notes.md

Notes for tvOS

Things to research:

• Apple TV Human Interface Guidelines
• App Programming Guide
• TVServices Framework Reference
• tvOS Release Notes
• iOS 9.0 to tvOS 9.0 Diffs
• TVML Framework Reference
• TVML Language Reference
• TVJS Framework Reference

General

• Universal purchase?

App Programming Guide

Platform Hardware

The new Apple TV has the following hardware specifications:

• 64-bit A8 processor
• 32GB or 64GB of storage
• 2GB of RAM
• 10/100Mbps Ethernet
• WiFi 802.11a/b/g/n/ac
• 1080p resolution
• HDMI
• New Siri Remote / Apple TV Remote

Traditional Apps

• Can use storyboards and most of the classes your are used to.

• Frameworks inherited from iOS:

  Accelerate

  AudioToolbox

  AudioUnit

  AVFoundation

  AVKit

  CFNetwork

  CloudKit

  CoreBluetooth

  CoreData

  CoreFoundation

  CoreGraphics

  CoreImage

  CoreLocation

  CoreMedia

  CoreSpotlight

  CoreText

  CoreVideo

  Darwin

  Foundation

  GameController

  GameKit

  GameplayKit

  GLKit

  ImageIO

  MachO

  MediaAccessibility

  MediaPlayer

  MediaToolbox

  Metal

  MetalKit

  MetalPerformanceShaders

  MobileCoreServices

  ModelIO

  OpenGLES

  SceneKit

  Security

  simd

  SpriteKit

  StoreKit

  Swift Standard Library

  SystemConfiguration

  UIKit

Client-Server Apps

• Useful for apps that are serving media content.

• New TVJS + TVML

• Template-based UIs

• Xcode Project has simple app delegate class that loads a remote JavaScript file that details how your app works and loads UI via remote TVML files.

• Reference App Programming Guide for tvOS, Figure 2-1

TVML

TVJS

Resource Limitation

• No persistent local storage; All persistence must be handled by iCloud or a custom back end.
• Maximum size of app: 200 MB
• On-Demand Resources are your friend
• Data is never deleted while app is running; may be deleted otherwise.

User Interaction

• Focus
  • "Highlighted but not selected"
  • Mainly handled by the OS's "FocusEngine" but can be customized.
• On Screen Keyboard
• Remotes
  • Siri / Apple TV Remote
    • Bluetooth 4.0 & IR
    • Accelerometer & Gyroscope
    • Touch pad
    • Physical Buttons
    • Mic
  • Game Controllers

Other Stuff

• Targeting tvOS only

  • "Use the #define TARGET_OS_TV 1 macro when you need to create code that targets tvOS only."
  • Swift?

• TVServices Framework & "Top Shelf" App Extension

  • Your app can now be on the top row.
  • Your app provides 5 slots on the top shelf

• Parallax images

  • two-layered images.