For enterprises, educators, and executive boards, making data-driven decisions often requires presenting complex information on a large screen. However, most organizations struggle to deliver interactive geospatial and statistical data that's both powerful and easy to navigate using just a standard TV remote.
At Bitcot, we recognized the need for business intelligence tools that are robust enough for the boardroom but simple enough for anyone to use with minimal training. To solve this challenge, we developed a sophisticated Proof of Concept (PoC), a React Native TV application designed to bring together the world's most powerful data sources and present them in a unified window on US geospatial data.
The Challenges of Building a Cross-Platform TV App
Developing for television is not as straightforward as scaling up a mobile interface. While the hardware may be larger, the technical constraints are much tighter. When you layer complex geospatial data and real-time analytics onto that environment, the complexity scales quickly.
One primary hurdle we identified was the need to adapt traditional mapping solutions designed for touchscreens or mice to work with a TV remote control. Most React Native components do not natively support focus management for a D-pad remote, making standard maps unusable without building a custom interaction engine from scratch.
Overcoming Technical Limitations
Another challenge was merging multiple map data sources like OpenStreetMap (OSM) and Esri REST APIs into a single interface that could handle real-time statistical layers and weather data. This required immense processing power to maintain smooth map rendering and seamless layer toggling without lag.
We also had to overcome library limitations by selecting and customizing popular React Native libraries for TVOS environments, where touch input is not available. Analytics visualization, in particular, needed to be rebuilt using custom components that allow users to navigate through data points using only a remote control.
The Power of a Single Codebase
The ultimate goal was to maintain a single codebase that serves Android TV, Apple TV, Web, and Mobile devices seamlessly. To achieve this, we used React Native and Expo frameworks to develop a unified architecture that eliminates the need for separate development teams and ensures consistent data visualization across all platforms.
A Unified View of Geospatial Data
Our PoC application is designed to merge professional-grade mapping engines into a single interface that presents complex API data in an easy-to-digest visual story. Decision-makers can overlay real-time statistical data directly onto a map, making it possible to visualize national logistics or hyper-local weather alerts from ten feet away.
Engineered for "Lean-Back" Interactivity
The defining characteristic of our application is its navigation philosophy. On a phone, users tap; on a TV, they navigate via focus. Our app replaces touch-based interactions with a robust focus engine that allows users to jump between map markers, toggle data layers, and scrub through analytics charts using only the directional pad (D-pad) of a standard remote.
The Benefits of Using React Native Expo for Swift App Development
By leveraging React Native and Expo for TV-based mapping and analytics, we've achieved a unified architecture that eliminates the need for separate development teams. This approach ensures that if a data point is updated in the cloud, it reflects simultaneously across all platforms, providing a seamless experience for users.