Applications for iwatch. The best apps and programs for Apple Watch
It started in Russia. The new product, which can already be officially purchased in Russia, has a good range of applications and games. On the occasion of the official launch Apple Watch In Russia, the editors of Trashbox decided to select the best games and applications for this watch. Read the full article under the cut.
One of several problems is the lack of real and useful ways use of these watches. Many journalists and users point out that Apple made the device, but didn't figure out how to use it. The developers did it for her third party applications, who have released a lot of programs and games.
Applications
Weather Live
What's better than viewing information right on your wrist? Probably nothing. The Weather Live program provides extensive functionality in this regard: the user can configure the display of eight weather information parameters on the watch screen. At the same time, visually “Weather Live” displays beautiful icons with appropriate weather - sunny, cloudy, thunderstorm. One glance at the clock and you have already taken in the basic information - temperature and general weather. On additional screens there are other data: Atmosphere pressure, humidity, visibility and detailed forecast for the day.Runtastic and Nike+ Running
The second main purpose of smartwatches is use in fitness. Apple Watch can track the activity of its owner - the number of calories burned, the distance traveled. And also the most important thing - heart rate statistics. In this regard, the Runtastic and Nike+ applications offer comprehensive functionality: tracking all activity (in Nike+ only running or walking), compiling statistics, planning training, etc. Both applications are a kind of social networks where you can create your own profile, share statistics with friends, and even virtually greet your friends who also run or train with Runtastic or Nike+.Runtastic
Nike+ Running
Shazam
Shazam is another program that fits perfectly into the smartwatch format. The main functionality of the application is already known to everyone - just press one button and find out what kind of music is playing near you. At the same time, the version of Shazam for Apple Watch allows you to read the lyrics of a newly identified song.Musixmatch
Continuing musical theme, it is worth mentioning the Musixmatch application, which complements the playback of songs with full-fledged karaoke. The program picks up the song being played in the player, loads the lyrics for it and synchronizes the words with the playback, highlighting the necessary ones. All this is on the smartwatch screen. Musixmatch is perfect for those who care about the words in songs.Calcbot
- also one of the most important programs for smart watches. Sometimes you need to calculate something or convert one unit to another, but you don’t have a smartphone or tablet at hand. If you have an Apple Watch, then the calculator will always be with you. Calcbot is one of best alternatives standard calculator in Apple Watch. The program itself is a reference to an existing calculator watch. Calcbot has user-friendly interface, works with basic arithmetic operations, and also serves as a converter.Evernote
Surprisingly, the app for creating and storing Evernote notes Works great on a device where you cannot fully enter text from the keyboard. The developers have well adapted their program for the Apple Watch: they added dictation of voice notes and viewing recent notes in a compact interface. There is also voice search for notes.Wunderlist
Popular app for making a shopping list, Wunderlist is also great for smartwatches. Using this program, you can make a list of the products you need in advance and walk around the store not with a smartphone in your hand, but look at everything you need on your wrist. At the same time, all to-do and shopping lists are synchronized between all your devices, be it an iPhone or an Android tablet.Yandex.Taxi and Uber
Ordering a taxi has never been so convenient, because now everything can be done right on your wrist. The Russian service Yandex.Taxi already supports Apple smartwatches along with the foreign Uber, which so far operates only in Moscow. In both applications, the process of ordering a taxi is almost the same: the watch automatically detects the location of the user, who only needs to press one button and monitor notifications."Yandex.Taxi"
Twitter and Instagram
Social network Twitter seemed to be created for small screens smartwatches that perfectly fit messages with a 140-character limit. The version of the application for Apple Watch allows you to do almost everything that Twitter for iPhone or iPad does - read your feed, send tweets, view global trends. But Instagram for Apple Watch has more limited functionality - you can only view the feed with photos and notifications, and leave comments under the photo.Games
Lifeline...
Text adventure Lifeline - on this moment one of the most interesting and best games For apple watch Watch. In Lifeline, the player is the captain of a spaceship who receives a message from a passenger on another intergalactic ship, where he is the only survivor. The player will have to accept important decisions for this passenger, for example, to decide in which part of the ship it is better for him to stay overnight, or what to do with the unusual thing that lives on the ship. The story for Lifeline was written by Dave Justas, a renowned comic book creator. It is worth noting that the game has been translated into Russian.Runeblade
We already talked about this game once. Runeblade is an RPG with an Apple Watch version. The gameplay in this role-playing game is simplified to the point of impossibility - there is only one button, which is responsible for hitting enemies. The character automatically moves around the map, where he encounters bosses and monsters. The game also has good graphics and quests. It's worth noting that Runeblade is completely free.Mu - Watch Pet
The wearable gadget is an ideal device for playing classic games. Mu - Watch Pet is one of them and, perhaps, the best. Here the player will need to look after his own pet - feed it, train it, play with it, and so on. Among the main features it is worth noting beautiful animations pet and modern style without pixels. Also, the local pet cannot die.2048 Watch
The developers also released a version of the popular logic game 2048 for Apple Watch. Probably everyone is familiar with this simple but addictive game in which you need to combine squares with the same numbers to end up with 2048. If the playing field is completely filled, the game ends. It is worth noting that the gameplay does not end with the number 2048 - add the numbers until you get tired of it.Trivia Crack
The Trivia Crack game will appeal to those who love puzzles. Here the player needs to answer enough simple questions, choosing one of the answer options. The questions are divided into several categories, which are selected randomly using a roulette wheel. If you have absolutely nothing to do, then simple questions in Trivia Crack will definitely brighten up a few minutes.Of course, these are not all applications and games for Apple, but all of the above are the best and most necessary of those 8,500 programs. This collection will be updated regularly. We hope you enjoyed the article and that Apple Watch users found something new here for themselves.
WWDC will take place on June 13 in San Francisco. Traditionally, Apple presents new versions of operating systems for its devices there. The company will probably show the next version of the OS for Apple Watch - with new features for application developers.
The site's editors have prepared a selection interesting applications for smart watches that have appeared within a year since the beginning Apple sales Watch: For sports, productivity, gaming and travel.
Performance
Elevate
Brain training app - every day Elevate offers new challenges to develop memory, improve focus and more.
Spark
The Spark email app allows you to quickly reply to emails or dictate them using your voice.
Keynote
An application for managing presentations created in Keynote.
Quartz
Quartz has released an app for Apple Watch that shows the status of stock market in the form of a smiley face on the dial. In addition, Quartz may send haiku about market conditions.
Drafts
Application for quick creation and viewing notes.
Babel
"Speak and Translate"
Another translator app for Apple Watch.
Reminders on Watch
An application by Russian student Ivan Grachev, which displays a to-do list from the built-in iOS Reminders application on the watch.
Cheatsheet
Application for storing frequently used data - e.g. registration number car, hotel room, luggage lock code or key combination in a game.
Things
Things Diary for Apple Watch lets you mark completed tasks, track their progress, and create new ones.
Streaks
An application for forming healthy habits. The user selects tasks that he wants to complete - for example, read a book for 10 minutes, walk the dog or eat carrots - and the application reminds about them and shows the current status.
Facer
The app shows a different wallpaper on the watch screen every time the user looks at the Apple Watch. The service has a large library of images, but does not allow you to change the type of watch face.
“Buy a loaf! »
Shopping list for Apple Watch, synchronized with a similar list on iPhone. A project by Russian developers, which drew the attention of the publication The New York Times.
1Password
Password and data storage credit cards and so on important information.
Fantastical 2
Fantastical 2 lets you view and create calendar events directly from your Apple Watch.
Utilities
Just Press Record
Voice recorder for creating quick audio notes. Saves recordings directly to iCloud.
Clicker
An application for counting something.
Communication and dating
Slack
Application corporate messenger Slack for Apple Watch lets you read and reply to chat messages.
Telegram
Pavel Durov's messenger allows you to view dialogues and respond to messages using pre-prepared responses, emoticons or audio.
Tinder
Version popular service dating for Apple Watch. Allows you to view user profiles and messages.
Health
Headspace
Pocket Yoga
Yoga apps. Suggests poses, tracks exercise time, calories burned and heart rate.
HeartWatch
The application shows your current heart rate, as well as average, minimum and maximum values per day. The service also allows you to monitor the duration and quality of your sleep.
Carrot Fit
A set of daily 7-minute exercises to keep fit. Motivates the user with inspiring phrases, threats and various rewards.
Seven
Similar application for daily workouts at home.
Runtastic
Fitness tracker for running and sports training.
Nike+ Running
Fitness tracker for running - shows distance traveled, route and friends rating.
Sleep++
Free sleep tracker. Tracks all movements throughout the night and shows how restless your sleep was.
Strava
Application for running and cycling. The developers offer the user to control workouts with using GPS, complete tasks and compare achievements with the results of friends.
Waterbalance
Waterbalance helps you track your body's water levels based on its individual parameters: height, weight, age and lifestyle.
Cycles
An app for women to track their menstrual cycles.
Weather Underground
Weather tracking app. Can send push notifications and receive data from more than 180 thousand weather stations.
Meetup
A service for finding nearby users with similar interests.
Trips
App in the Air
Flight tracking service - shows the terminal, time until boarding and check-in, as well as other information useful for travelers. There is also a watch face extension.
TripCase
TripCase is designed for planning trips and tracking important information - terminal number, hotel reservations, excursions, etc.
Today to all iPhone owners, and for this reason we decided to compile a selection of 20 cool and useful applications for Apple smartwatches. Everything is here - from games and taxi ordering services to fitness applications and task managers.
Official application Twitter for Apple Watch. You can view the feed, replies, retweet, and view your favorites.
Have you ever dreamed of viewing your photo feed directly from your watch? Well, your wishes have become reality. Instagram app for Apple Watch will allow you to perform any actions with your account without taking your smartphone out of your pocket.
All your passwords are now not in one place, but right on the watch. Forgot your PIN code bank card at the checkout? We opened the app and paid without any problems.
One of the largest news aggregators is now available on Apple Watch. Is it inconvenient to read articles on your watch? This application can dispel this myth.
Uber
Almost the cheapest taxi service and the most expensive startup in the world. Left from shopping center with bags and can't get your iPhone? Order a taxi directly from your wrist.
Evernote
Convenient service for taking notes. Now, if a smart thought suddenly comes to your mind, you can write it down anytime and anywhere.
Clear
Probably the best application for keeping quick notes. Simple, adapted to the Apple Watch interface. True, it’s a little expensive for such simplicity - 299 rubles. However, there will always be people willing.
Hydra
Now you can take amazing photos not only on your iPhone, but even on your watch. The solution is not for everybody, but that doesn’t make it any less interesting.
Alfa Bank
Probably the first banking application with Apple Watch support. It is possible that Rocketbank and Tinkoff Bank will soon join in, but for now this is the only solution for controlling your account on an Apple watch.
Booking Now
Do you want to book a hotel with one click? The solution from Booking.com allows you to do this on your Apple Watch and even get directions to the desired hotel. Overall very convenient.
Runtastic GPS
A fitness app for counting steps, an ideal assistant for running and a great assistant for those who like to lose extra pounds. In the gym and on Apple Watch - just right.
Wunderlist
Cool program for maintaining to-do lists, including joint ones. It’s unlikely that anyone hasn’t heard of Wunderlist, and it’s clearly a useful thing on the Apple Watch.
Useful program and a handy water tracker for Apple Watch. You can calculate the required volume of liquid and promptly receive notifications. A widget for the notification center and other amenities are included.
Recipes with photos of steps
Useful application for those who love to cook - now you can view your favorite recipes without leaving the stove. Just be careful - otherwise it will turn out like this:
This program needs no introduction - just activate it on your Apple Watch and find out what music is playing around you.
Weather Live
Stay up to date with the weather for today, tomorrow or the weekend - the Weather Live app makes it easy.
And also impressions from everyday use Apple smartwatch
Today it became known that Apple Watch will go on official sale in Russia on July 31. Meanwhile, in some other countries the device has been in use for almost three months. Immediately before the release of the Apple smartwatch and immediately after the device appeared on the shelves, there was a lot of noise: the watch became the most fashionable gadget of the season. But soon the wave of enthusiasm around this product subsided, and the first skeptical reviews appeared. Here, for example, is a Fortune selection negative reviews from IT professionals. On the other hand, the very fact that such opinions appear does not mean that the product is bad. Rather, it means that the moment has come when nuances that escaped during a cursory study of the device begin to emerge, and the first Apple users Watch already creates a holistic impression, which can be both positive and negative.
By the way, stock market players also had mixed reactions to the Apple Watch. Below is a chart showing Apple's stock price performance over the past three months. It clearly shows the peak immediately after the start of sales of the Apple Watch (April 27), but then there is a decline, and by the time of writing the article, the price of the shares was almost at the same level as before the start of sales of the watch.
But Apple does not stand still: at WWDC the company new version operating system for watches: watchOS 2. Among other things, it is promised the ability to create native applications with access to all sensors and elements Apple management Watch. What is the situation with this now? We decided to study the available applications for the Apple Watch (not all, of course, but the most indicative ones) and at the same time try to live with the watch a little longer than was possible during the first testing (thanks to the store
for provided). You will learn our impressions from this article!
Applications
When the watch just went on sale, there were a lot of announcements from various developers. All announcements were in the spirit of “We have added Apple support Watch! And although the overwhelming majority of these applications were very unsightly, there was a feeling (and, in general, correct) of great interest among developers in the new platform. But it was, of course, premature to draw any conclusions. Now we can already assess the current situation and draw some conclusions on this basis.
Let's start with the fact that there are currently about a hundred applications for Apple Watch in the App Store. Quite a few! Of course, not everything is included in the Collection. But here we are faced with the first problem: in the app store for watches there is no category through which you could select a section and see everything existing applications this section. That is, we either choose from hundreds of Collections applications, or use the search by application, but here you will need to enter a word.
Apparently, the fact is that Apple does not yet want to give the opportunity to count the total number of applications. It can be assumed that after some time, categories (what is generally called “Categories” in the App Store) will appear. But for now we cannot, for example, see what games are available for the Apple Watch (besides a short list of 10 titles included in the Collection; half of them are paid).
The second point that is important to understand when installing applications for Apple Watch. Self-hosted applications Not for watches yet. That is, you can install an application for the watch, but first the smartphone version of this application will be installed on your iPhone, and only after a few minutes the application will appear on the watch. You can delete the application on the watch, leaving only the smartphone version, but vice versa - not.
Just in watchOS 2, watch applications will gain independence. But for now they are not just tied to smartphones, but, by and large, are only external screen for them. Sometimes more successfully, sometimes less. Let's look at a few examples.
App in the Air
The application included in the Collection allows you to track everything related to your flight, receiving information directly on your watch. It works as follows. We open the smartphone application, look for the flight we need (the interface is perfectly user-friendly), select it and then receive all the information on the watch (although, of course, it will also come to the iPhone).
The watch screen will display all necessary information: flight number and status, check-in closing time, airport terminal, landing time. If the gate is changed or any delays occur, you will receive an alert.
There is also a list of things to take, a to-do list and other nice additions. It is clear that all this functionality is available in the application itself, but at the airport it can be very convenient to look not at the smartphone, but at the watch (when your hands are full of things, and even the smartphone is hidden in some bag).
Overall, the application is not outstanding (we are talking specifically about the version for the Apple Watch), but it is very useful.
Contact Info
The Contact Info application has been made more original. The idea is simple: you can enter your contact information in a smartphone application, and a QR code will be displayed on the watch, which can be considered a smartphone and immediately receive all the information in your address book.
That is, let’s say you are asked for your phone number at a conference, and you simply launch the application on your watch and raise your hand to the person who is introducing you. He only needs to read the QR code with his smartphone.
It turns out that the watch app in in this case consists of one single screen (you enter and edit information using your smartphone). But it’s not bad either. Simplicity is what authors of most watch apps should strive for.
Uber
Uber followed the same path. When we launch the corresponding application on the watch, the search for nearby cars immediately begins, after which you see a screen with one button: “Order”. And in the center of the screen the time after which the nearest car can arrive is displayed.
This kind of minimalism has both pros and cons. The disadvantages, of course, include the impossibility of any order detailing. But, apparently, the creators of the application rightly considered that in some situations simply having an “Order” button is quite enough; this is what people need in the first place.
TripAdvisor
Another well-known international brand, TripAdvisor, did not pursue simplicity and decided to simply adapt the interface for a watch, while maintaining the basic functionality.
It turned out quite well if we take the chosen concept for granted. But in practice, it turns out that there is no point in the application at all: when we need to decide which restaurant to go to, we can get up for a minute, take out our smartphone and look at everything there. Doing this on a watch is much less convenient than on a smartphone, and on the go finding something using a watch is even more problematic.
It turns out to be a paradoxical example: the interface itself seems to be successful, but it does not make life easier.
Games
Of course, the choice for watches is not limited to the above applications; other programs can also be described, but we have selected several of the most indicative ones from the point of view of demonstration possible options approach to creating a watch application. It would be logical to follow the same path in the case of games, but... as it turns out, here the developers’ imagination works even worse. In fact, almost everyone uses the Apple Watch as just a mini-screen, with more or less success.
For example, here is another clone of Flappy Bird, which looks quite organic on the watch due to its simplicity - be sure to click on the screen so that the bird does not fall and hit the pipes! And still, big screen(like on a smartphone) or small (like on a watch). However, even here they managed to screw it up a little: the bird had strong inertia, changing the feeling of the game, and you need to click on the flap button, and not on the entire screen.
Here's another interesting example of a gaming watch app: Trivia Crack. Puzzles are, in general, perhaps the most common genre now. In this case, this is also very conveniently implemented: spin the reel, one of the categories appears (or a crown, allowing you to choose a category to your taste), then a question appears and four answer options. If you answered correctly, the next move is yours; if not, then your opponent’s ( a real man, found automatically).
It is clear that all the same things can be done on the iPhone, but it is worth recognizing that the application developers have coped with the task of making the Trivia Crack interface for the watch quite convenient and usable. Real Application— we stand in the subway at rush hour, when you can’t even get a smartphone, and play.
There is another type of gaming application: these are companions to large tablet games like Brother in Arms 3 or Modern Combat 5, but this is not independent projects, but rather a way to quickly find out about the latest news from the world of your favorite games - for example, about the start new promotion, some kind of draw, etc.
In general, the situation with games on the Apple Watch is still a major disappointment. The April issue contained a very interesting column by GAMETECH editor-in-chief Vitaly Kazunov about the gaming prospects of the Apple Watch. main idea The text is that a completely new type of games will appear for watches, which will not require constant interaction with the screen, but will be able to use the user’s geographic location, his activity parameters, and the like. I would like to believe that this will be the case. But for now we see a dominance of simple puzzles that force us to stare at a small screen and drain the battery. At the same time, there is not a single reason why we cannot play the same games on a smartphone (well, perhaps with the exception of the situation described above with rush hour in the subway).
Impressions of using Apple Watch
What are our overall impressions of the Apple Watch? To what extent can this device “fit” into our daily life and how can it be useful? Oddly enough, Siri turned out to be one of the most pleasant and frequently used functions. To get the answer to your question (albeit only in the form of information on the screen), just long press the Digital Crown and say the question, bringing the watch to your mouth.
In addition to the obvious things like today's weather, Siri can even give you some unusual information - information like the temperature on Mars or the stock price of any company. You can also plot a route or get help from Wikipedia, and in a very convenient form.
If we talk not about “test”, but about real use, then, first of all, it can be convenient when, before leaving the house, while packing your things, you want to find out the weather for today on the go.
The second convenient point is notifications about calls and messages in instant messengers/social networks. At the same time, after reading a new notification, you can open the latest notifications feed, that is, they do not disappear anywhere.
But there is one strange flaw here. When a new notification arrives, your screen remains turned off. So you need to first turn it on by pressing the Digital Crown, then tap the screen to read the notification. That is, you can’t just glance at the screen. It also happens completely absurdly: when the screen goes blank immediately after you open the notification. In general, the screen on the Apple Watch often goes out at the wrong time - apparently, the developers tried very hard to make sure that it didn’t light up again, but they overdid it a little.
And yet, in general, the implementation of the notification function here is more successful than not. We especially note the very pleasant vibration sensation when a notification arrives. It's different from the bracelets and watches we've tested before. On the Apple Watch, this vibration is more delicate, perhaps, but no less noticeable.
But we still haven’t learned how to use the vaunted Digital Crown wheel (clicking, of course, doesn’t count—we’re just talking about its rotation). It is usually much easier to use touch screen than to turn this little wheel. We did not find a scenario in which using the wheel would be definitely more convenient.
conclusions
Forecasts about the market fate of the Apple Watch changed rapidly: everyone predicted that Apple would enter new market and will not leave any chance for competitors, but at the same time will create a truly powerful smartwatch industry; then they began to say that the watch did not live up to expectations and Apple was never able to explain why this class of devices was needed in principle.
After some time Apple usage Watch we are leaning towards something in between these two positions. On the one hand, it is premature to talk about victory here: this can be seen even in applications, which are few and whose quality is far from ideal. On the other hand, the device has very convenient and pleasant features, and it can easily fit into the user’s daily life. For now, it will not become indispensable and will not even provide any fundamental new experience, as was the case, for example, with Google Glass. But if you've already bought an Apple Watch and haven't gotten what you expected yet, don't rush to sell it. Perhaps, after the release of watchOS 2, the situation with applications will change dramatically for the better, and then the potential of this product - beautiful and pleasant - will be fully revealed.
We plan to closely monitor the fate of this device and, of course, will keep you updated!
Tomorrow Apple Watch will go on sale in Russia. For most third party developers The three months that have passed since the launch of smartwatches in the first nine countries were too short to wisely adapt their products to new platform. However, there are already plenty of examples of apps on the Apple Watch whose creators understand the benefits of wearable devices - or do something that Apple itself has not yet done.
Calcbot
Calculator app on smart watch, a throwback to a watch from the past with a real-life calculator, might seem like an obvious solution, but Apple's app doesn't have a Watch version. Calcbot is a worthy alternative. He not only conducts basic arithmetic operations, but also converts different values into other units of measurement, and also calculates how much tip you need to leave. And the most important thing is that it works quickly: it is much more convenient to count something on it than to take out the iPhone.
Evernote
The most powerful note-taking app fits perfectly into the new platform. You can quickly view recent entries, create and speak a new one, or find any note using voice search. This is suitable for those cases when you come up with an idea that is easier to say than to write, but you don’t have a smartphone at hand - and it helps to significantly speed up the creation of a note: after all, we usually speak faster than we write, and if something happens, we always take a note can be edited from another device.
Lifeline
So far, the main game on the Apple Watch is an interactive version of the books in the “Choose Your Own Adventure” series, a text quest. You receive a message from a passenger on a spaceship that has crashed. He miraculously survived and now completely relies on you. You are mistaken for a survivor key decisions- like, he should sleep near the reactor, from which he will receive a dose of radioactive radiation, or in another place on the ship, at the risk of freezing. You can enjoy the excellent script created by one of the creators of the Fables comics, Dave Justus, on the iPhone, but it is on the Apple Watch that the game truly reveals itself: there is an unusual feeling of involvement in what is happening.
Musixmatch
The app, which worked great on the iPhone, is even more useful on the Apple Watch, given that individual playlists can be stored and launched directly on the watch, without a smartphone nearby. You launch a song, Musixmatch searches for it in its lyrics database and offers a kind of karaoke: the lines that the performer is singing or reading right now are highlighted. This is convenient when you are listening to something new or cannot make out certain parts of the tracks you like.
Overcast
Apple Watch doesn't have Apple's podcast app, but Overcast comes to the rescue. With it, you can control podcast playback just as easily as music playback, as well as skip and speed up parts.
NYTimes
So far, The New York Times has had the best feel for the short news format for wearable devices. Their Apple Watch app features multiple screens of recent important news, each in one sentence. If you wish, you can view the details by scrolling down the screen, or save the news to read it later in the application on your iPhone. A great way to catch up on important news in a minute.