Apple has begun rolling out iTunes web previews for Apple TV apps, allowing Apple TV users and developers alike to easily share links to Apple TV apps on the web. The change was first spotted by Slide to Play's Jeff Scott (via MacStories).
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Previously, Apple only had iTunes web previews enabled for iOS and Mac OS X apps, making it very difficult for users of the fourth-generation Apple TV to share their favorite apps on the web as well as for developers to promote their apps on their websites and social media accounts.
Although the feature is still rolling out, it appears it's limited to tvOS-only apps thus far. Kevin MacLeod of AfterPad told MacStories "that while the iTunes API is now returning screenshot metadata for tvOS-only apps, that metadata is absent for iOS apps with tvOS support."
Two of the first apps to feature web previews are currently Disney Infinity 3.0 and Beergeek.com TV. While these previews offer users and developers a way to see what an Apple TV app looks like or what features it has, they do not include any way for users to take any action.
Top Rated Comments
(View all)I just want a full-on web App Store, so you can browse the entire store from any device, buy apps/games/music/movies/etc., and simply hit a "Send to iDevice" button to get your purchase automatically to the device of your choice. Just like how Sony allows you to buy games online, then queue it to download to your PS4, or like Amazon allows you to send books to your Kindle from the web store.
My God!This is such a logical idea that you will never see it implemented because it's too logical for Apple!
Well, better late then never.
Seriously, it's such a pain to do any kind of deep search on the TV itself past basically browsing the first layer of the recommended apps that this is really going to help.
I honestly have no idea how anybody would find anything on AppleTV unless it was either recommended by Apple or they were told explicitly to search for it.
- Can you search the ATV app store from the web?
- Can you browse app charts from the web that are category and country specific?
As a non-ATV4-owner these are the things I want to enable me to decide if and when to purchase the ATV4.