Apparatus, system and method for promoting apps to smart devices
Apparatus, system and method for promoting media apps to an end user of a smart device. The smart device gathers information of apps that have been installed into the smart device and provides this information to a remote server. The remote server compares the information sent by the smart device to an identification of promoted apps received from a remote source to identify apps that are not installed in the smart device that are included in the identification of promoted apps. The remote server then notifies the smart device of which apps in the identification of promoted apps are not installed into the smart device, so that a user of the smart device may choose to have the missing app installed.
1. A smart device adapted to promote new apps to an end user of the smart device, comprising:
an electronic storage medium having processor-readable code embodied therein and storing an identification of promoted apps as received from a remote server;
a communication interface; and
a processor, coupled to the electronic storage medium and the communication interface for executing the processor-readable code that causes the smart device to:
receive, via the communication interface, installed app information of one or more of other smart devices on a common local-area network as the smart device;
compare the received installed app information of each of the one or more other smart devices that provided installed app information to the smart device with the identification of promoted apps;
determine one or more missing apps from the comparison of the identification of apps presently installed on the one or more other smart devices with the identification of promoted apps, the missing apps comprising one or more apps listed in the identification of promoted apps that are not present in one or more of the other smart devices; and
provide a notification to one or more of the other smart devices indicating that one or more of the missing apps are available for installation on one or more of the other smart devices.
2. The smart device as recited in claim 1 , wherein the installed app information of one or more of other smart devices are caused to be received at predetermined times.
3. The smart device as recited in claim 1 , wherein the installed app information of one or more of other smart devices are caused to received in response to a predetermined event.
4. The smart device as recited in claim 3 , wherein the predetermined event comprises a powering on of the smart device.
5. The smart device as recited in claim 3 , wherein the predetermined event comprises a coupling of the smart device to the local-area network.
6. A method for promoting new apps to an end user of the smart device, comprising:
receiving by a smart device from a remote server an identification of promoted apps;
receiving by the smart device installed app information of one or more other smart devices on a common local-area network as the smart device;
comparing by the smart device the received installed app information of each of the one or more other smart devices that provided installed app information to the smart device with the identification of promoted apps;
determining by the smart device one or more missing apps from the comparison of the identification of apps presently installed on the one or more other smart devices with the identification of promoted apps, the missing apps comprising one or more apps listed in the identification of promoted apps that are not present in one or more of the other smart devices; and
causing by the smart device a notification to be provided to one or more of the other smart devices indicating that one or more of the missing apps are available for installation on one or more of the other smart devices.
7. The method as recited in claim 6 , wherein the installed app information of one or more of other smart devices are caused to be received at predetermined times.
8. The method as recited in claim 6 , wherein the installed app information of one or more of other smart devices are caused to received in response to a predetermined event.
9. The method as recited in claim 8 , wherein the predetermined event comprises a powering on of the smart device.
10. The method as recited in claim 8 , wherein the predetermined event comprises a coupling of the smart device to the local-area network.
11. A method for promoting new apps to an end user of the smart device, comprising:
receiving by a smart device from a remote server an identification of promoted apps;
receiving by the smart device installed app information of one or more other smart devices on a common local-area network as the smart device;
comparing by the smart device the received installed app information of each of the one or more other smart devices that provided installed app information to the smart device with the identification of promoted apps;
determining by the smart device one or more missing apps from the comparison of the identification of apps presently installed on the one or more other smart devices with the identification of promoted apps, the missing apps comprising one or more apps listed in the identification of promoted apps that are not present in one or more of the other smart devices; and
causing by the smart device one or more of the missing apps to be automatically installed on one or more of the other smart devices.
12. The method as recited in claim 11 , wherein the installed app information of one or more of other smart devices are caused to be received at predetermined times.
13. The method as recited in claim 11 , wherein the installed app information of one or more of other smart devices are caused to received in response to a predetermined event.
14. The method as recited in claim 13 , wherein the predetermined event comprises a powering on of the smart device.
15. The method as recited in claim 11 , wherein the predetermined event comprises a coupling of the smart device to the local-area network.