Technology

Apple Watch gives hope to app developers

Rose PowellReporter

Apr 27, 2015 – 11.00am

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As the early buyers of the Apple Watch take delivery of their new newest gadget, app developers all over the world are hoping we are at the moment when the long-fabled trend towards wearable technology finally takes off for real.

Apple Watches were available from last from Friday, but if its popularity is to soar along similar lines to the iPhone, then it is the eco-system of available apps that will drive its ongoing success. But its apps will need to suit smaller screens, as well as the more intimate access and shorter attention spans of its users, who need to be able to access information quickly if they are to continue to use their watch rather than pull their phone out.

App developer and development house Appster's co-chief executive, Mark McDonald, said they have been working on a host of watch apps for clients in anticipation of the launch.

Appster co-founders Mark McDonald and Josiah Humphreys have been busy advising companies on the intricacies of designing for the Apple Watch. Luis Ascui

A new kind of app

"We're hoping the watch unleashes a new type of app. We've been talking about wearables for so long and we're hoping developers and markets are ready now after earlier failures," Mr McDonald said.

Mr Mcdonald, who launched his business in Melbourne but is now based in San Francisco, said the developer communities in both markets were confident Apple's focus on hardware would save it from a similar fate to the high-profile fall of Google Glass, which was shelved before a full commercial launch.

Just like Google's smart-glasses, the watch will only work for particular kinds of apps. Mr Mcdonald said it will be most useful for organisational apps, healthcare apps, such as fitness trackers, and social apps.

For example, Appster is developing one app that delivers real-time patient updates to doctors. Another helps people learn which of their local bars and cafes are the busiest.

Mr Mcdonald's team has already had to talk a few clients out of needlessly investing in an Apple Watch version of their software, when in reality their services are not suitable for the device.

"Much of the drive to create an Apple Watch version of an app is coming directly from CEOs, who are playing with their watch and want their own app on it," he said.

Analysts estimate the reach of the initial model will be 20 million to 40 million. Apple released the developer kit in November so people could begin to create apps to be ready for the launch.

Pocketbook

It's not just companies with teams of 200-odd employees who have invested in creating Apple Watch apps.

The team of four at personal finance management software company Pocketbook have been developing their Apple Watch version for months.

"We've been juggling a bit to make it happen and it's a challenge to not actually having the device to physically play with and test the app on," chief executive Bosco Tan said.

Another key challenge for the team was managing the privacy of displaying personal financial information. They decided to display a segment of an individual's budget written without a dollar sign so it would be fairly meaningless to anyone else, rather than to show someone's bank balance or last few purchases.

"I wear a watch, but had to get the rest of the team to wear one for a few weeks to explore what the possibilities were," Mr Tan said.

The Pocketbook app was developed with input from Apple and has been submitted to be approved for the app store.

Rose Powell is based in Sydney and writes on news, business, markets and real estate. Connect with Rose on Twitter.