Live-viewing apps

PatternsPatterns

Source: Apple Inc. Canonical content at https://developer.apple.com/design/human-interface-guidelines/live-viewing-apps. This file is a structured index of that content, snapshot 2025-02-02. Apple HIG text and imagery are © Apple Inc.; this repository provides organization and cross-referencing for AI agent consumption only.

Live-viewing apps

Best practices

Feature live content prominently and make it easy to access.

Let people tap once — or not at all — to start playback.

Make sure live content looks live.

Consider indicating the progress of currently playing live content.

Give people additional actions and viewing alternatives.

Consider using a content footer for browsing channels during playback.

  • Give it a subtle treatment, such as a darkening, to keep text legible and help all items remain visually distinct from the content playing behind it.

  • Make it easy for people to identify the thumbnail that represents the currently playing content by, for example, badging the thumbnail or tinting its progress bar.

  • Match the categories in the content footer to those in your electronic program guide (for related guidance, see EPG experience).

  • Design a simple, predictable way for people to invoke and dismiss the content footer — for example, if swiping up invokes the footer, people would expect swiping down to dismiss it.

Provide instant visual feedback when people change channels.

Match audio to the current context.

EPG experience

Prominently display current information and make it easy to return to playback.

Make browsing the EPG effortless.

Group content into familiar categories to help people find it more easily.

Let people browse the EPG without leaving their current content.

Cloud DVR

Let people start and stop recording from the info panel.

Let people record a future program in a view that provides details about the content.

Help people adapt the recording experience to their needs.

Allow playback and other content-specific actions within your cloud DVR area.

Consider offering a control that lets people manage cloud DVR settings.

Platform considerations

Resources


For the complete guidance, including worked examples and illustrations, see the canonical page: https://developer.apple.com/design/human-interface-guidelines/live-viewing-apps

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