For all of the talk of Apple ‘revolutionising the TV experience,’ typing is still a ginormous pain in the rear end on the new Apple TV.
Heck, with the alpha-numeric keyboard in one long row rather than a grid, some would say its even harder to conduct text searches and input passwords.
There isn’t even an iPhone Remote app yet to enable users to sidestep the hassle by using the mobile keyboard anymore!
However, at least Facebook is proposing a solution for the misery with its new SDK for tvOS (via TechCrunch). The tool allows developers to rely on Facebook for the login process.
If developers adopt the Facebook Login SDK users will be able to download an Apple TV app and then browse to Facebook.com/devices on their computer or mobile device to enter an authentication code.
The same SDK for tvOS also includes the ability for developers to include Share to Facebook links within their applications.
So, games developers may want to encourage users to share high scores to Facebook, while shopping apps may also choose to give users the opportunity to share their favourite deals. Streaming apps could also benefit from adding Share to Facebook links within their own apps.
So, Apple’s insistence on making data input as difficult as humanly possible on the new Apple TV has presented Facebook with an opportunity to create a features that’s useful for devs, consumers and itself.
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Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.