In a sign of the upcoming new Apple TV’s early popularity among app developers, Apple has decided to make available more development kits for the set-top box due to “overwhelming demand”.
During Friday evening, Apple emailed a number of developers to inform them of this news. In the email, a copy of which has been obtained by MacRumors, the Cupertino firm explained:
“Due to overwhelming demand, we’ve made more Apple TV Developer Kits available and you’ve been selected to receive one. Simply sign in with your developer account, agree to the terms and conditions, and submit your order by 5:00 p.m.local time on October 9, 2015.”
As with the initial release of these kits last month, registered developers have only been able to obtain a kit by applying for entry into a lottery – meaning that, as noted by 9to5Mac, not every developer who has applied for one of these kits will have received this new email from Apple.
The company’s rollout of further development kits, however, suggests that the new Apple TV, which will get its retail launch later this month, has received even greater developer interest than Apple had first anticipated. It’s strong evidence that many developers have embraced Apple’s belief, as is especially clear in the bumper lead article of the current issue of AppleMagazine, that “the future of TV is apps”.