Games are often multi-player, so that's an obvious type of social app that the Apple TV will support. Media consumption is an area where many people share a watching experience, and to the extent that becomes interactive it could be interactive with a group.
One practical aspect puzzles me:
These questions are from a quick initial read of Apple's limited documentation, and this all may become clear as we all learn more. As a programmer, I think that learning what's possible is going to be a fun experience.
One practical aspect puzzles me:
Unlike Mac OS X apps and iOS apps, Apple TV apps have no persistent local storage, for example for preference settings or to let an app restart where it left off. iCloud syncing is seemingly a necessity for all but trivial apps.
Apple describes this as their first programmable "social" interface, because more than one person may be watching and interacting with the TV. But iCloud data belongs to the account holder, not to a group of people, and the app will sync among that one person's personal devices. I'm unclear where that leaves you when it's your TV and your account, but the app serves your whole family, you and your friends, or maybe just the kids and not you at all.
If people in a group each use their iPhone as a controller, might the app be syncing with each of their iCloud accounts?
Apple describes this as their first programmable "social" interface, because more than one person may be watching and interacting with the TV. But iCloud data belongs to the account holder, not to a group of people, and the app will sync among that one person's personal devices. I'm unclear where that leaves you when it's your TV and your account, but the app serves your whole family, you and your friends, or maybe just the kids and not you at all.
If people in a group each use their iPhone as a controller, might the app be syncing with each of their iCloud accounts?
These questions are from a quick initial read of Apple's limited documentation, and this all may become clear as we all learn more. As a programmer, I think that learning what's possible is going to be a fun experience.