Case study: Zillow for Apple TV

Overview

In 2015, as Apple opened its TV platform to third-party developers, Zillow seized the opportunity to pioneer the first real estate experience for the communal living room. This project explored how users would value home shopping on a shared, large-screen device.

The opportunity: pioneering a new platform

The launch of the tvOS SDK presented a "blue ocean" for real estate tech, but with unique technical and behavioral challenges.

  • First-Mover Status: No existing real estate apps for Apple TV meant designing from scratch without industry benchmarks.

  • Living Room Context: Determining if property browsing translated from a private mobile activity to a communal "lean-back" experience.

  • Hardware Constraints: Designing for a platform that, at the time, lacked native map services—a core component of Zillow's identity.

The process: content-first design

Without native maps, the design strategy pivoted to lead with Zillow’s most compelling assets: high-resolution imagery and local data.

  • Location-Aware Discovery: Leveraged user location to start the app with a feed of "Nearby Listings" sorted by distance, providing immediate local relevance.

  • Curated Collections: Pioneered "Home Collections" (e.g., unique inventory attributes), allowing users to browse curated sets based on local availability.

  • Cross-Platform Continuity: Integrated account sign-in to sync "Saved Homes" and searches from mobile/web, bridging the gap between personal research and shared viewing.

  • Multimedia Integration: Partnered with the original content team to host Zillow video series, utilizing the TV as a natural venue for video consumption.

Result & impact

The Zillow Apple TV app was featured by Apple during its keynote and quickly became the most popular non-video app on the platform.

  • Behavioral Shift: Analytics revealed users were actually "shopping" (favoriting homes) rather than just "viewing," leading to a quick pivot to add bedrooms, bathrooms, and price filters.

  • Market Recognition: Successfully defined the category, receiving critical acclaim and high initial ratings.

  • Iterative Success: Post-launch optimizations to search functionality led to sustained improvements in rankings and user reviews.

Zillow Apple TV App announced by Eddie Cue at Apple TV Event 2015