Right alongside the rise of smartwatches will come the rise of the smartwatch app market. It will undoubtedly be similar to how app markets work for smartphones currently. That said, smartwatches are a different platform, which means the associated app market is a whole different ballgame.

Major players have entered the smartwatch market already with several more to follow including the likes of Sony, LG, Motorola, Google, Samsung and even Apple. Back in July, analyst firm ON World published a report that estimates more than 330 million smartwatches will have been shipped by the end of 2018. In other words, smartwatches grow more and more popular every day. Wearable devices are the future.

If you’re considering developing a smartwatch app, now’s as good a time as any to get your content ready for the limelight.

Why You Should Develop a Smartwatch App

Stanfy, a premiere quality app design and development provider, said it best. There are four main reasons why you should look into developing a mobile app for smartwatches such as the Pebble, Android Wear platform and more. They are as follows:

1. You want to reach tech-savvy audiences (read: geeks)

2. You want to get a headstart creating buzz about your product

3. You want to improve the overall user experience for your brand across all platforms, including smartwatches

4. You are using forward thinking to plan ahead for the next three to five years

All of these points are attainable through smartwatch app development. If you’d like to know a little more about them, you can check out Stanfy’s write-up on the subject.

Some Smartwatch App Design Tips to Keep in Mind

Image from Minuum

Developing a smartwatch app is going to be slightly different than creating something for a smartphone. While there are features and functions identical on both platforms, each one has a different purpose. In addition, smartwatches offer a different interface and include less powerful hardware. For instance, it would be silly to deliver a menu system originally designed for larger screen devices – such as a 5″ smartphone – on a smartwatch, which includes a 1.5″ to 2″ display.

Because the platforms are different, we’ve outlined several design tips to keep in mind while you’re developing your smartwatch app.

• Try to keep screen content static. In addition, to draining the battery highly active screen content can be a distraction and a nuisance on smaller displays.
• You should definitely use touch friendly elements, but don’t make buttons and interactive zones too bulky.
• Always keep in mind the model you are developing for, and tailor your app to it. The Pebble, for example uses a greyscale type display while the LG G Watch uses a full color touchscreen.
• To keep fonts aesthetically pleasing, don’t make them too large, adversely don’t make them too small. The best way to perfect a font is to test it out on the device in question – whether that be virtual or physical testing it matters little.
• Keep functionality to a minimum and remember that smartwatches are geared towards practicality first and foremost.
• Smartwatches have unique hardware like heart rate monitors, pedometers and more. It’s a good idea to incorporate use of these features in your app.
• Remember that most smartwatches pair directly with a smartphone, and offer content through a companion app. You can sometimes take advantage of smartphone hardware and functionality through a watch app.

If You Don’t Want to Risk Developing a Smartwatch App Yourself

Even if you have experience developing apps for smartphones, tablets or other platforms it can be daunting moving into the smartwatch market. It’s a relatively new place, and there’s tons of room for growth – and failure.

If you don’t want to risk doing the work yourself you can always turn to a mobile app and partner developer such as Stanfy. They specialize in app creation for a wide variety of platforms and genres, so it’s safe to say they are experienced. Even if you just want to schedule a consultation and seek advice, it’s a great place to turn.

It’s no longer a question of “if” the smartwatch app market will explode, it’s a matter of “when.” Any smart developer knows that you want to have a brand presence and at least one product available on the market before that happens. Stanfy can definitely help you achieve that.