The differences in services are generally observed in surfing the web, making payments, and getting locations. Also, when you are focused on Amazon smart TV app development, you need to list the app Amazon app store.

Migrating your app to the Fire OS is not possible when you have your Android app already linked to Google services. In this regard, you only have the choice of Amazon services. Even if differences exist between Amazon Fire OS and Google Android, there is no need to be confused about the development process of smart TV apps in Amazon Fire OS. Developers don’t have to learn a different platform, they can make simple changes in the code of the existing Android app.

Before closing the segment of Amazon Fire TV, let’s learn the parameters for Fire TV devices.

Parameters for Fire TV devices

• Smart TV

Smart TV apps are based on Fire TV OS. The smart TV models are Amazon-owned. These are from third-party makers and are nation-specific.

• Echo show

With Echo Show, you can get the option to use a voice operating system, touch control, or remote control.

• Automotive

You can now link the Fire TV with the user’s automobile device. Features like downloading content, and touch and remote capabilities are possible.

• Fire TV cube

It is a cube-shaped device, where you can integrate Fire TV OS. Fire TV cube is a combination of Echo and Fire TV. You don’t have to build a mic button on the remote. The option of linking Alexa with the device would provide a hands-free experience.

• Fire TV streaming media player

Fire TV Streaming Media Player is another Fire TV device, which you can link to a smart TV. It comes in a set-top box, stick, or pendant format.

Tizen TV OS (Samsung TV)

Samsung Smart TV based on Tizen OS has one of the biggest market expansions across the world. It has its establishment in about 197 countries. The Tizen OS has a wide range of utilities based on the fact that this OS operates on HTML5, JS, and CSS. Also, with the lean programming technology considers, the operating system of the Tizen TV apps has extensively increased.

Specification about Tizen OS

Tizen OS is based on the open-source Linux OS. There are numerous devices such as signage products, smart TVs, home appliances, and mobile devices that you can build based on the Tizen operating system. With Tizen OS, you can access readymade UIs, which makes the process of Samsung smart TV app development much more manageable. You can also get the feature of personalizing smart TV apps.

With its 10th year of completion, Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd and international ODM ventures such as HKC, Tempo, and Atmaca have come into a contract to ensure that non-Samsung smart TV users can use Tizen OS-built apps. Some of the TV models include Vispera, Linsar, Sunny, and others.

Samsung TV app libraries are used as extensions

While you are in the Samsung smart TV app-building process, you need to become familiar with the following extensions and their utility. This will make the app more scalable.

• CAPH- It is a UI-based framework for TV web applications. This can help you quickly build high-performing web apps.
• WebAssembly- With this supporting extension, you can run both C++ and C code on the web platform, and that too at native speed. WebAssembly is built in a way to complement JS. You can call it Wasm, which is a binary code format. Wasm is intended to be a portable target for computer programming language compilation, allowing the deployment of server and client applications over the web.
• TOAST- It is a Cordova plugin. It is used for building Samsung TV Web applications. You can refer to it as a component used for rendering simple messages. In contrast to other popups, a toast has only a body element, because its sole purpose is to give the user straightforward feedback on their activities.
• Have Good WITs- This extension can simplify the app testing process. You can get live-reloading opinions.

Instructions to consider for a better UX

In this regard, you need to prioritize the ‘Focus’ of your Samsung Smart TV. You have to be consistent so that users don’t get confused about their one-screen state while navigating the TV interface. Take a reference from the below-given image for the bad and good ‘Focus’.

Source: developer.samsung.com

Secondly, you have to focus on the TV remote navigational system. On this note, consider a grid structure designed in a four-mode control. Further, consider flat navigation for screen transitional design.

SmartCast (Vizio TV)

Vizio TV is popular in America and operates on SmartCast OS. With this SmartCast OS, you can get 260 free channels and more on your Vizio TV. With SmartCast, activate Apple Airplay and Chromecast features on your Vizio TV and play TV content on your D-series TV models. However, for this, you need either a smart mobile device or a laptop.

Features embedded in Vizio TV

There are the following features that you can add to your Vizio TV.

• Voice assistant functionalities.
• Private hearing feature. This can give you an uninterrupted experience with which you can continue listening to your TV content on Vizio TV and at the same time maintain silence in the surrounding.
• Connect Screen monitoring functionalities.
• Smooth TV content streaming on Vizio TV. For this, you have to connect the Dual-Band WiFi mode with the IQ processor.
• Add voice control features. This will let the users control their Vizio TV devices. However, they need to get the Vizio mobile app on their smartphones.

Note that you cannot download third-party apps on your Vizio TV. You can search for it on the SmartCastHome, AirPlay, and Chromecast platforms. So, this can be a major drawback that may act as a hindrance in the adoption of Vizio smart TV context.

This is all about the Smart TV app development guide for 2023 that can help you to a great extent

Featured Image Courtesy: Pixabay

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