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SUBMITTING TO VEWD APP STORE

If this is your first application, you may start by going through an Introduction to applications for Vewd App Store. You will find a quick overview of the Vewd App Store ecosystem, as well as further pointers on how to develop apps, what devices you can target and what features you can rely upon.

At the end of the submission process, you will be able to choose if you submit your app for:

  • Certification and Distribution through Vewd App Store (default option), or
  • Certification only

Please note that in the case of Certification only submissions, your app will have to be approved by a Content Manager at Vewd App Store before the actual certification process can start. A Content Manager may reach out to you for further information.

A Certification only app will not be distributed through Vewd App Store. You will have to close distribution agreements with Manufacturers, OEMs and Operators you wish to distribute your application for.

REQUIREMENTS FOR ALL APPLICATIONS

Irrespectively of the option, you select at the end of the submission process, your application will have to satisfy a set of requirements.

Application requirements - if you are targeting TVs/devices released in 2017 or later

  • The application will be checked against and will have to comply with the latest Application Requirements in the Application Certification Program.

Metadata requirements - information and assets required at submission:

  • company information (name, address, email)
  • app name
  • app description
  • author name
  • support email
  • thumbnail (JPG, 480x270 or larger, with 16:9 aspect ratio, 1MB max)
  • icons (JPG or PNG, 128x128px and 512x512px, 500kB max)
  • screenshots of the app (JPG, 1280x720px or larger, with 16:9 aspect ratio, 1MB max)
  • URL of the full-screen version of the app hosted on the external server
  • languages supported by the TV app

Additionally, you will need to choose and assign your app to one predefined application category provided by Vewd App Store (e.g. Games, Music, etc.)

Please note that after submission, the only way to modify the app's metadata is to submit a new version - developers cannot edit the information stored in the portal.

REQUIREMENTS FOR APPLICATIONS DISTRIBUTED THROUGH VEWD APP STORE

When you submit your app for Vewd App Store distribution, we will also evaluate it according to a set of Acceptance criteria. If it doesn't satisfy all the criteria, the app will be rejected, so read them carefully. You can track the status on the submitted app page.

ACCEPTANCE CRITERIA

Application metadata must satisfy all of the following criteria:

  • The icons, screenshots and graphic design must be of acceptable quality. Anti-aliasing PNGs with transparent backgrounds are preferred. Note that interlaced PNG-files are currently not supported.
  • The description is visible to end users, so it must explain the app's purpose.
  • The description of the app must be grammatically correct and accurately describe the app.
  • The detailed description for moderators must be written in English.
  • The URL you provide for your app must be a valid hostname (specifically, the hostname labels can only contain ASCII characters a-z, 0-9 and a hyphen; no other punctuation or space marks are allowed).
  • All webpages not defined as application links (i.e. app URL and its sub-pages) will open in the regular TV browser (after all, webpages are not TV store apps). To make a website load in the TV Store, add the top-level URL as an application link, and all of the sub-pages will also load in TV Store. Please make sure the pages are optimized for TV.
  • For commercial apps, all sources of revenue from an app distributed via the Vewd App Store (including via in-app advertisements) must be disclosed to Vewd in advance.

Your app must satisfy all of the following criteria:

  • The app must perform as described and should not have any obvious bugs.
  • The app contains a support email address that is easy to find by the end users.
  • The app must not collect private information without authorization from the user.
  • The app must not unlawfully incorporate third party information, code or graphics.
  • The app must not include Vewd in the title or any other Vewd branding that can indicate the app was created by Vewd.
  • The app must comply with the Terms of Service of the Vewd App Store.
  • The app can be launched and exited without any unusual/unexpected behavior.
  • The app should launch within a reasonable amount of time, and generally should take no longer than 10 seconds to be usable.
  • For launch times longer than 5 seconds, make sure that there is some progress indicator so as not to give the user the impression that the app has frozen.
  • When the user has to wait for a response from the server or similar slow operations, the app must provide a visual activity indicator (such as a spinner).
  • The app must provide an easy and clear way for the user to return to the app's main screen (home page) from any other screen.
  • If the app provides a fullscreen mode (for instance, a slideshow feature for a photo app), provide a clear and easy method for the user to exit this mode.
  • You must make sure that all links in your app work, and don't point to non-existent or faulty pages.
  • The app must be optimized for a resolution of 1280×720 (720p).
  • The app's markup must have a valid <title> element containing the name of your app, as this is used on certain Vewd App Store devices to provide information to the user about which apps are currently running.
  • Adobe Flash and similar multimedia plug-ins are not supported by the Vewd App Store and your app cannot make use of them.
  • All audio/video content can be stopped/started without any unusual/unexpected behavior.
  • Due to a limitation on the current series of devices that run the Vewd App Store, there is only support for playback of a single audio/video element at the same time.
  • The app must provide its own scrolling mechanism if needed, as users can't directly interact with the native scrollbars using standard remote controls.
  • The app must suppress standard dotted outlines and blue spatial navigation focus indicators - provide custom visual focus indication via CSS.
  • Gambling or other games of chance that involve money is not allowed.

Content in your app must satisfy the following criteria:

  • All audio/video content can be played without jittering.
  • Applications cannot contain any content (or advertising promoting material) that contains nudity; is intended for adults only; is unlawful; is harmful; is threatening; is defamatory; is pornographic; is harassing; is private; is racially, ethnically, or similarly objectionable; facilitates illegal activity; promotes violence; is discriminatory; or depicts illegal activities.
  • The app must not unlawfully incorporate third party information, code or graphics.
  • The content must comply with the Terms of Service of the Vewd App Store.
  • If certain aspects or pieces of content cannot be accessed from certain parts of the world (for instance, video clips only authorised to be viewed in a particular country), an informative explanation should be provided to the user.
  • If content/app availability should be restricted to certain countries, then only those countries should be selected during the submission process, otherwise the app can be published globally.
  • If content/app availability should be restricted to certain TV Store platforms or devices, then a written request should should sent to moderators during submission process, otherwise the app can be published on any TV Store platforms or devices.

Should you wish so, it is possible to publish your application only on certain devices. Please contact Vewd App Store at tvstore-content@vewd.com if you need to restrict the availability of your app by:

  • name of the device manufacturer
  • name of the device

WHAT HAPPENS AFTER SUBMISSION

If the above app metadata requirements and criteria are satisfied, your app undergoes additional testing, to see that it works on our reference devices. Your app may also need to undergo a review process by device manufacturers before being made available on their platforms.

An app that does not satisfy the criteria or fails the testing will be rejected; and you will be given information about its rejection in the app Message Center. After you have fixed the problems, you can resubmit the app by clicking the "Upgrade" button next to the app name on My Apps list.

When your app satisfies all requirements and criteria, it will become certified and be ready for deployment on Vewd App Store powered devices. If you applied for Certification & Distribution (recommended), the app will also be published in the Vewd App Store.

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