Why no SDK for the ATV??

[mr_matalino]

Since Apple released an SDK for the iPhone, I've been thinking why we can't have one for the ATV? I've been a huge fan of awkwardtv.org and appletvhacks.net and see so much potential from the ATV that I can't think of a reason why Apple wouldn't open it up to developers. Any ideas?

 

[MikieMikie]

I think this is a reasonable question -- it is every bit as appliance-like as the iPhone, and perhaps a bit more-so.

I would expect them to not invest in an SDK until it is worth the $ for them to do so. (I see the current ITMS rental scenario as a toe-in-the-water test being made by them to determine just what the market really is.) And as you know, people are needed for the development effort, and people equates to $ (as well as lost opportunity costs). In the case of the iPhone, they probably sold more of them on June 29th, between 6 and 6:15 PM than they've sold Apple TVs so far, so it was worth them pulling people off Leopard. Since Apple is hurting for coders, especially the kind of insane coders that produce Apple-quality code, and they have to cannibalize their own projects, don't hold your breath.

In essence, I believe:

• It's possible
• There has to be enough sold to warrant the investment
• Apple TV has to cry out for more features (which it does) that Apple doesn't want to invest in creating.

 

[speakerwizard]

dont think we'll see one, any new features would need tight intergration with a 3rd party, such as if it were to have the iplayer for example, it has very specific uses.

 

[BoulderBum]

Windows Media Center has an SDK that people have used to develop plug-ins to better manage movies, including those stored in .vob format. I'd love to see something like that for Apple TV!

Alas, I suspect Mikie is right. Apple isn't going to invest a whole lot of energy in the Apple TV until it takes off.