At long last, Apple today has started rolling out web links and iTunes web previews for tvOS apps, similar to how links to iOS/Mac apps and iTunes content has worked for years now. As reported by MacStories, users will now be able to easily share links to fourth-gen Apple TV apps on their computer and subsequently be able to view app details, as well.
Prior to this rollout, there was no first-party way to view tvOS apps and descriptions on the web, which meant that it was hard for discovery and sharing to occur on social media networks and even Apple’s own website.
At the moment, the feature is rolling out for apps that are built only for the Apple TV. This means that if the app is universal across iOS and tvOS, the web listings still won’t show any information, such as screenshots, for the Apple TV client. Nevertheless, it’s nice to finally be able to preview tvOS apps on the web, especially in cases where you may not be near your Apple TV to test them out.
One missing feature, however, is the ability to install tvOS apps to your Apple TV from the web preview. While users can download iOS apps on their computer and have them install simultaneously on their iOS devices, this feature is not present for tvOS. Arguably, this capability would be far more useful for tvOS apps than iOS apps as searching and navigating through the App Store on the Apple TV is not the best experience.
These web previews for tvOS apps seem to be in the very early stages of rolling out and haven’t hit every app yet. The feature should continue to gradually expand, however, as time progresses. It’s definitely a small change, but one that should be welcomed by many Apple TV users and app developers. You can preview the pages here.
