What Are TV Apps?

Many of us have become accustomed to the use of apps on our mobile phones and mp3 or media players, but one area where we are yet to enjoy the full range of services that apps offer is on our TV sets. In the same way that your mobile phone probably offers a mass of features and functions via existing apps and the addition of downloadable apps, so too do many modern televisions.

A series of apps, or applications, are typically installed on modern TV sets already, as soon as you make a purchase. These apps may be as simple as weather tickers or simple games. However, they can also be considerably more complex offering you the ability to search for video and streaming content from providers around the world. In these cases you can usually search for a specific keyword and then be presented with all of the content that can be found across numerous channels.

TV apps are becoming more popular and this is because of the wide range of additional content that can be accessed by users. You can watch YouTube clips, catch up on your favourite TV shows that you might have missed, and listen to digital radio broadcasts from all over the world; and, you can do all of this from the comfort of your living room and with the benefit of a large screen and superior audio settings.Another popular use of TV apps is to access social media websites. Social networks like Facebook and Twitter not only enable you to view updates from others but also allow you to share information, update your own status, and provide links to some of the content you've found online. TV apps work as communications tools as well as entertainment tools then.

Depending on the make of Smart TV or the manufacturer of your Internet enabled Blu-Ray player you will be able to access a host of different TV apps. You will be able to play games, share photos, view user made videos, and even catch up on the latest holiday deals and weather news thanks to the applications made available to you.

Philip Grady is a tech journalist and blogger writing for various publications, including Smartatelly.com, on tv apps, smart tvs and more.