• What will smartwatches mean for the mobile app market?

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    September 5th, 2013Martinmobile, mobile applications

    The highly anticipated race to release the first smartwatch appears to be over, as Samsung has unveiled the Galaxy Gear. The Android-powered $299 device works as an extension to just two Samsung phones at the moment – the Galaxy Note 3 and S4. It’s able to show incoming calls and messages on its 1.63in screen, users can also make calls too. It has voice control, a basic camera and can run a Twitter app, plus other compatible apps.

    The primary focus for these types of devices is health and fitness, somewhat unsurprising with the recent increase in wearable fitness devices. The Gear comes already has 70 apps ready to be downloaded, with many of them being exercise based. However with some big names already leading the way when it comes to fitness app, it’s likely they’ll remain leaders of that already oversubscribed market.

    Galaxy Gear Range

    Not all mobile apps will be suitable for redevelopment to smartwatch devices, for example most games and shopping apps probably won’t work on such a small screen and at the angle a device placed on the wrist offers. As an alert system for smartphone or tablet apps a smartwatch is great, for example updates on orders and purchases, notifications of new messages, offers or events etc.

    No doubt there are ideas for entirely new concepts floating around many-a-marketers head too. But there are of course a few things to consider, which will make developing apps for smartwatches a little more complicated than standard mobile apps.

    Screen size
    The most obvious hurdle for app developers and designers will be the screen size. This alone will limit what smartwatch apps are able to do and how complex they can be. Whilst UI is massively important for any mobile app, it will be even more so for those on smartwatches, just one finger tap will cover the majority of the screen!

    Power
    Smartwatches are not likely to have anywhere near as much power as smartphones and tablets, which means apps must run efficiently and as uncomplicated as possible.

    Battery life
    Similarly, battery life will limit the options for smartwatch applications. Current estimates suggest that battery life will be about 24hours on standby and just 10hours with heavy use.

    Image source: Dailytech


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