Apple Finally Makes Interactive TV a Reality

As advertisers start to realize that pouring money into commercials that customers may not really be watching, the world has been waiting for a better way to “rethink” TV.

Imagine the spike in engagement, for example, if viewers were able to participate in conversations alongside their favourite shows, purchase a character’s scarf just by clicking on it, or take in a live fitness challenge with members from across the world. These are just a few of the possibilities that Apple has just made a reality with the introduction of TvOS for Apple TV on November 9th.

Bringing the Second Screen Back to the First

Back in August of 2013, Vordik discussed the rise of the second screen, and the implications that came along with it. Two years later, most consumers are tired of fumbling with an iPad, a laptop and a cell phone as they curl up on the couch in front of the TV, and have been looking for a way to get back to a single screen.

The beauty of Apple TV is that it does just that. With the new TV App store, it hopes to be something of the missing link between, or hybrid of existing household devices. One of the major issues brought up in Vordik’s previous article, was that despite corporate efforts, the second screen still made it difficult to foster true viewer interactivity: the key to solving TV’s marketing issue.

TV Apps: Not Just Oversize Mobile Apps

At this point, the concept of interactive TV is still very new. This means that while some apps have completely wrapped their minds around the idea of TV apps, others have simply made larger versions of existing mobile apps, which hardly counts as innovation. With over 1,000 apps already available on the market, however, a few early adopters are surfacing as winners in the TV app game.

The Business-to-Business Opportunity

Yes, although the brand new flat design User Interface for Apple TV is incredibly user-friendly and consumer-oriented, the potential for a variety of B2B applications is still largely untapped. Think about it, the hardware itself is small enough to fit in to a briefcase, lightweight and extremely easy to set up. Compared to other Apple devices, the price point is very reasonable, and the package now includes a sleek little remote. A combination of all of these factors plus the ability to voice control the device via Siri makes it the perfect tool conferences, presentations, demos, pitches and the like.

As for app developers, the appeal of Apple’s exclusive, high-volume B2B app marketplace could make adding a business app for Apple TV worthwhile for your company’s portfolio.

Read more: Why We Deserve an Apple Television and What Features it Should Come With