The ever-growing ubiquity and power of mobile devices and the trend of televisions becoming more than just dumb displays for moving images are two sides of the same coin. Both types of devices have outgrown their original purpose and are now used for tasks that previously required a PC or laptop. At the same time, users often own and use multiple devices in parallel, e.g. when watching TV or while working. Traditional application models are however focused on single devices and screens, although apps for the “second screen” have been getting a lot of interest recently.

In this tutorial we will highlight the differences and similarities of cross-platform, second-screen and multiscreen. We will furthermore explain the underlying technical challenges. Participants will also learn about design patterns for multiscreen applications, requirements and approaches that support developing cross-device and multiscreen applications.

From Cross-Platform to Multiscreen

We will introduce the concepts of Cross-Screen, Second Screen and Multiscreen apps using real-world example applications to highlight key differences between each of the regarded domains. The findings will help us to come to a clear definition of what characterizes each domain (cross-screen, second screen and multiscreen) and how they relate to each other.

Challenges for Multiscreen Applications

We will continue the tutorial with a survey on application scenarios for multiscreen and then brief the participants about technical implications and requirements that each use case introduces. Here we will examine different areas in the application lifecycle from a more technical perspective and cover several relevant topics ranging from distribution of apps across devices, discovery and synchronization to performance and security issues. We will conclude this part of the tutorial by presenting existing technical solutions in the industry, standardization bodies and current research, what solutions they bring and which gaps still remain, with respect to multiscreen app development.

Designing Multiscreen Applications

Participants will learn about differences in the design and the application model of single- and multiscreen applications. We will create a simple multiscreen application live during the session, demonstrating that developing multiscreen applications does not require a complete rethinking of traditional development workflows. We will then briefly look at how developers can benefit from an application platform or framework targeted on multiscreen applications.