Introducing the Apple TV Platform for Rock
Rock-powered Apple TV apps extend your digital Rock experience to the TV platform. With integrated login, playback continuity between web, mobile and Apple TV, knowing and engaging your members has never been easier. And, because the content publication is dynamic and uses the same tools as web and mobile publication, keeping your TV app up to date is simple. Our rich documentation makes development accessible to anyone willing to jump in.
The Two Layers of Apple TV Apps
It's important to understand the difference between the layers of Apple TV apps. Just like Rock Mobile, the top layer is the Application layer, which holds all of the Rock blocks, content, branding, and other configurable areas. Most visual elements fall within this layer.
This is all built on top of the Shell layer, which handles the tricky stuff like the navigation, authentication, API calls, and more. The Shell is updated and maintained by the development team at Triumph Tech, whereas everything in the Application Layer is under your control.
How to Get Started
Each of the Apple TV app layers will need to be considered as you begin your project: building your app and publishing your application Shell.
Your Rock-powered Apple TV app can be built in the application layer of your Rock database. We've provided documentation to guide you. Note that in order to access the required features in your Rock install, you'll need to be running at least Rock v14.0.
If, however, you would like help with building your TV app, or you have custom requirements for new features and functionality, you can work with a Rock Partner to build your app for you.
Compiling the Shell and deploying apps to the stores is a complicated process that requires a good deal of technical proficiency. Because most churches aren't equipped to do this on their own, Spark has partnered with Triumph Tech to provide the App Factory service plan to make this process easy for you.
Whether the apps are hosted under your developer store accounts or under Triumph's, you'll be able to opt in to the latest Rock TV app shell updates and continue gaining access to the latest features.
If you'd like to prototype your app at no cost, we've created the Rock community Apple TV app for just that purpose. Download the app from the app store on your Apple TV, check it out.