Windows 11上的新一代亚马逊应用商店已经面世。 亚马逊应用商店的公开预览版现在已可供美国Windows 11客户使用。 该预览版包含了1000多个应用，其中包括Khan Academy Kids、Audible、《地铁跑酷》和《最终幻想： 勇气启示录 幻影战争》等力作，并且随着亚马逊继续致力于推出新的增强功能，还会增添更多应用。 亚马逊和Microsoft都在努力从图形、输入控件和外形规格等方面改进功能，以方便开发者将应用移植到Windows设备上。
Windows 11におけるAmazonアプリストアのサポート計画は次の段階へと進み、 米国のWindows 11ユーザー向けにAmazonアプリストアのパブリックプレビューが開始となりました。 現在のプレビュー版では、『Khan Academy Kids』『Audible』『Subway Surfers』『War of the Visions: Final Fantasy Brave Exvius』など1,000を超えるアプリを利用でき、 今後Amazonが機能を拡張するにしたがってアプリはさらに追加される予定です。 AmazonとMicrosoftは、開発者によるWindowsデバイスへのアプリの移植を容易にするため、グラフィックス・入力コントロール・フォームファクターなどの機能改善に引き続き取り組んでいきます。
So you’ve gone through Catalog Ingestion and voice-enabled your Fire TV app using VSK. Now what? Here are some tips to ensure that customers can successfully use voice to discover and engage with your content.
Maintain your Catalog
VSK relies heavily on your catalog data. If your catalog does not include up-to-date, complete, and accurate information for your content, Alexa may not recognize that your app contains the content and you may miss out on traffic to your app. Make sure to provide as much accurate data for as much of your catalog as possible to ensure your content is discoverable through Alexa. Check out the Catalog Ingestion Best Practices for more info.
Amazon sends ingestion reports via email whenever your catalog is updated so make sure to keep an eye out for those. Check with your Amazon Appstore representative if you want to confirm which email address the notifications are being sent to.
Avoid voice cliffs
Using your voice to engage with technology is a magical experience. On some devices, you don’t even have to pick up a remote. Interrupting the hands-free experience by forcing customers to pick up their remote is known as a ‘voice cliff’. Once customers have to pick up the remote, they are less likely to continue engaging with the app using their voice. One example of a voice cliff is exposing a Profile Selection screen. If a customer requests to watch a movie on your app, it’s best not to have them select a user profile as that will require them to pick up the remote and add that additional friction. Instead, try starting playback with the last or most used profile. Test common use cases in your app to look for voice cliffs and come up with ways to allow customers to stay in the voice experience as much as possible.
Create mechanisms to log failures
You might discover that not all voice commands will be handled as expected. There are many different root causes for this and you will want to understand the ‘Why’. It is strongly recommended to create and integrate mechanisms to log and track down any failures you might come across. Depending on your app and service architecture, this can be done at different points within your service and can include various scopes. An ideal approach will include data that will enable you to answer the following questions:
Did the directive from Alexa actually arrive in the App?
If yes, did the payload include the data needed to resolve the request? (e.g. correct Content ID)
If yes, do you have other logs that include details why it was not handled as expected?
In case the answer to any of the questions is No, please reach out to your Amazon representative and ask for support.
Prepare for new releases
Alexa does not automatically know the names of new shows or movies and may need some training. To make sure that customers are able to request new releases by voice, the best approach is to provide new titles in your catalog well ahead of the release date (1 week recommended). To ensure the content does not appear in the search early, use the WindowStart and MetadataAvailabilityDate elements in your catalog. Notify your Amazon contact that you have new content coming out at least 1 week prior to release, so they can test and train Alexa accordingly.
Educate your customers
Let your customers know that your app is voice-enabled and encourage them to try it out. One possibility is to provide a tutorial that shows them what they can do with their voice. This will help your customers get in the habit of using voice to engage with your content and is also a great opportunity to promote your content. Have a new show coming out that you want people to watch? Use that show in your tutorial examples! Showing the tutorial screen at first app launch, as well as having it accessible in your Settings/Help section is recommended. Also, mention that your app is Alexa-enabled in your app description so your customers know that they can engage with your app using their voice. You are not limited to educating your customers on-device. If you have a Help section on your website, consider adding a help article on how to use Voice with your Fire TV app.
In conclusion
Following these practices, you can eliminate customer friction and ensure that your customers will have a delightful experience using voice to engage with your app on Fire TV. Voice commands allow your customers to spend more time enjoying your content, and less time pressing buttons on a remote. So take your app for a spin and see how much you can control with your voice.
Alexa for Video Publishers lets you build experiences for customers to easily find, consume, and control your app’s video content using just their voice. Our partners at Red Bull TV have integrated VSK for Fire TV and Multimodal into their app for customers to use natural language commands to search for their app’s content, launch the app, control media playback, change the channel, and much more.
Thank you to Red Bull TV for their time to share their insights and experience about integrating and enabling voice features with Amazon Appstore for Fire TV.
Fire TV enables reach of wider global audience
Red Bull recognizes Amazon as a leader in the technology and streaming hardware space, and has been an early advocate for partnering on new and exciting features to enhance their consumer app experience.
From the inception of Red Bull TV, their main goal has been to reach and inspire as many customers as possible with cutting-edge content and an award-winning user experience. Fire TV has paved the way in the streaming world and has made it possible for Red Bull TV to reach a wider, global audience.
Voice enhances customer experience
Red Bull deeply values Amazon’s focus on innovation and support for voice features, and believe that Alexa is among the top voice solutions in the market today. They have found that the advantages of voice have improved user experience, providing a more seamless way to navigate to content.
Voice has helped create hassle-free experiences for Red Bull customers and reduce interactions that are cumbersome with a traditional remote. They are very passionate about growing technology and working with partners like Amazon, who are putting the customer interests first. Red Bull appreciates the convenience and ease of launching into playback. Using voice features promotes additional video plays and more opportunity for content in the background.
The future is voice for video streaming apps
With discovery and navigation increasingly handled outside of app, Red Bull has identified voice as playing a central role in enhancing their customers search experience. Users will have more granular control over playback and access to information related to content will be easier to access and discover. They are confident that voice is the future of streaming media and that it has made monumental leaps since its inception, with more exciting Fire TV voice features to follow for customers to enjoy.
About Red Bull TV
Red Bull TV gives you free, front row access to a world that’s Beyond the Ordinary. Meet athletes, artists, dancers and pioneers at the forefront of innovation – icons, teams, competitors, and rising stars from around the world. Customers can experience 24/7 Linear TV channel or choose from a deep video on demand library consisting of thousands of hours of entertainment across sports, culture and lifestyle topics.
The next phase of Amazon Appstore on Windows 11 is here. A public preview of Amazon Appstore is now available to US-based Windows 11 customers. Over 1,000 apps are included in the preview, titles like Khan Academy Kids, Audible, Subway Surfers, and War of the Visions: Final Fantasy Brave Exvius, with additional apps added as Amazon continues to work towards new feature enhancements. Both Amazon and Microsoft are working on feature improvements including graphics, input controls, and form factor to make it easier for developers to port their apps to Windows devices.
No additional action or work is required to participate in this program, however developers are able to test an app’s compatibility with Windows 11 utilizing the video tutorial provided below.
Test your app’s compatibility with Windows 11 Follow the how-to video below to learn how to test an app on Windows Subsystem for Android. If you are able to install the app and major functionality works on a Windows 11 device, no further action is needed at this time. If you encounter issues during testing, please reach out to our Developer Support Team and share the experience via a Contact Us form. The valuable feedback will help to prioritize new features and enhancements for the program.
More information will be shared during a FireSide Chat LIVE on Twitch at twitch.tv/amazonappdev on Tuesday Feb 22nd [6pm GMT/10am PST]. Amazon’s Developer Evangelists will provide a demo of Android Apps on Windows 11.
As progress continues, details surrounding General Availability will be released. Sign up here to receive updates as the program develops, and if you have not brought your app to the Amazon Appstore yet, submit your app today.
FAQs
1) As a developer – how do I get my app in the catalog? As testing capabilities continue to expand, the Amazon Appstore is constantly testing new apps to be included in this preview phase. If you’re not developing for the Amazon Appstore today, the best way to get started is to submit your app to unlock the benefits of the Amazon Appstore.
2) When is General Availability? Amazon and Microsoft look forward to sharing more details on General Availability in 2022.
3) Will Amazon Appstore be available to Windows 11 devices internationally? At the moment it is only available in the US but additional locales will be included at a later date.
4) How do I know if I am part of the 1,000+ apps that launched with public preview? If your app is included in the preview, you will see the “Windows Devices” tab in the Amazon Developer Portal under enabled devices. If you do not see this option, your app is not included in this phase of the program however we will continue to add apps to the store as the program develops.
5) How can I make my app available to Windows 11 devices through the Amazon Appstore? We are not accepting submissions targeting Windows 11 devices at this time. We will continue to add passing apps to the store as the program develops.
6) How will Android apps run on the Windows 11 OS? Microsoft launched Windows Subsystem for Android™ (WSA) that powers the Amazon Appstore and its catalog. WSA includes the Linux kernel and the Android OS based on the Android Open Source Project (AOSP) version 11 and is distributed through the Microsoft Store as part of the Amazon Appstore install. Windows Subsystem for Android™ runs in a Hyper-V Virtual Machine, similar to the Windows Subsystem for Linux, and it understands how to map the runtime and APIs of apps in the AOSP environment to the Windows graphic layer, the memory buffers, the input modes, the physical and virtual devices, and the sensors.
7) What device hardware is compatible? Find Windows 11 specs, features, and computer requirements here.
We’re excited to announce the launch of the first phase of the Amazon Appstore Small Business Accelerator Program. Developers with revenue less than 1 million USD in the previous calendar year will now receive an increased 80/20 revenue share with no action required to earn the new rates.
As part of the program, we’ve also created a new dedicated application row on Fire tablet devices which features apps from eligible small business developers. This row will showcase developers from the program and we hope will drive more visibility for a broad selection of apps.
The program will continue to expand in 2022, with the next phase featuring AWS promotional credits equivalent to 10 percent of revenue. Eligible developers will receive guidance via email on how to claim their credits and unlock the benefits of building on the cloud.
Today, the Amazon Appstore is launching the Appstore SDK, the newest version of Amazon’s In-App Purchasing SDK. This SDK is the latest In-App Purchasing (IAP) SDK, enabling developers to offer digital content and subscriptions for purchase, such as virtual currency, extra lives, and upgrades on Fire TV and Fire tablet devices.
Getting started with Appstore SDK Integrating with Appstore SDK is easy. To get started, download the SDK and follow the steps listed in our technical documentation. Post-integration, you can use the App Tester to test your IAP functionality before publishing to the Amazon Appstore. After testing your app locally, you can also use the Live App Testing service to beta test your app in a live production environment with a select group of users.
Upgrading from IAP SDK V2.0 to Appstore SDK To help with the transition, we’ve created a detailed tutorial on how to migrate an app from IAP SDK V2.0 to Appstore SDK. The first step is downloading the Appstore SDK. From there, you’ll need to remove your existing IAP JAR and configure the new Appstore SDK using a public key.
Interested in learning more about the Appstore SDK? Check out the technical documentation:
At Microsoft’s Windows Event earlier this year, Microsoft and Amazon announced plans to bring the Amazon Appstore to the Microsoft Store on Windows 11. For Amazon Appstore developers, this means expanding their ability to reach hundreds of millions of new customers on Windows.
Today we’re launching the first phase of this program by opening a limited selection of Amazon Appstore apps to Windows Insider community. Microsoft is inviting Windows Insiders to gain early access and explore a preview of mobile app functionality that will be offered to customers. The Amazon Appstore apps featured in this phase of the program are part of a closed beta, and include apps like Kindle, Khan Academy Kids, and United Airlines.
We are excited about the progress we are making with the program and look forward to sharing more details for how Amazon will provide developers with the opportunity to make their Android apps available to Windows 11 customers.
If you’re not developing for the Amazon Appstore, the best way to get started is to submit your app to unlock the benefits of the Amazon Appstore.
FAQs
1) My app is already on the Amazon Appstore. When will it be included on Windows 11? The Amazon Appstore team will share more details over time in the coming months. Developers who aren’t currently part of the Amazon Appstore can submit their Android apps here.
2) Who is included in the Windows Insider Program? The Windows Insider Program is an active community of Window’s biggest fans who get to be the first to see what’s next and help shape the future of Windows.
3) How do I receive updates about Windows 11 eligibility? The Amazon Appstore team will share an update via email as more apps are eligible for Windows 11. Developers can also sign up here to receive updates about the program.
