The smart TV application market is growing at a phenomenal pace. You will be amazed to learn that the global demand for smart TV was close to 268.9 million units in 2020. This demand is expected to rise at a Compounded Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of over 20% between the period 2021 to 2028.
What’s driving this exponential growth in the smart TV market space? Well, the growth can be accredited to factors such as the increase in internet penetration and a rise in the use of streaming devices to access online video content on big screens.
Another important factor that has contributed to this exponential growth is a change in consumer preference. Today, people are more likely to watch their favorite movie or TV series on a big screen for a rich viewing experience rather than on their laptops or tablets.
The growth of the OTT industry along with the rising demand for smart TVs has given a lucrative opportunity for content creators to reach a wider audience segment by leveraging OTT app development.
The Ubiquitous Smart TV Wave
The global Coronavirus pandemic adversely impacted a large majority of industries. Unlike other sectors, the OTT industry was among the exceptions that grew exponentially during the pandemic.
The primary reason for this exponential growth can be accredited to the nationwide lockdowns that forced people to stay indoors and find alternative entertainment sources. OTT services were the go-to option for people looking for indoor entertainment sources.
Before the global COVID-19 pandemic, OTT creators had a mobile-first approach as it helped them reach a wider audience segment. This trend has changed in the post-pandemic era as more people now prefer to watch their favorite OTT content on the big screen. This has created an enormous demand for smart TV streaming applications that can cater to the viewer’s needs.
The cord-cutting trend is still on the rise, people are also abandoning stand-alone streaming devices in favor of feature-intensive smart TVs. The modern-age, smart TVs are equipped with built-in OTT TV apps that promise quality streaming features such as 4K Ultra HD, advanced audio features such as Dolby Atmos, etc. OTT content creators can leverage this new trend in their favor using android TV app development.
Important Factors to Be Considered While Developing a Smart TV Application
Here are some important factors that you need to consider before starting smart TV app development in the contemporary.
→ Programming Languages for Smart TVs
Developing an application requires coding for each type of operating system. Whether you are developing a mobile application or a smart TV application, you need to code for each OS programming language using their software development kit. This helps you cover a wider audience base and refrains you from missing out on any prospective viewership.
Some of the most prominent languages used for the development of smart TV applications include HTML/JavaScript, JSON, TVML, LG NetCast/WebOS SDK, XML, etc. You must know that the Android TV is the most popular smart TV operating system in the contemporary.
→ Crucial Features and Functionalities
While creating a smart TV application, you also have to code for every unique feature and functionality that smart TVs offer. Some of the important considerations include resolutions, processing power, remote control functionality, user interface, navigation, etc.
You must note that the smart TV should also be capable enough to allow the users to use these features. It would be prudent to consider the capabilities of the most popular smart TVs before building a feature in your applications.
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→ User Interface and Experience Quotient
User experience plays a crucial role in the growth and popularity of your smart TV applications. The user interface focuses on the physical interaction of the viewers with the application. You need to design a user interface that delivers an exceptional user experience.
It should have all the necessary features that are common in smart TV applications. Easy to use interface helps to garner a large user base easily. Your user interface should offer easy navigation, searchability, a home button, etc.
→ Size of the Screen and Perception Distance
One of the crucial differences in developing apps for mobile and smart TVs lies in the screen size consideration. What’s equally important to factor in is the perception distance that adds to the overall viewing experience of the users.
A high-quality screen resolution is vital to delivering a quality user experience. Angular resolution should also be considered before creating the application, having the right angular resolution will help the viewers to observe the minor details on the screen.
→ Remote Control Feature
The growing reliance on the use of voice commands to get the work done makes it an important feature in the list of features for smart TV applications.
We are living in an era, where voice command helps to get the work done smoothly without having to manually intervene. You should consider voice commands and other remote-control features to help viewers get things done smartly.
→ Easy Navigation
A large content library offers various types of content from different genres for the viewers. Many a time, it can get challenging and complex for the users to find their preferred content on the streaming application. You should always aim to deliver easy navigation for your OTT smart TV application.
Conclusion
The shift towards smart TVs for watching OTT content has developed a need to create smart TV apps. The growing demand for smart TV app development after the COVID-19 pandemic has paved way for many new players in the market.
Finding reliable smart TV app development companies and OTT platform providers is crucial to succeeding in this competitive space. Choosing an experienced service provider can help you leverage the best smart TV app development services to create an OTT app that is dynamic and offers a great user interface along with a quality user experience.