Customizing a menu in a discovery interface

A computer-readable storage medium having computer-executable instructions stored thereon that, when executed by a processor of a computer system, cause the computer system to perform a computer process for presenting a customized menu item in a menu display of a media application, the computer process comprising:

• receiving one or more application packages from a communications network at the computer system, wherein each application package contains one or more resources for customized application pages of the media application;
• storing the one or more application packages on the computer system in a storage system external to the media application;
• accessing internal menu markup data of the media application for rendering a set of menu items for the menu display;
• determining that the internal menu markup data indicates that the set of menu items for the menu display includes one or more built-in menu items installed with the media application, wherein:
• the internal menu markup data specifies a reference to a built-in application page of the media application for each built-in menu item, and
• selection of at least one of the built-in menu items launches a built-in application page that provides functionality for browsing and selecting broadcast television content received by the computer system;
• determining that the internal menu markup data includes a placeholder for an offering tile for a customized menu item within the set of menu items for the menu display, wherein:
• the customized menu item provides access to online television content,
• the placeholder references an application package and a resource for a customized application page, and
• selection of the offering tile for the customized menu item launches the customized application page to provide functionality for browsing and selecting categories of the online television content;
• searching for the application package and the resource referenced by the placeholder in the storage system external to the media application;
• if the application package and the resource referenced by the placeholder are found in the storage system external to the media application:
• accessing the application package referenced by the placeholder from the storage system external to the media application,
• accessing the resource referenced by the placeholder from the accessed application package,
• rendering the one or more built-in menu items and the offering tile for the customized menu item in the menu display of the media application, and
• customizing display of the offering tile for the customized menu item displays updated using content from the resource of the accessed application package;
• and
• if the application package and the resource referenced by the placeholder are not found in the storage system external to the media application:
• rendering the one or more built-in menu items in the menu display of the media application, and
• setting the offering tile for the customized menu item to be hidden from view.

A system comprising:

• a network adapter that receives one or more application packages from a communications network, each application package containing one or more resources for customized application pages of a media application executed by the system;
• a storage system external to the media application that stores the one or more application packages;
• a processor that:
• accesses internal menu markup data of the media application for rendering a set of menu items for the menu display,
• determines that the internal menu markup data indicates that the set of menu items for the menu display includes one or more built-in menu items installed with the media application, wherein:
• the internal menu markup data specifies a reference to a built-in application page of the media application for each built-in menu item, and
• selection of at least one of the built-in menu items launches a built-in application page that provides functionality for viewing the browsing and selecting broadcast television content received by the computer system,
• determines that the internal menu markup data includes a placeholder for an offering tile for a customized menu item within the set of menu items for the menu display, wherein:
• the customized menu item provides access to online television content,
• the placeholder references an application package and a resource for a customized application page, and
• selection of the offering tile for the customized menu item launches the customized application page to provide functionality for browsing and selecting categories of the online television content,
• searches for the application package and the resource referenced by the placeholder in the storage system external to the media application,
• if the application package and the resource referenced by the placeholder are found in the storage system external to the media application:
• accesses the application package referenced by the placeholder from the storage system external to the media application,
• accesses the resource referenced by the placeholder from the accessed application package,
• renders the one or more built-in menu items and the offering tile for the customized menu item in the menu display of the media application, and
• customizes display of the offering tile for the customized menu item using content from the resource of the accessed application package, and
• if the application package and the resource referenced by the placeholder are not found in the storage system external to the media application:
• renders the one or more built-in menu items in the menu display of the media application, and
• sets the offering tile for the customized menu item to be hidden from view.