Samsung announced several new software development kits (SDKs) and updated tools to help developers build apps that can be used across multiple screens, interact with different hardware and cater for the enterprise market.

The company is looking to forge closer direct links with developers to draw them into the Samsung ecosystem by providing them with functionality that goes beyond that offered by Android.

The Samsung Developers Conference in San Francisco saw the company outline its Smart TV SDK 5.0 beta, Multiscreen SDK beta, Multiscreen gaming SDK and Enterprise SDK beta, along with the latest additions to its Mobile and Service SDKs.

“If you’re a mobile developer, you might actually find that developing for a smart TV could be interesting and if you’re a smart TV developer you might find developing an enterprise application could be pretty interesting as well,” noted Curtis Sasaki, senior VP for Samsung Media Solutions Center America.

Sasaki discussed the Samsung Mobile SDK, which allows Samsung functionality—such as S Pen, media control, gesture, multi window and image filter—to be integrated into apps via more than 800 APIs. A demo by Twitter showed how S Pen can be used to draw over images and write tweets within its forthcoming Android tablet app.

The Samsung Service SDK was also touted, with improvements to AdHub, in-app purchasing, geofencing and the ChatOn in-app messaging APIs.

Sasaki said the additions to these SDKs present developers with more opportunities in games, entertainment, social, health, fitness and location-based services.

The Smart TV SDK 5.0 Beta aims to improve the way apps can interact with Samsung’s intelligent TVs. The 5.0 version is the third iteration launched this year, and focuses on multiscreen capability, the ability to connect with Samsung appliances, and close caption support.

Showing the potential demand for multiscreen capabilities, Eric Anderson, VP at Samsung Electronics America, quoted Nielsen figures suggesting there are now six devices in every US home and three TVs.

Elsewhere, the new multiscreen SDK beta, due to be launched on 12 November, allows a mobile device to share and control media content across different screens. The SDK supports Android, iOS, JavaScript and C++.

A demo by music service Pandora showed how devices can detect the presence of a Smart TV and allow users to transfer audio content playing on smartphones to the bigger screen.

The multiscreen gaming SDK meanwhile, allows developers to connect mobile games to a separate Samsung game controller via Bluetooth or allow users to play games on the TV, to create a more console-like experience. It also adds support for games developed using the Unity framework.

The enterprise SDK beta, which ties in with Samsung’s secure Android platform Knox, was the final set of tools to be discussed.

The Knox SDK has 1,090 APIs enabling IT managers to control an increasing array of processes on mobile devices. Areas covered include anti-theft, parental control, remote device troubleshooting and connecting to various M2M applications.

Gregory Lee, president, Samsung Telecommunications America said developers should be looking to develop for Samsung not only due to its “tremendous reach around the world” but also because apps they build will work across the company’s growing portfolio of products beyond smartphones and tablets.