Should You Build a Smartwatch App?

Summary: Applications native to smartwatch operating systems get used the most. Just because a new smartwatch app could offer basic functionality, it does not mean that users will find it valuable.

Smartwatches present a dangerous opportunity for feature creep. It’s much easier to justify building a companion smartwatch app for an existing mobile application than to justify building a new mobile app from scratch. However, for a smartwatch app to get used, it needs to provide value beyond what is convenient and possible on other devices.

The Main Advantages of Smartwatches

Smartwatches allow users to be away from their phones. When deciding if a smartwatch app is valuable in your context, ask yourself: What microinteractions do people already attempt in our mobile application? Could a smartwatch app support these interactions when users are away from their phones?

Smartwatches can collect unique types of data. Activity and biometric data such as movement, heart rate, and body temperature cannot be collected the same way by a smartphone.