Why Didn’t Apple Release an SDK for Apple TV?

Why Didn’t Apple Release an SDK for Apple TV?

Rumors were circulating before Monday’s WWDC keynote that Apple would release an update and an SDK for it’s popular Apple TV. The rumors said Apple was going to give third-party developers access to its SDK, thereby allowing them to develop for Apple’s hockey puck-sized wonder. Didn’t happen. Was there a good reason for it?

Janko Roettgers, Writing for gigaom:

You see, app platforms are fundamentally a numbers game. Apple CEO Tim Cook made as much clear when he boasted about the latest iOS numbers early on during the keynote, stating that there are now 650,000 iOS apps out there. Out of those, 225,000 have been specifically designed for the iPad – something he contrasted with “just a few hundred” apps for Android tablets.

Janko makes two very good points as to why the iPad has so many apps written specifically for it, while Android tablets go begging for apps that take advantage of their features. He says the obvious reason is that there is a MUCH larger installed base of iPads out there than Android tablets. (DUH! Is that the second time I’ve used that in an article today? I need to watch that…) And the second is that while Android apps usually scale gracefully from phone to tablet, iPhone apps on an iPad are a pretty ugly sight. Those pixels do NOT scale well! He believes Apple did this on purpose, it forces the developers to write apps specifically for the iPad. To the tune of 225,000 apps so far.

So, back to Apple TV. With it, Apple has a much smaller installed base. Selling 2.7 million units in six months is a nice number, most assuredly better numbers than any of it’s competitors in the Smart TV Set-Top Box market. But it’s nothing compared to the 40.5 million iPads that were sold in 2011. Less installed base, less incentive for developers to write apps. Check with BlackBerry and HP on that if you’re not convinced.

Developers would still probably jump at the chance to develop apps for the Apple TV, just to get in on the ground floor. But Janko makes a good point when he says, “Apple would have to give them some guidance and show where it wants to go with Apple TV. Is it an accessory, an Airplay receiver? Or will it evolve into a full-fledged TV platform, complete with its own TV set and access to premium content?”

Apple still needs to let us know where they’re going to go with the Apple TV platform. Everyone will need to think big, not just on installation numbers, but big when thinking about what Apple TV can, or will be. Hopefully Apple will announce something soon about the “next” Apple TV. Who knows, maybe it’ll be this fall alongside the “next” iPhone?