Sportworld Smart TV App Ported for Mobile Platforms

Client 

Our client NativeWaves is the exclusive technology provider for B1 SmartTV, who provide digital solutions for music, sports, and other industries in Germany. B1 SmartTV focuses on consulting, development and implementation of Smart TV applications. 

Challenge 

The client approached us to develop a new version of the Sportworld application. We were to build an updated app from scratch for smart TVs running on the Samsung’s Tizen OS. 

The application should provide multiple live channels, on-demand videos and future events, standard full-featured Google Analytics. It also should support user registration and subscription purchases. 

Solution 

^{The Sportworld application offers sports providers an outlet to showcase their content} 

1. Concept Development 

We studied the client's experience and requests based on the previous version of the app. A third-party design bureau provided the ready-made UI concept. We took all these inputs into account and came up with our application concept.

2. Software Development 

The required list of supported target platforms included TV devices from the year 2017 to the most recent models. Therefore, we paid special attention to the applications’ performance on old platforms. 

Frontend 

The technologies we used for the project:

• React.js, Typescript 4.4 
• Styled-components 
• Zustand 
• Webpack 

Our software engineers implemented the following features in the smart TV app design: 

• live HLS streaming; 
• VOD (Video on Demand); 
• promoted events and calendar; 
• notifications for upcoming matches and events; 
• SSO with the Plenigo platform integration; 
• authorization by scanning a QR code with a mobile phone; 
• paid subscriptions; 
• campaigns on new TV models; 
• Google Analytics with custom events; 
• dynamic theming support: global and per page. 

The application's architecture allowed us to port it onto other smart TV application development platforms – WebOs and FireTV. 

Backend 

The client provided the backend. Its feature is the maximum data atomization and, at the same time, the use of the standard REST API. All the data is well described in the Swagger documentation, which makes it possible to react quickly to changes. 

Business Value 

Through our client NativeWaves, B1 SmartTV has been updated with a new version of the Sportworld application, tailored to their specifications. This engaging platform enables sports fans to easily discover and watch a wide range of sports content. Additionally, it offers sports providers an appealing outlet to showcase their content, complemented by interactive and transactional features.  

The application will be preinstalled on the smart TVs of a large number of users: it comes with new TV models in the stores of the DACH region. 

Promwad developed the app with deep links (hyperlinks that lead to a specific section of the app): this opens up new entry points for end users. The content can be instantly added and edited in the administration panel. And the analytics module empowers the app users with very detailed statistics (custom Google Analytics events to gather data and generate reports).  

The architecture of the application includes the potential for rapid adaptation to other smart TV platforms, allowing B1 SmartTV to expand its audience significantly.