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Wearable apps are user-friendly and engaging. They run seamlessly on wearable devices.
It can track real-time data such as heart rate, physical activity, blood pressure, and other relevant information. The Internet of Things (IoT), which is continuously growing, allows wearable apps to be used.
Types Of Wearable Devices
- SmartWatch
A smartwatch is one of the most popular wearable devices. Statista says they will grow by more than 253 million in 2025.
Smartwatch allows users to use multiple features such as alerts & notifications, and physical activity trackers.
Smartwatches are primarily equipped with sensor-related features that enhance user experience.
Apple Watch is a well-known example.
The Key Features of SmartWatch:
- ECG App
ECG is an acronym for electrocardiogram. It measures the pulses to determine the heart rate and gives the data accordingly.
- SpO2 Monitoring
SpO2 can also be called oxygen saturation. It monitors blood oxygen levels.
- Footometer
The pedometer tracks the user's steps.
- Eye Wear
Smart glasses or eyewear are the next technological innovation in wearable devices.
They integrate data about what the user sees.
Smart glasses collect data from both internal and external sensors. They also support wireless technologies such as Bluetooth, GPS, Wi-Fi, and Wired.
Wearable glasses can alter the optical properties of their lenses during their operation.
Ray-Ban is a prominent example of eyewear.
The Key Features of Eye Wear:
- Activity Monitoring
Users can store and navigate their location using tracking devices such as digital cameras and GPS.
- Accessing information
Smart glasses can record images and videos hands-free, as well as information about products, facial recognition, and other relevant topics.
- Exercise Band
Shop Fitbit Charge 5">Fitbit is ideal for fitness enthusiasts as it lets them track their daily activities.
The fitness band is equipped with sensors that transmit data to the smartphone.
The device gathers all information and converts it into steps, daily runs, sleep quality, calories, and other valuable data.
Fitness bands offer many benefits, including tracking daily progress, receiving workout tips, monitoring health, and a user-friendly interface for tracking fitness.
The Key Features of the Fitness Band:
- Health Metrics
Health metrics monitor, analyze, optimize and transform healthcare data.
- The Breathing Rate
Wearables that measure breathing rate and respond quickly to changes in activity are the most advanced.
- Oxygen Saturation (SpO2) Monitoring
The red and infrared sensors on fitness bands monitor blood oxygen levels and alert you to potential health problems.
- Hearable Technology
Hearable technology is the new successor to headphones and earbuds. It responds in audio when the voice input is passed.
It can be incorporated with speakers and microphones.
Smart headphones can be used for various purposes, including wireless transmission, communication, medical monitoring, and fitness tracking.
Apple AirPods Pro are one of the most famous examples of hearable technology.
The Key Features of Hearable Technology:
- Personal Identification
Advanced hearable technology uses sound waves to identify and recognise the device's owner.
- Activity Monitoring
Through the use of wearable technology, you can improve your caloric intake. It tracks every movement and measures the user's health.
- Enhancement Features
This feature allows users to listen in noisy environments using their wireless earbuds.
Wearable Apps Market Overview
Let's face facts: most of the wearable app market is Apple Watch software. Cupertino sold more than 100 million smartwatches in 2015, maintaining a 55% market share.
You would unlikely consider creating wearable apps for smartwatches made by other companies.
- Samsung
- Fitbit
- Garmin
- Other small manufacturers
Here are why you shouldn't consider developing a smartwatch app for these devices.
Google recently purchased Fitbit and has partnered with Samsung to create a new OS for wearables. This new OS will replace Samsung's Tizen and Google's Wear OS.
The new wearable OS from Samsung and Google is still in development. It's unclear whether their new hardware will work with the existing Wear OS software.
Garmin is a whole thing. Their hardware is niche and targeted at professionals. The platform also doesn't allow for much developer creativity.
Apple dominates this market, I would say. The Apple Watch is the most profitable option for wearable device developers, and it's easy to cross off questions such as "How do I make an Android Wear App?"
WEARABLE APPS
We'll be able to find these options if we look beyond smartwatches to other wearable, a rapidly expanding market.
- IoT Wearable Development: Wearable applications can be created to control portable Internet-of-Things devices
- Healthcare Wearable Development: Wearable applications can be built for fitness trackers and healthcare sensors
Both versions imply IoT wearable software development that primarily works on smartphones, even though there are smartwatch companion apps.
They don't fall under the category of wearable.
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Wearable Apps Use Cases
What are the primary uses of wearable software? Smartwatches are probably the most personal piece of electronics that people own.
This fact should be taken advantage of by business owners.
You will likely come up with these three types of wearable applications if you reflect on what makes sense in developing them.
Fitness and health
Smartwatches are great companions for reminding patients to take their medication or notifying them of vital information when needed.
They will never miss a notification because their watch is always with the patient.
Wearable apps can collect user data silently throughout the day using built-in sensors, communicate with another device, and then present highlights to users as they prepare for bed.
It's difficult to overestimate how comfortable having a personal trainer on your wrist is, mainly when they can track your vital data, such as your heart rate.
Apps for everyday customers
Many wearable applications also include everyday utilities such as weather apps, converters, timers, and other tools that customers can use quickly to perform simple tasks.
Enterprise use cases
Many companies are searching for the answers to "How do I create a watchOS or wearable app?" Because of the automation it unlocks, many workflows can be streamlined.
These mobile devices can help workers find their way, track their performance and deliver tasks.
Five steps to creating an app for wearable tech
Let's now go over the steps involved in developing a wearable app. These steps apply to watchOS-based wearable apps.
Step 1: Start with the basics.
Before you begin to create a wearable application, there are two crucial things you should know:
- You can create a wearable application using an app builder or native tools.
- Your Apple Watch app can be a companion or standalone app to an iPhone.
Native Vs. App Builders
For creating a smartphone application, I recommend using a native development environment.
App builders are often slow and lack the flexibility to support new features on new hardware.
You can create an Apple Watch app with Apple's SwiftUI and reuse code on all Apple platforms: iOS, iPadOS TV OS, macOS and macOS.
SwiftUI is the only tool that can create complications; the latest feature on the Apple Watch makes a glimpse of your mobile device available on the main screen.
Complications include, for example, the clock and the next screen. SwiftUI is a tool that allows wearable app developers to make these complications available to their customers.
Companion vs Standalone
Apple Watch Series 6 allows us to create a wearable app that can be used independently of an iPhone big-brother application.
Smartwatch software depends on the iPhone for data downloads, location services, and other advanced actions.
Independent applications can be downloaded from the Apple Watch App Store. Apple Watch-only applications can directly access all smartwatch features, including an internet connection.
A companion app might work if you do not have an iPhone app and plan to only provide a glimpse of information to your user through a smartphone app.
Step 2: Create a miniature UX
Screen size limitations are the first thing you must remember when creating wearable tech apps.
Don't think you have to fit all the content onto a small smartwatch screen. Instead, you should focus on creating a unique user experience that is easily readable.
Long presses and most gestures on the iPhone are not supported. So think about how you can organize your app so that users don't have endless scrolling.
You can now add a "More” button to watch the OS's latest version. This allows you to hide settings and other secondary options.
These tips help design a winning
UX/UI on the Apple Watch.
- Any data that you present must be readable and easily understood.
- Allow users to perform a single action on each screen.
- To reduce long lists of items, use Sortor Filter
- To remove items quickly, users can use the swipe-to-delete gesture.
- Add a button to apply to all content on a screen at its top (users can pull the button down when scrolling to the top of a list, same as when you refresh your Twitter feed).
With small screens, the appeal of an app isn't so much about a pleasant user interface but UX (the correct combination and arrangement of visual elements on each screen).
Step 3: Create features
You must code the features of a watchOS app. Once the design is complete, you can begin to code it.
I recommend using Apple's native tools to develop smartwatch apps, particularly SwiftUI (along with XCode).
This will allow for easier maintenance and future updates and provide insight into the development process.
Developers can record their screens as they create an Apple Watch app. You'll be able to see the screens in action.
Okay, now let's talk about features. What functionality should you create? It all depends on what type of smartwatch software it is.
However, I recommend you use your smartwatch's built-in capabilities.
Sensors
These sensors can be used to make a watchOS app that helps patients monitor their health.
Motion sensing
HealthKit supports Mobility Metrics, which collect data about how a person moves.
This data can be used in your apps to aid patients with musculoskeletal injuries.
CareKit can be used to sync user-submitted information with the cloud, too.
Location awareness
Your Apple Watch app can be equipped with GPS and display basic maps to assist users in navigation.
Audio/Video streaming
Although you may not think video streaming is a good idea for wrist-worn apps, streaming audio to help with instructions or to do a workout can be very useful.
SIRI
Siri shortcuts will make it easy for users to access the features of Apple Watch software.
Notifications
This is a simple one -- don't use them too often.
In-app purchases
You can also sell digital content on your smartwatch app using in-app purchases (although this will require StoreKit integration).
Step 4: Perform a test
What are we doing before the app is made available to the public? Yes, we test it.
When creating an Apple Watch application, it is difficult to test without an actual device.
This is often because the product needs to be tested on its own. Also, you must verify that it syncs correctly with an iPhone app, a cloud solution, or a smart device.
Developers write automated tests while they create an Apple Watch app. Even before you start unit testing, automated tests can prevent crashes.
The simulator is also available in Xcode. This allows you to remotely run your smartwatch software.
Step 5: Distribute
Apple Watch apps include a mobile store that customers can access from their wrists.
The submission process is the same as regular iOS software distribution, with one caveat. You will submit an iOS app only with the details required for the Watch App Card. This should be easy for your dev team to work out.
If you need your solution to only work for a specific user, you can use an ad-hoc distribution model.
For example, if you plan to track employee navigation within a facility to identify their most frequent spending time, you can use this method.
10 Apple iWatch Apps Worth Getting From the App Store
- Water reminder
Water Reminder is the best Apple Watch app, and it's also the best overall. This app will let you know if you go too long without water, even if you have the best water bottles.
What does it know? You can track the liquids you consume on your wrist as you drink water and other beverages throughout the day.
You first need to install Water Reminder on your iPhone or Apple Watch. After that, you'll be asked to set up your settings. You have the option to connect with Apple Health for your height, weight, and age information.
Or you can manually enter that data. It will also ask you to input your personal goals, including climate and activity levels.
- MapMyRun
Under Armour's fitness-tracking app, which is also one of the best Apple Watch apps, is one of the most popular workout apps.
It's easy to continue training with MapMyRun if you have used it to track your miles.
MapMyRun tracks a range of workouts using the watch's GPS and heart rate monitor.
The app tracks your distance, speed, pace, and heart rate during each workout. MapMyRun can also be connected to Under Armour’s MyFitnessPal app, which gives you a comprehensive view of your activity and health.
This is useful if your goal is to lose weight or train more effectively.
MapMyRun can also be paired with Under Armour's Bluetooth-equipped shoes to provide more detailed information, such as whether your feet land on your heel or the ball of your shoe while you run.
- Headspace
Headspace, a popular meditation app, allows you to do guided breathing and meditation on your wrist.
This is the best Apple Watch app for detoxing if you want to reduce your phone usage.
Choose from short 1-minute meditation sessions or longer 10-minute sessions to help you get started in the day or relax from the hustle and bustle of everyday life.
Headspace provides a selection of complimentary sessions. A premium subscription ($12 per month or $70 annually) unlocks hundreds more sessions, including SOS sessions, to ease anxiety during stressful times.
- Calm
Calm, similar to Headspace, is a flexible guided meditation app that beginners or veterans can use.
Sessions last anywhere from 3 to 25 mins. These sessions can help you relax, calm down anxiety, de-stress, build focus and self-esteem, as well as get you into a good mood for sleep.
The Apple Watch app's free tiers have limited features, as with all of the best Apple Watch apps.
Calm premium subscriptions are $14.99 per month. They unlock daily Calm meditations and masterclasses as well as exclusive music tracks and meditations. Kaiser Permanente, a healthcare provider, offers Calm free of charge to its 12.4 Million members.
- Apple Music
It shouldn't be a surprise that Apple has the best Apple Watch music app. Apple Music doesn't have a free tier.
However, if you sign up for a monthly plan, you can stream all your favourite songs on the Apple Watch. You can stream songs without having your phone nearby by using an LTE watch with a separate data plan.
Apple Music playlists can be downloaded to your watch to listen offline without an LTE connection.
This is great if you don't mind working it out on your iPhone. Simply pair Bluetooth headphones with your watch, and you're ready to go.
- Spotify
Spotify is one of the most popular iPhone apps for playing music. If you are a Spotify premium subscriber, you can download music offline.
Even if Spotify's free version is unavailable, you can still control Spotify playlists and listen to music through your Bluetooth headphones. Using the best smart speaker, you can also control Spotify from your home WiFi network.
- AutoSleep
AutoSleep, an Apple Watch app that tracks your sleep, is a great choice. AutoSleep detects when you fall asleep when you wake up and then provides a detailed analysis of your morning based on how much time you spend in bed, your heart rate, and movement.
AutoSleep can also be used if you don't wear the Apple Watch to bed. However, the analysis is less detailed as it relies on your time without the watch and not your heart rate data.
- Sleep Cycle
Sleep Cycle, an Apple Watch app that tracks sleep, is one of the most popular. It works with Fitbit's sleep track software and monitors your nightly sleep cycles to determine when to wake you up.
The Sleep Cycle app will ask you to choose a time frame within which you can wake up before you go to sleep. When it detects a natural point to wake you up, the Sleep Cycle app uses the advanced haptics of your Apple Watch to awaken you from sleep.
A premium Sleep Cycle membership is available for $29.99 per annum. It unlocks valuable information that sleep-tracking enthusiasts will appreciate.
It allows you to compare your Sleep scores with other Sleep Cycle users worldwide and take note of factors that affect your sleep quality. The app even shows you how the weather affects your ability to rest well after using it for a long time.
- Google Maps
While you may know what Google Maps is, did you know that you can also use it on your Apple Watch? Google Maps is one of the most extensive navigation services.
It can take you almost anywhere and help you get there.
The app doesn't have a map to help you navigate your favourite destinations. You have the option to navigate to your favourite places by car, bike or public transport.
After you have selected a destination from the list, copied a new one to your phone, and then choose your mode of transportation, you will receive a list with step-by-step instructions.
- iTranslate Converse
Your Apple Watch can be used as an international translator. iTranslate Converse supports 38 languages and is one of the most helpful travel apps.
It can help you improve your language skills or even communicate with someone else who speaks a different language to you. You can manually choose the language you wish to translate, or iTranslate Converse will automatically detect it for you.
iTranslate Converse can provide fast translations even in noisy environments. You can view and export transcripts from your conversations, particularly useful for directions or suggestions while on the road.
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Best Practices for Wearable App Development
These are additional tips to help you improve traction when custom-developing your app.
- Universal links can be used to display content in your smartwatch app (that is easy to update on the web) or to link between smartwatch solutions.
- Pay attention to how the smartwatch stores its data. Cache only what is needed immediately and remove content (e.g. songs) that customers don't use often.
- SiriKit allows you to add Siri shortcuts for quick actions in your app and show them in Siri Watchface. These shortcuts will be displayed based on the time they are most needed.
- Rely on the internet only sparingly. Connecting for too long will cause battery drain.
- You can delegate complicated computing tasks to the cloud, and the watch app will fetch the data.
What Does it Cost to Create a Wearable App?
A wearable app development company may need to spend between $30,000 and $70,000, depending on the complexity of an app.
The app development costs for a product with only one or two screens will be lower.
Wearables app development can be complicated. It has the exact investment requirements as iPhone and Android development services.
This is also true when building an app for a fitness tracker. Take care.
Call one of our experts to discuss your Apple Watch application ideas and get an estimate.
We are happy to help you bring an innovative wearable product to the market.
Final Thoughts
The future of wearable technology is bright. It will continue to grow. Therefore, create a wearable app to promote your business regardless of industry niche and reap huge profits.
It is no easy task to develop a wearable device app. It is essential to hire a iWatch wearable development company.
