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These download numbers are depressing, and I, like most developers who have tvOS apps, blame discoverability. What that means is that there are just too few way

These download numbers are depressing, and I, like most developers who have tvOS apps, blame discoverability. What that means is that there are just too few ways for users to find or be shown tvOS apps Seriously? "Hey I threw together a couple of apps in a few days and they're not being downloaded. Obviously not enough folks are discovering them". Apps for these types of platforms are hard. But most folks want to watch video (or play games) on their TV. They don't want to roll dice, or view Gif slideshows.

potatolicious 11y ago
The App Store is shit for discoverability - and I suspect the lack of an easy keyboard makes it even worse on Apple TV. But even if the discoverability were top notch, this still wouldn't be discoverable. Does author seriously expect a properly functioning app discovery engine to prominently surface a dice roller, or a gif browser? There are many, many legitimate complaints against the App Store model and how tough it is to survive as an app developer within that ecosystem, but the base requirement is still "building something good that people want", and I really don't feel like the author did that.
- kennywinker 11y ago
  Author here! I don't expect the app store to surface any particular app, just not get in the way of finding things. I'm lucky, you only have to swipe across three tabs and type in two letters to find my app. Apple has said explicitly: "The future of TV is apps". If that's the case, then all I ask is for a way to link users to my app.
  - chaz72 11y ago
    What would your ideal discovery process be?
    - kennywinker 11y ago
      Ideally - user curated app lists. Start with celebs and notable people from various industries. If it's successful, eventually expand to everyone, not just selected people. Allow curated lists to be updated by the curator whenever they want. That's a longer term solution I see. Short term, I just want you to be able to click a button in iTunes on your Mac and in the App Store on your phone to start the app downloading on your TV. That way I could put a link in this comment and anyone who sees it and is interested can get the app in two clicks.
      - chaz72 11y ago
        I like it. I would think that all they need to do is build your short term solution and the open web can provide the rest. I mean, presuming they can provide a link from the web to iTunes, which seems simple enough.
kennywinker 11y ago
Author here! I know these apps aren't exactly starting revolutions in developing nations, but what I do think is that this is a brand new class of device and users are likely curious to see what's out there only to be stumped by an App Store that seems to be saying "netflix and games are all this device does". You say users don't want to view gif slideshows, but I'm not so sure of that. I don't think they've had a chance to find out if they want that or not. (and yes, I know they don't want to roll dice. The number of board gamers with Apple TVs and penchants for loosing their dice is apparently vanishingly small)
trymas 11y ago
Agree with the fact that apps are rather irrelevant for many, though the thing that Apple's app store has poor discoverability is true. Only recently I understood that from Mac App store I have downloaded only OS X itself, Xcode, few OS X default apps (Pages, etc.), and few free apps which were deleted after a day or two after download. So everything what is essential to OS X or free. Why is that? I cannot find anything there! Sometimes even if I'd try (though Apple improved MAS search a bit few months ago). Every time I open it I see same featured apps in rotation: pixelmator, fantastical, omnifocus, affinity designer, iA writer, 1password... I find new apps through reddit, hacker news, github or friend tells me, that's it.

potatolicious 11y ago

The App Store is shit for discoverability - and I suspect the lack of an easy keyboard makes it even worse on Apple TV. But even if the discoverability were top notch, this still wouldn't be discoverable. Does author seriously expect a properly functioning app discovery engine to prominently surface a dice roller, or a gif browser? There are many, many legitimate complaints against the App Store model and how tough it is to survive as an app developer within that ecosystem, but the base requirement is still "building something good that people want", and I really don't feel like the author did that.

kennywinker 11y ago
Author here! I don't expect the app store to surface any particular app, just not get in the way of finding things. I'm lucky, you only have to swipe across three tabs and type in two letters to find my app. Apple has said explicitly: "The future of TV is apps". If that's the case, then all I ask is for a way to link users to my app.
- chaz72 11y ago
  What would your ideal discovery process be?
  - kennywinker 11y ago
    Ideally - user curated app lists. Start with celebs and notable people from various industries. If it's successful, eventually expand to everyone, not just selected people. Allow curated lists to be updated by the curator whenever they want. That's a longer term solution I see. Short term, I just want you to be able to click a button in iTunes on your Mac and in the App Store on your phone to start the app downloading on your TV. That way I could put a link in this comment and anyone who sees it and is interested can get the app in two clicks.
    - chaz72 11y ago
      I like it. I would think that all they need to do is build your short term solution and the open web can provide the rest. I mean, presuming they can provide a link from the web to iTunes, which seems simple enough.

kennywinker 11y ago

Author here! I know these apps aren't exactly starting revolutions in developing nations, but what I do think is that this is a brand new class of device and users are likely curious to see what's out there only to be stumped by an App Store that seems to be saying "netflix and games are all this device does". You say users don't want to view gif slideshows, but I'm not so sure of that. I don't think they've had a chance to find out if they want that or not. (and yes, I know they don't want to roll dice. The number of board gamers with Apple TVs and penchants for loosing their dice is apparently vanishingly small)

trymas 11y ago

Agree with the fact that apps are rather irrelevant for many, though the thing that Apple's app store has poor discoverability is true. Only recently I understood that from Mac App store I have downloaded only OS X itself, Xcode, few OS X default apps (Pages, etc.), and few free apps which were deleted after a day or two after download. So everything what is essential to OS X or free. Why is that? I cannot find anything there! Sometimes even if I'd try (though Apple improved MAS search a bit few months ago). Every time I open it I see same featured apps in rotation: pixelmator, fantastical, omnifocus, affinity designer, iA writer, 1password... I find new apps through reddit, hacker news, github or friend tells me, that's it.