Do you have an idea for an app that would be perfect for the Apple Watch? It’s time to get busy, because the tech giant will be looking for innovative ideas. On Thursday, Apple CEO Tim Cook announced that the brand’s WatchKit for developers would become available next month.
One of the things that made Apple’s iPhone such a huge hit and iconic game changer was the smartphone’s ever-growing collection of apps that allowed the user to customize the device for his or her personal needs. “We’ve got an app for that” isn’t just a catchy ad line—Apple really does have an app for practically anything.
Will the Apple WatchKit be the game changer Apple hopes for?
Now with the company’s first smartwatch coming out in the spring, Apple is faced with the challenge of offering a bigger, better set of apps than those of rival Google, which already has a head start. Some third-party apps for the Apple Watch are already set to go including Pinterest, Twitter, American Airlines, Honeywell, Starwood Hotels and a BMW car locator.
Apple has a lot riding on the Apple Watch, the company’s first all-new device since the introduction of the iPad back in 2010. When he presented the Apple Watch at a press event last month, current CEO Tim Cook lauded the device as a “breakthrough” product and promised exciting uses like as a fitness partner, walkie-talkie and remote control for the Apple TV.
Apple needs for its smartwatch to be a success, but unlike when the company launched the iPod, iPhone and iPad, now it’s entering an already-crowded field. Rivals that have previously released smartwatches or other wearable devices include Samsung, LG, Motorola and Asus. Plus, traditional watchmakers like Fossil and TAG Heuer have announced plans to release competing smartwatches. Just in time for the holiday shopping season, Intel will be introducing a jeweled luxury smartwatch called the MICA, which will come with a price tag close to $1,000.
So how can Apple make their smartwatch the undisputed leader in the field? Again, the secret could be in the apps. If Apple can convince the most talented developers to create unique applications that will work only on the Apple Watch, that could be a big selling point for potential customers who have several similarly-priced models to choose from. However, it may not be easy to lure away developers that are already working for Google.
Will the Apple WatchKit be a career-maker for app developers? Not according to Matt Runer, Android Development Manager for online retailer Zappos. He told CNET, “It’s not going to necessarily change the game in terms of Android versus iOS. I don’t think anyone’s going to say ‘WatchKit is amazing, I’m not going to develop for Google.”
It remains to be seen whether the Apple Watch can be everything to everybody—stylish for the fashionistas, cutting edge for the tech geeks, status symbol to the watch snobs and Swiss Army Knife of wearables for the rest of us—but we’ll find out in 2015.
