The future of TV apps

• Will we see apps on TVs as commonly used as those seen on mobile platforms?

  Thanks to the popularity of Apple's App Store and the now-ubiquitous nature of apps on smart phones and tablet PCs, apps are weaving their way into every aspect of modern life. From doing your grocery shopping to finding a parking spot, there are apps to help you out with almost everything.

  Though many manufacturers have attempted to put apps into their HD and 3D TVs, most have been met with, at best, middling success. Between clunky interfaces and a dearth of content, they feel tacked on additions to otherwise strong hardware.

  Samsung however have taken the whole area very seriously, refreshing their connected TV line in 2010 with the Smart TV platform. Mixing together social networks, video on demand content, games, news and even video calling through a Skype app, its use of an app store and familiar grid-like app icon layout made it far easier to navigate than most rival offerings.

  So will we ever see apps on TVs as commonly used as those now seen on mobile platforms?

  "Connected TV apps I think will grow incredibly but will be a different experience entirely to mobile apps; the TV doesn't move, it is a shared experience and you don't want to be in-putting too much text on your TV as the handset makes this difficult," said Craig Chuter Head of Business Development at app developers Capablue, winners of the Samsung App Developer Challenge.

  "I think the TV apps will become an integral part of our TV viewing experience especially for TV catch-up and film services.”

  Samsung's relationship with app developers, as highlighted by their partnership with Capablue, also bodes well for the future. Compared to other connected TV platforms, you get the sense that Samsung are in for the long haul with the Smart TV's, with a constantly updated stream of apps from a variety of developers and content that looks set to be as well served and relevant in five years time as it is now.

  For the full report see www.techdigest.tv/2011/06/samsung_smart_t.html