Sportworld Smart TV App Ported for Mobile Platforms
Project in a Nutshell: Promwad formed a dedicated team for NativeWaves to deliver the Sportworld app for B1. Starting with 3 engineers, the team expanded to 8–9 specialists at peak, including software developers, QA, UI/UX designers, and business analysts. We managed full-cycle delivery under flexible FTE budgeting, with our tech lead closely integrated with NativeWaves’ lead engineer.
The result was the successful launch of Sportworld, pre-installed on Samsung TVs in Germany, and later reinforced by a partnership with the Bundesliga. By choosing a dedicated team model, NativeWaves gained predictable delivery, reduced costs compared to hiring engineers in Germany, and the ability to continuously upgrade the platform for new markets and sports.
Promo Video for the Sportworld Smart TV App
Client & Challenge
Our client NativeWaves is an Austrian provider of interactive streaming technology. They deliver advanced viewing experiences for sports and entertainment and act as the exclusive technology partner of the German company B1 SmartTV.
NativeWaves engaged Promwad to assemble a dedicated development team for the Sportworld application. The task was to create a new version of the app for Samsung Smart TVs (Tizen OS) and ensure a premium user experience with interactive features: switching camera angles, accessing live replays, and browsing on-demand content. The strategic goal was to secure Sportworld’s position on the first screen of Samsung TVs sold in Germany and to enable B1 to scale the platform with new features and sports verticals.
How We Fit
To meet the client’s ambitious goals, we structured our work around a flexible, dedicated team model:
What Changed for the Customer
The dedicated team approach delivered tangible results that significantly improved the client’s business and product development process:
Why Dedicated Team Works
This cooperation proved that the dedicated team format is the best fit for long-term, innovation-driven projects:
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.
