Apple has begun offering iTunes web previews for Apple TV apps, in the same way they have long offered preview screenshots for iOS and Mac apps. The move allows Apple TV users, developers, (and journalists, thank Jobs!), to easily share links to Apple TV apps on the web.
The change was first spotted by Slide to Play’s Jeff Scott (via MacStories).
Until now, it had been difficult for developers and users of the fourth-generation Apple TV to share apps on the web, making it a pain for developers to properly promote their apps on social media sites and their own websites.
As seen in the screenshot above of the Disney Infinity 3.0 Edition iTunes Preview page, the pages show the usual information about the app, including a description of the app, system requirements, and screenshots. Unfortunately, the web preview pages do not as yet include an action button for users to click purchase an app. Developers app pages now show the tvOS apps a developer has available, in addition to the usual iOS and Mac app links.
The new feature appears to be limited to tvOS-only apps at this point, Kevin MacLeod of AfterPad told MacStories “that while the iTunes API is now returning screenshot metadata for tvOS-only apps, that metadata is absent for iOS apps with tvOS support.”
As a media site that often writes about Apple TV apps, MacTrast welcomes the new inclusion, which will make it much easier for our readers to find more information on the apps we write about. However, we do still long for a link to click to purchase a tvOS app, which would then be already installed when we next use our Apple TV.
