Developers Steven Troughton-Smith and TheMudKip have been working to add iOS applications to add functionality to the Apple TV. While the process is still in early stages, the concept of being able to run applications is proven. In order to run iOS application on the Apple TV, the software powers an app launcher, the iOS Springboard, that had to be rewritten in order to run on the Apple TV.

By rewriting the springboard, it has allowed for a new, neat feature: side-by-side apps. This concept was shown early in WWDC on the iPad, but this is much more powerful and crucial on a device like an Apple TV. One possible posed by 9to5Mac is that somebody could open several news applications to have a bigger view on what is going on in the world. They could also have different chat applications on for different services for simultaneous use.

Yesterday, we broke the news that developers Steven Troughton-Smith and the TheMudKip are working on bringing iOS applications to the Apple TV in a native experience. Since our initial report, we have been updating with the developers progress, but now a major leap has been achieved: full-screen applications. Troughton-Smith was awesome enough to exclusively pass on the images (above and below) of full-screen apps in action.

Since the initial report by 9to5Mac, a new major leap has been achieved. Troughton-Smith and TheMudKip have achieved full-screen applications.

Initially, the port ran multiple apps side-by-side on a display connected to an Apple TV. The developers have figured out a way to run iPad applications at a full 720p resolution.

From 9to5Mac

The possibilities of what applications can do at the full television resolution on an Apple TV seem endless, and the two types of application presentations (side-by-side and full screen) show how versatile this application porting is.

Since the developers have achieved this feat by re-writing the springboard itself, we will surely see some more innovation as their work progresses. As Troughton-Smith posted on Twitter – “Remember how the unofficial iPhone apps back in ’07 forced Apple’s hand in creating an App Store? I’d like AppleTV to get the same treatment” – we hope this becomes something more than just an unofficial tweak.

What do you think about apps being ported to Apple TV?