Opinion: Why are companies and developers “abandoning” the Apple Watch?

When the Apple Watch was launched in 2014, many saw the product as a possible “successor” to the iPhone. Not in the sense that you have a phone on your wrist, not even though today, in 2018, this is possible thanks to the Apple Watch Series 3 (GPS + Cellular). I mean in the sense that you have there on your wrist a device capable of carrying out various tasks, of being able to leave your smartphone aside in a few moments and do everything you need to do with your smartwatch.

Some years passed and it became clear that the product was not born with this intention. And if it was born, Apple had the speed and intelligence to quickly change (in the jargon of fashion, pivot) that.

Woman running with Apple WatchImage: Shutterstock

It is true that, since the first disclosure of the Apple Watch, the company hit the key a lot health and fitness. But, in addition, there was an expectation with the watch for several other categories, such as social networks, communication, utilities, productivity now, we even saw games being launched for the Apple Watch!

Before long, the watchOS app store was packed with apps; little by little, however, this growth slowed and stagnated. Recently, we followed a stampede of companies and developers just to name a few more famous ones that launched apps for the watch and then just gave up on the idea, we have: Instagram, Google Maps, Twitter, Slack, Trello, Amazon and eBay.

Some look at this and already spike the failure of the clock, a clear sign that the device has not "picked up". However, I see this scenario differently.

Deciphering the placement of the Apple Watch

Four years have passed since the launch of the original model. We are in the third generation of the Apple Watch and now it is clear what the path and the future of this device is: notification center + health / fitness hub.

Of course, it is still possible to do many other things with the watch a few days ago, for example, the first email client created by a third party (Canary Mail) appeared in the store. However, no matter how hard I try, I just don't see myself managing emails by watch. And that's not all: I don't see myself talking to my co-workers on Slack, I don't see myself browsing Instagram, I don't see myself going through timeline Twitter or anything like that (and believe me, I tried after all, testing resources like that is part of our work here at ).

Such interactions simply do not match a watch. It is not pleasant to keep your wrist up to write a message, listen to audio, scroll by timelines endless, strolling through online stores, among other things. Honestly: what makes a person do this on a small screen, attached to your wrist? There are much, much better ways to perform such functions.

On the other hand, receiving an important notification, turning your wrist, looking at the information and making the decision (ignore, pick up the phone to answer, go to the iPad or Mac to solve, etc.) makes a lot more sense. A simple example to understand: I lost count of how many times I received a notification from Slack (internal communicator that we use here on MM) and I took my iPhone to answer simply because it is much easier and faster than trying to answer something through the Apple Watch. That is, it makes no difference * no * to have or not a Slack app on my watch, since the notifications I receive on it anyway (all notifications from Slack that arrive on the iPhone, I also receive on the Watch).

Another example: does it matter if you have a Trello app on your watch? No. I'm sorry, but managing all the agendas and tasks that we have here at MM not so pleasant on the iPhone screen, imagine on the Apple Watch! I venture to say that I opened Trello a single time to see what it looked like and stayed on it. So, his departure from the watchOS App Store is absolutely necessary.

Apple Watch boarding passApple Watch boarding pass | Image: Unsplash

The point I want to get to: Apple Watch has found its niche, its area of ​​operation. And as much as we see one or another application of productivity, utility, social network or some other segment making success, the watch is also great for making payments (Apple Pay), saving flight boarding passes, adjusting timer, quickly check the weather forecast, among other common tasks, the focus of the health / fitness watch. You will hardly see an application like Nike + Run, Strava, Runtastic Results, WaterMinder, Sleep ++, American Airlines, The Weather Channel or the like abandoning the watchOS platform simply because here the watch stands out, that it really useful in our day-to-day.

Want more proof? There are rumors that the Spotify finally launching an app for watchOS soon, who knows during the Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) 2018. An app, incidentally, that should have been launched a long time ago and I believe it wasn’t just for issues involving the “fight” between Spotify and Apple Music, which unfortunately ends up reflecting on things they shouldn't.

Supposed Spotify app for watchOS

The fact is that this stampede of watchOS applications is nothing more than companies and developers adapting to the watch's business model. After an initial fever in which no one wants to be left out because of the spontaneous media that this generates, things are calming down and settling down.

It may be that five years from now the clock will be a productivity tool, a way for you to follow your social networks today, however, there are better ways to do that.

But there is no better way to monitor your heart rate, monitor physical activity, make a payment, save your flight boarding pass or stay on top of important notifications. here that the Apple Watch shines and shows its value.


Apple Watch Series 2

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Price view: from R $ 2,339.10Installed price: in at 12x R $ 216,58Sizes: 38mm or 42mmColors: diverseRelease: September 2017

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