Ask any expert of the tech industry and he will nod his head in agreement that wearable technology is the future. This marketplace is growing at a tremendous rate eyeing to reach up to $12.6 billion by the year 2018. One of the most popular segments of this market is the smartwatches. While Google, Samsung and other companies are pouring money in this segment, Apple leads the charts in the smartwatches section. With that being said, here are a few facts to keep in mind while designing apple watch apps :

1. Increased focus on App Icons
First things first, an Apple Watch doesn’t have text like the smartphones. So, it’s just the icon that you have to play with. Thus, an impressive icon design becomes critical in creating the overall impact on the user. Also, Apple Watch uses a circular design rather than a squarish one. You need to design the icon similar to the one used in smartphones to maintain the brand identity and design consistency. Lastly, apple watch is available in 2 different sizes. Hence your icon design should be consistent across both sizes.

2. Simplify your app
Apple watch is a wearable device which is designed to support short interactions with users. Unlike smartphones, these interactions don’t last for minutes but are often over within a few seconds. A study conducted by Apple showed that the average user interaction time lasts between 2-5 seconds. This calls for simplification of the apps. These short interactions are either Glances – time, date, heartbeat, current weather etc. or Notifications – information presented when a user lifts his/her wrist or Applications – allowing the user to interact with the information. Out of these 3, glances and notifications are most common adding to the importance of simplifying the apps.

3. Create an impact by thinking small
This goes without saying that there isn’t a lot of space on the Apple watch display. Your design should be precise, impactful and there should not be any hodgepodge on the screen. The use of images should also be minimal to avoid high loading time as this is a smartwatch and demands for an easily comprehensible app.

4. The navigation should be minimum
The Apple watch comes with two different navigation systems. One is Force Touch which differentiates the screen depending upon how hard the user touches the screen – like a tap or hold. The second one is the Digital Crown which zooms in and out when the user twists it like the traditional watch crown. This helps in not blocking the watch’s display. Because of these 2 navigations, you need to keep the navigation menus as simple as possible. You don’t want the users to constantly tap and zoom for the info that they seek.

5. Use animation to upscale the UX
If there is one thing that undoubtedly adds an edge, it has to be animations. Animations are not new when it comes to enhancing the user experience. But, with the space limitations on apple watch you need to play very smart. Be subtle with your animations and focus only on the elements which are vital in drawing user attention. Don’t use too many data-heavy features as it will definitely compromise the app functionality.

Well, the future of Apple smartwatches is yet to be decided, but the present popularity favours a bright future. There are a huge number of similar advancements which knock the door of the digital world everyday and only a team of expert minds can best utilize the opportunities and dodge the challenges. Get your expert advice today. Click Here to check the full basket of services that we offer at NYX Ditech.

admin