tvOS apps not available via iTunes Search API

Originator:rsattar
Number:rdar://24176075 Date Originated:13-Jan-2016 02:13 PM
Status:Open Resolved:
Product:iTunes Connect Product Version:
Classification:Enhancement Reproducible:Always
 
Summary:
While Apple TV apps have been out since October 2015, it is still not possible to retrieve information about Apple TV apps using the iTunes Search API (https://www.apple.com/itunes/affiliates/resources/documentation/itunes-store-web-service-search-api.html).

For example, one can search for an iOS App (e.g. Yelp) like so: https://itunes.apple.com/lookup?id=284910350

But searching for a tvOS app in the same way yields no results.

Steps to Reproduce:
1. Lookup the App id for an Apple TV app
2. Type in the search in a browser like so: https://itunes.apple.com/lookup?id=[appletv_app_id]

Expected Results:
You should be able to view the Apple TV apps in a JSON format, like you can with iOS and Mac apps.

Actual Results:
The request completes with no results returned.

Notes:
When searching for Mac software, you have to add &entity=macSoftware (similarly, iPadSoftware for iPad-only apps). It would be great if you could have &entity=tvSoftware, or something similar to find AppleTV apps.

We (LaunchKit) offer simple tools to allow developers build websites for their apps, or generate pretty app store screenshots. A lot of our tools start with a simple “Look up your app” step, which uses the Search API to find information about the app and pre-populate a lot of information that the developer would otherwise have to enter manually.

Comments

Use supportedDevices?

I agree that this needs to be adressed by Apple.

Since some apps are available to both Apple TV and iOS, it would be great if we could lookup an appId and if 'supportedDevices' in the JSON response could show what devices are supported. It seems to work for Apple TV only apps at the moment (http://itunes.apple.com/lookup?id=1041644975), but not for universal (iOS + tvOS) apps (http://itunes.apple.com/lookup?id=950812012).

By claes.jacobsson at April 21, 2016, 10:42 a.m. (reply...)

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