You.i TV said it is helping A+E Networks to reach a wide range of TV-connected platforms, starting with a TV Everywhere app for History.
You.i TV said its Engine One will power a new History TVE app that’s based on the React Native development platform, a Facebook-backed open source, cloud-based framework that allows for efficient code-sharing alongside a cross-platform capability that allows for the delivery of high-performance apps spanning both mobile and TV-connected platforms.
You.i TV detailed some of its product-focused work with React Native in December. A+E Networks is its first React Native customer.
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Tricia Cooke, You.i TV’s VP of marketing, said the React Native approach allows app-makers to deliver similar, high-end functionality across multiple platforms rather than taking a lowest-common denominator approach that might limit the app’s functionality (such as on-screen animations and motion-based interface designs) on some TV-based streaming platforms.
A+E Networks is one of five partners that are on board with You.i TV’s early access program for React Native as the vendor works toward commercial avaialbity of an engine that takes full advantage of the app framework.
The History TVE app based on that framework is expected to launch later this year and support several platforms, including iOS, Android, Apple TV, Roku and Amazon’s Fire TV.
The Weather Group, Turner, the National Basketball Association and National Geographic and are among You.i TV’s announced customers
You.i TV announced a $12 million "B" round led by Time Warner Investments in the fall of 2016.
