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Do I Need an Apple Watch App? (360|iDev 2017)

Do I Need an Apple Watch App? (360|iDev 2017)

Intro materials for my Apple Watch workshop

Jeff Kelley

August 14, 2017
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Transcript

  1. What Makes a Good Apple
    Watch App?
    Jeff Kelley @SlaunchaMan

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  2. Apple Watch Interactions
    Jeff Kelley @SlaunchaMan

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  3. watchOS 1
    Jeff Kelley @SlaunchaMan

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  4. watchOS 2
    Jeff Kelley @SlaunchaMan

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  5. watchOS 3 and 4
    Jeff Kelley @SlaunchaMan

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  6. Two-Second Interactions
    — Watch apps should be brief interactions.
    — Where possible, pre-load information so it’s ready
    when the user wants it.
    — Use shallow navigation hierarchies and never keep the
    user waiting.
    — Text input only as a last resort.
    Ask yourself: “Does this sound like my app?”
    Jeff Kelley @SlaunchaMan

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  7. Who Benefits from a Watch App?
    In general, you want a watch app if you can:
    — Provide timely information to your users
    — Let your users make quick decisions
    — Provide value in situations where users can’t use
    other devices
    — Track health data, especially for workouts
    Jeff Kelley @SlaunchaMan

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  8. Who Doesn’t Benefit from a Watch App?
    You can probably skip a watch app if your app:
    — Is for browsing text-based content, like Twitter or RSS
    feeds
    — Relies on extensive user input
    — Relies on long-running network operations to succeed
    — Is just a wrapper for your website
    Jeff Kelley @SlaunchaMan

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  9. Traits of Good Apps
    Jeff Kelley @SlaunchaMan

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  10. Provide Timely Information
    — The very first thing users
    should see when opening your
    app is information useful to
    them
    — Information should update
    automatically in the
    background so it’s always
    current
    — Use large type to highlight the
    most important information
    — Show only the most important
    information
    Jeff Kelley @SlaunchaMan

    View Slide

  11. Provide Timely Information
    — The very first thing users
    should see when opening your
    app is information useful to
    them
    — Information should update
    automatically in the
    background so it’s always
    current
    — Use large type to highlight the
    most important information
    — Show only the most important
    information
    Jeff Kelley @SlaunchaMan

    View Slide

  12. Provide Timely Information
    — The very first thing users
    should see when opening your
    app is information useful to
    them
    — Information should update
    automatically in the
    background so it’s always
    current
    — Use large type to highlight the
    most important information
    — Show only the most important
    information
    Jeff Kelley @SlaunchaMan

    View Slide

  13. Provide Timely Information
    — The very first thing users
    should see when opening your
    app is information useful to
    them
    — Information should update
    automatically in the
    background so it’s always
    current
    — Use large type to highlight the
    most important information
    — Show only the most important
    information
    Jeff Kelley @SlaunchaMan

    View Slide

  14. Let Users Make Quick Decisions
    — Use notification APIs to give
    users choices right on the
    notification
    — No watch app required!
    — Quick yes/no decisions with a
    single tap
    — Automate frequent actions
    Jeff Kelley @SlaunchaMan

    View Slide

  15. Let Users Make Quick Decisions
    — Use notification APIs to give
    users choices right on the
    notification
    — No watch app required!
    — Quick yes/no decisions with a
    single tap
    — Automate frequent actions
    Jeff Kelley @SlaunchaMan

    View Slide

  16. Let Users Make Quick Decisions
    — Use notification APIs to give
    users choices right on the
    notification
    — No watch app required!
    — Quick yes/no decisions with a
    single tap
    — Automate frequent actions
    Jeff Kelley @SlaunchaMan

    View Slide

  17. Provide Value When Users Can’t Use Other Devices
    — Apple Watch can go places iPhone can’t—like
    swimming in the ocean
    — But the screen is very hard to tap when wet
    — Places or situations where it’s rude to take your
    phone out
    — When permanently or temporarily disabled
    — While holding a sleeping child
    Jeff Kelley @SlaunchaMan

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  18. Funneling Features to the Watch
    When the iPhone came out, Mac apps were pared down
    to makes sense on mobile. With the Watch, it’s tempting
    to replicate all of the features of your iPhone app.
    Instead, focus on what you can do in two seconds,
    focusing on the use cases where it makes the most
    sense.
    Jeff Kelley @SlaunchaMan

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  19. Health and Fitness Apps
    Jeff Kelley @SlaunchaMan

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  20. Workout Apps
    — If your app tracks workouts of any kind, you need to
    be on Apple Watch or your users will switch to a
    competitor
    — Users love filling their Activity Rings, and if your app
    helps with that, it’s now a part of their routine
    Jeff Kelley @SlaunchaMan

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  21. Health Apps
    — Apple Watch is great for collecting health data
    — Watch apps can’t always access health data, as it’s
    stored securely on iPhone
    — Heart rate sensor data is transformative for certain
    applications
    — Combine with notifications to encourage healthy
    behaviors in your users
    Jeff Kelley @SlaunchaMan

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  22. Complications
    Jeff Kelley @SlaunchaMan

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  23. Unparalleled Engagement
    — Users see complications every
    time they raise their wrist
    — Automatically update in the
    background
    — Installed complications get
    more time for their apps to
    update in the background
    — Time Travel lets you show
    users their data in the past
    and future
    Jeff Kelley @SlaunchaMan

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  24. So Do I Need A Watch App or
    Not?
    Jeff Kelley @SlaunchaMan

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  25. So Do I Need A Watch App or Not?
    If you have an iPhone app that is:
    — a workout app, or
    — gathers or displays health data
    Click “New Target” in Xcode right now and make one.
    Jeff Kelley @SlaunchaMan

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  26. So Do I Need A Watch App or Not?
    Otherwise, if you:
    — Can provide value with brief interactions
    — Have a backend that supports updating in the
    background
    — Have timely information to display to the user
    — Can live with the limited feature set of the watch
    Congratulations! You should make a watch app.
    Jeff Kelley @SlaunchaMan

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  27. So Do I Need A Watch App or Not?
    What if you’re somewhere in the middle?
    — Use a watch app to stand out in some categories
    — Ask yourself, “would I keep this complication on my
    watch face?”
    — Ask yourself if you’re willing to put in the work to
    keep it updated for new watchOS versions
    Jeff Kelley @SlaunchaMan

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