Apple TV App Store’s Top Charts Section Rolled Out
A New Era for Apple TV Developers
Following the release of Apple’s revamped streaming media player, the company has rolled out a ‘Top Charts’ section on the Apple TV App Store. This move comes as no surprise to developers and industry experts who had been eagerly awaiting the inclusion of categories and top charts rankings.
The Journey So Far
At launch, the TV App Store boasted hundreds of titles, but this number grew exponentially over the weekend to over 1,000, according to independent third-party reports. However, despite this impressive growth, developers were disappointed to find that the store lacked sections for categories or top charts rankings, making app discovery a significant challenge.
The Importance of Ranking Data
Developers rely heavily on ranking data to paint a picture of consumer behavior and identify which apps are being downloaded the most. With the Apple TV being an entirely new platform that differs from the phone, tablet, or watch, this data is more critical than ever. The lack of ranking data meant that developers had to resort to hacking their own versions of the Top Charts, with results ranging from static snapshots to live, continually refreshed rankings.
Early Findings
According to various sources, including developer Jonas Boserup’s list of top paid, free, and grossing apps and Slide to Play’s own list of top tvOS apps, the Apple TV App Store was filling up quickly with games and other video-related apps. These findings were later confirmed by Apple’s official rankings.
The Top Charts
Apple’s official Top Charts reveal that the top-paid apps are largely games, including Galaxy On Fire, Does Not Commute, Lumino City, and Alto’s Adventure. However, the No. 1 Paid app is actually a Plex client at present (though not the official app, which launched today).
Meanwhile, top free apps include video streaming apps like Nat Geo TV, Fox Now, Showtime, History, CBS, and others, but the section is currently led by a couple of games, Rayman Adventures and Crossy Road.
The Future of the TV App Store
The next step for the TV App Store is category pages, which are also arriving soon. According to Slide to Play’s publisher Jeff Scott, who spoke with us earlier today, he was seeing 1,025 total apps with games, entertainment, and educational apps seeing the most listings. When the other categories fill out a bit more, their respective category pages should quickly follow.
A New Era for Apple TV Developers
The introduction of the Top Charts section marks an exciting new era for Apple TV developers. With this move, Apple is providing developers with valuable insights into consumer behavior and app popularity, making it easier to identify trends and optimize their apps accordingly.
As the TV App Store continues to grow and evolve, we can expect to see even more innovative features and tools become available to developers. This will not only enhance the user experience but also provide new opportunities for developers to showcase their creativity and skills.
What’s Next?
With category pages on the horizon, Apple is setting the stage for a more organized and user-friendly TV App Store. Developers can expect even more visibility into app performance and popularity, allowing them to refine their strategies and create content that resonates with audiences.
As the Apple TV continues to gain traction, we can expect to see even more exciting developments in the world of streaming media and entertainment. With the Top Charts section now live, developers have a wealth of new information at their fingertips, enabling them to create apps that truly cater to consumer demand.
In Conclusion
The introduction of the Top Charts section on the Apple TV App Store marks an important milestone for both developers and users alike. By providing valuable insights into app popularity and consumer behavior, Apple is setting the stage for a more successful and engaging user experience.
As we look ahead to the future of the TV App Store, one thing is certain – with this new era of transparency and visibility comes endless opportunities for innovation and growth.
