Are you familiar with all the latest techs used in app development for wearables? Wearables, as the name suggests, are gadgets that can be worn and usually have smart sensors and are connected to the internet for data exchange. These devices are one of the best ways to optimize and increase user engagement. The most popular wearables are smartwatches, ear-worn devices, head-mounted VR devices, smart glasses, and smart clothing.
According to new data from the International Data Corporation (IDC) Worldwide Quarterly Wearable Device Tracker, Global shipments of wearable devices totalled 84.5 million units in the third quarter of 2019 (3Q19), a year-over-year increase of 94.6% and a new record for deliveries in a single quarter. This is especially due to the rise of smart assistants in the home and on the phone has led to an increased demand for wearables that have the ability to connect with these assistants.
If you have a website or an app today, it’s time to start planning support for wearable devices. Here are some of the solutions for wearable devices today:
- Standalone apps: Run on the wearable device itself. These apps may use the phone to get a network connection or get a connection directly through Wi-Fi.
- Companion apps: Run primarily on the phone, sending UI commands to the device’s app and receiving interaction from the user. They can also be companions in a game or an app that is being controlled by the user on a phone (or TV).
- Faces: As watches feature a custom clock screen, this is what you see when you look at a watch without interacting with it.
- Cards or glances: Static views that are available quickly from the home screen and feature updated content from an app.
- Rich notifications: Add wearable-specific abilities to the push or local notifications that are delivered by a phone app.
Apps can be installed on a wearable device from a store specifically for the wearable (usually on a companion website), from a smartphone app or not installed at all, in which case a phone app would send the information to the wearable. The most common method used today is through a mobile app. With an app in the phone’s store, the wearable app is included in the package, and a native app in your phone’s OS would install the companion module on the watch. In this case, the watch might install new apps when the phone’s apps are updated without the user taking explicit action. What we can do on each platform and how the installation process works depends on what platform the app supports. For smartwatches, for example, the most leading platforms are:
- Android Wear Apps: Android wearable app development provides extensive integration opportunities thanks to the wide range of devices and flexibility of the Android platform itself.
- iWatch Apps: For the most demanding and loyal audience who is always looking for new trends and gadgets, iWatch Apps is one of the priciest gadgets in its category. Apple Watch still owns about 49% of the worldwide smartwatch industry.
According to emarketer research, wearables have appealed mostly to younger people. In 2015, 24.0% of those ages 25 to 34 had a wearable device, while 6.5% of those ages 55 to 64 had one. But user penetration for older consumers will also increase substantially to 13.2%.
As mobile technology advances, this also increases the opportunity for the development of SaaS (software-as-a-service) technologies. SaaS started with a computer-first approach, which means that now it’s having to catch up to all the advancements in mobile technologies.
Why Invest in Wearable Technology
Wearable devices are a new way to collect valuable and accurate data on user’s behaviour and use this data for future improvements and targeted marketing. User’s habits, frequency, location, and length of stay in an establishment, for example, is highly valued information, also known as ‘super data,’ a type of data that allows brands and companies to offer hyper-personalized experiences. Here’s how to stay apart from competitors, expand to the new industry and be one of the few wearable technology companies that are present in this market.
Infographic by Investing.com and appinstitute.com.
The most significant boost to long-term growth in the wearable industry is about to happen with the upcoming 5G rollout, which promises superfast speeds that can support technologies like wearables. 5G will improve how much data can be fed to smartwatches, while there is plenty of room for app development to come up with new uses.
With the help of Vog App Developers, you can get an entire ecosystem created with your app running through all smart devices. We are ready to develop successful experiences for all those wearable users out there. Contact us now to talk more about how your business can benefit from it by giving people a new way of interaction with your company.
