The best apps on Apple Watch - for use and leisure

Apple Watch is the most popular smartwatch on the market. They were just recently updated, but didn't get that many new features. As was said at the last presentation, this is also the most popular wristwatch in the world. So their significance can be understood. Definitely, this is not a cheap gadget and not everyone needs it. But if you own this device, we have compiled a list of the best applications for Apple smartwatches.

Strava

The best application for monitoring active sports. GPS can track your running or cycling. The results are quite accurate, but sometimes there is an error. Route planning works very well. Unfortunately, there is no well-known “Live Segments” function. But this is still the best app for runners and cyclists. The positive thing is that it is completely independent from your smartphone.

Waterminder

Among the best apps for Apple Watch, apps that help you take care of your health occupy a special place. These include WaterMinder, a utility that will monitor the water balance of the user’s body, taking into account every liter of liquid drunk. As you know, to feel good you need to drink a certain minimum amount of water. The program will set this minimum automatically based on your anthropometric indicators, or you can set the goal yourself. At set intervals, Waterminder will notify you that it is time to drink water again. In the fast pace of life, you sometimes forget about the need to drink water, most often without experiencing a physical need to drink liquid. Through the gadget on your wrist, notifications will begin to arrive minute by minute, and fluid consumption will now always be under control.

Price in iTunes: 379 rub.

Size: 92.6 MB

Age limit: 4+

Advantages

• simple goal setting system;
• timely notifications;
• simple program settings;
• Constantly recording the amount of water you drink;
• maintaining statistics.

Flaws

• The utility is presented only in the paid version.
• Russian localization leaves much to be desired.

ESPN

If you're a busy person with frequent business meetings and just can't keep up with your priority sports teams, then the ESPN app is for you. It will keep you updated with the game and progress of your favorite team. It has almost every sport. You can turn on notifications about goals scored or some breaking news. This is definitely the best solution for any fan.

Apple Watch Apps

As well as impressions of everyday use of Apple smart watches

Today it became known that Apple Watch will go on official sale in Russia on July 31. Meanwhile, in some other countries the device has been in use for almost three months. Immediately before the release of the Apple smartwatch and immediately after the device appeared on the shelves, there was a lot of noise: the watch became the most fashionable gadget of the season. But soon the wave of enthusiasm around this product subsided, and the first skeptical reviews appeared. For example, Fortune publishes a selection of negative reviews from IT professionals. On the other hand, the very fact that such opinions appear does not mean that the product is bad. Rather, it means that the moment has come when nuances that escaped during a quick study of the device begin to emerge, and the first users of the Apple Watch already have a holistic impression, which can be both positive and negative.

By the way, stock market players also had mixed reactions to the Apple Watch. Below is a chart showing Apple's stock price performance over the past three months. It clearly shows the peak immediately after the start of sales of the Apple Watch (April 27), but then there is a decline, and by the time of writing the article, the price of the shares was almost at the same level as before the start of sales of the watch.

But Apple does not stand still: at WWDC ]introduced[/anchor] a new version of the operating system for watches: watchOS 2. Among other things, it promises the ability to create native applications with access to all sensors and controls of the Apple Watch. What is the situation with this now? We decided to study the available applications for the Apple Watch (not all, of course, but the most indicative ones) and at the same time try to live with the watch a little longer than was possible during the first test (thanks to First-store.ru for providing the Apple Watch). You will learn our impressions from this article!

Applications

When the watch just went on sale, there were a lot of announcements from various developers. All announcements were in the spirit of “We have added support for Apple Watch!” And although the overwhelming majority of these applications were very unsightly, there was a feeling (and, in general, correct) of great interest among developers in the new platform. But it was, of course, premature to draw any conclusions. Now we can already assess the current situation and draw some conclusions on this basis.

Let's start with the fact that there are currently about a hundred applications for Apple Watch in the App Store. Quite a few! Of course, not everything is included in the Collection. But here we are faced with the first problem: in the watch app store there is no category through which you could select a section and see all the existing applications in this category. That is, we either choose from hundreds of Collections applications, or use the search by application, but here you will need to enter a word.

Apparently, the fact is that Apple does not yet want to give the opportunity to count the total number of applications. It can be assumed that after some time, categories (what is generally called “Categories” in the App Store) will appear. But for now we cannot, for example, see what games are available for the Apple Watch (besides a short list of 10 titles included in the Collection; half of them are paid).

The second point that is important to understand when installing applications for Apple Watch. There are no standalone applications for watches yet. That is, you can install an application for the watch, but first the smartphone version of this application will be installed on your iPhone, and only after a few minutes the application will appear on the watch. You can delete the application on the watch, leaving only the smartphone version, but vice versa - not.

Just in watchOS 2, watch applications will gain independence. But for now they are not just tied to smartphones, but, by and large, are only an external screen for them. Sometimes more successfully, sometimes less. Let's look at a few examples.

App in the Air

The application included in the Collection allows you to track everything related to your flight, receiving information directly on your watch. It works as follows. We open the smartphone application, look for the flight we need (the interface is perfectly user-friendly), select it and then receive all the information on the watch (although, of course, it will also come to the iPhone).

The watch screen will display all the necessary information: flight number and status, check-in time, airport terminal, landing time. If the gate is changed or any delays occur, you will receive an alert.

There is also a list of things to take, a to-do list and other nice additions. It is clear that all this functionality is available in the application itself, but at the airport it can be very convenient to look not at the smartphone, but at the watch (when your hands are full of things, and even the smartphone is hidden in some bag).

Overall, the application is not outstanding (we are talking specifically about the version for the Apple Watch), but it is very useful.

Contact Info

The Contact Info application has been made more original. The idea is simple: you can enter your contact information into a smartphone application, and a QR code will be displayed on the watch, which can be considered a smartphone and immediately receive all the information in your address book.

That is, let’s say you are asked for your phone number at a conference, and you simply launch the application on your watch and raise your hand to the person who is introducing you. He only needs to read the QR code with his smartphone.

It turns out that the watch application in this case consists of one single screen (you enter and edit information using your smartphone). But it’s not bad either. Simplicity is what authors of most watch apps should strive for.

Uber

Uber followed the same path. When we launch the corresponding application on the watch, the search for nearby cars immediately begins, after which you see a screen with one button: “Order”. And in the center of the screen the time after which the nearest car can arrive is displayed.

This kind of minimalism has both pros and cons. The disadvantages, of course, include the impossibility of any order detailing. But, apparently, the creators of the application rightly considered that in some situations simply having an “Order” button is quite enough; this is what people need in the first place.

TripAdvisor

Another well-known international brand, TripAdvisor, did not pursue simplicity and decided to simply adapt the interface for a watch, while maintaining the basic functionality.

It turned out quite well if we take the chosen concept for granted. But in practice, it turns out that there is no point in the application at all: when we need to decide which restaurant to go to, we can get up for a minute, take out our smartphone and look at everything there. It’s much less convenient to do this on a watch than on a smartphone, and finding something on the go with the help of a watch is even more problematic.

It turns out to be a paradoxical example: the interface itself seems to be successful, but it does not make life easier.

Games

Of course, the choice for watches is not limited to the above applications; other programs can also be described, but we have chosen several of the most indicative ones precisely from the point of view of demonstrating possible options for approaching creating an application for watches. It would be logical to follow the same path in the case of games, but... as it turns out, here the developers’ imagination works even worse. In fact, almost everyone uses the Apple Watch as just a mini-screen, with more or less success.

For example, here is another clone of Flappy Bird, which looks quite organic on the watch due to its simplicity - be sure to click on the screen so that the bird does not fall and hit the pipes! And it doesn’t matter whether the screen is large (like on a smartphone) or small (like on a watch). However, even here they managed to screw it up a little: the bird had strong inertia, changing the feeling of the game, and you need to click on the flap button, and not on the entire screen.

Here's another interesting example of a gaming watch app: Trivia Crack. Puzzles are, in general, perhaps the most common genre now. In this case, this is also very conveniently implemented: spin the reel, one of the categories appears (or a crown, allowing you to choose a category to your taste), then a question appears and four answer options. If you answered correctly, the next move is yours; if not, then your opponent’s (a real person found automatically).

It is clear that all the same things can be done on the iPhone, but it is worth recognizing that the application developers have coped with the task of making the Trivia Crack interface for the watch quite convenient and usable. Real use: we stand on the subway during rush hour, when we can’t even get a smartphone, and play.

There is another type of gaming application: these are companions to large tablet games like Brother in Arms 3 or Modern Combat 5, but these are not independent projects, but rather a way to quickly find out about the latest news from the world of your favorite games - for example, about the start of a new promotion , some kind of draw, etc.

In general, the situation with games on the Apple Watch is still a major disappointment. In the April issue of our iToga magazine there was a very interesting column by GAMETECH editor-in-chief Vitaly Kazunov about the gaming prospects of the Apple Watch. The main idea of ​​the text is that a completely new type of games will appear for watches, which will not require constant interaction with the screen, but will be able to use the user’s geographic location, his activity parameters, and the like. I would like to believe that this will be the case. But for now we see a dominance of simple puzzles that force us to stare at a small screen and drain the battery. At the same time, there is not a single reason why we cannot play the same games on a smartphone (well, perhaps with the exception of the situation described above with rush hour in the subway).

Impressions of using Apple Watch

What are our overall impressions of the Apple Watch? How much can this device “fit” into our daily lives and how can it be useful? Oddly enough, Siri turned out to be one of the most pleasant and frequently used functions. To get the answer to your question (albeit only in the form of information on the screen), just long press the Digital Crown and say the question, bringing the watch to your mouth.

In addition to the obvious things like today's weather, Siri can even give you some unusual information - information like the temperature on Mars or the stock price of any company. You can also plot a route or get help from Wikipedia, and in a very convenient form.

If we’re not talking about “test” use, but about real use, then first of all it can be convenient when, before leaving the house, while packing your things, you want to find out the weather for today on the go.

The second convenient point is notifications about calls and messages in instant messengers/social networks. At the same time, after reading a new notification, you can open the latest notifications feed, that is, they do not disappear anywhere.

But there is one strange flaw here. When a new notification arrives, your screen remains turned off. So you need to first turn it on by pressing the Digital Crown, then tap the screen to read the notification. That is, you can’t just glance at the screen. It also happens completely absurdly: when the screen goes blank immediately after you open the notification. In general, the screen on the Apple Watch often goes out at the wrong time - apparently, the developers tried very hard to make sure that it didn’t light up again, but they overdid it a little.

And yet, in general, the implementation of the notification function here is more successful than not. We especially note the very pleasant vibration sensation when a notification arrives. It's different from the bracelets and watches we've tested before. On the Apple Watch, this vibration is more delicate, perhaps, but no less noticeable.

But we still haven’t learned how to use the vaunted Digital Crown wheel (clicking, of course, doesn’t count—we’re just talking about its rotation). It's usually much easier to use the touch screen than to turn that little wheel. We did not find a scenario in which using the wheel would be definitely more convenient.

conclusions

Forecasts about the market fate of the Apple Watch changed rapidly: everyone predicted that Apple would enter a new market and leave no chance for competitors, and at the same time create a truly powerful smartwatch industry; then they began to say that the watch did not live up to expectations and Apple was never able to explain why this class of devices was needed in principle.

After using the Apple Watch for some time, we're leaning towards something in between these two positions. On the one hand, it is premature to talk about victory here: this can be seen even in applications, which are few and whose quality is far from ideal. On the other hand, the device has very convenient and pleasant features, and it can easily fit into the user’s daily life. So far, it will not become indispensable and will not even provide some fundamentally new experience, as was the case, for example, with Google Glass. But if you've already bought an Apple Watch and haven't gotten what you expected yet, don't rush to sell it. Perhaps, after the release of watchOS 2, the situation with applications will change dramatically for the better, and then the potential of this product - beautiful and pleasant - will be fully revealed.

We plan to closely monitor the fate of this device and, of course, will keep you updated!

We thank First-store.ru for providing the Apple Watch

PCalc

It's very strange that the Apple Watch doesn't have a standard calculator app. So you will have to download it. And if you choose from all of them, PCalc is the best. It has a very thoughtfully designed interface. There are all the most necessary mathematical actions, as well as the ability to control your voice. In general, if you want a convenient calculator with many useful functions, then feel free to download PCalc.

The most useful programs in 2020

Some daily activities often require a smartphone or a separate electronic device. iWatch frees the owner from the need to purchase multiple devices. Moreover, the owner of the gadget will not need to take out an iPhone or iPad once again, which is especially important for athletes, businessmen, travelers and other people whose lives are full of a variety of events . So, in this section we will present the best utilities of 2020 that will be really useful in everyday life.

Health software

Fans of technical innovations often care about their well-being more than their less advanced fellow citizens. Developers willingly accommodate lovers of progress and release applications that make leading a healthy lifestyle much easier.

Sports training

People involved in sports professionally, as well as amateurs and connoisseurs, will find such programs relevant for installation, for example, in the Apple Watch Nike.

Calculator for everyone

For use in everyday and professional activities, the PCalc Lite program has been developed - this is a convenient calculator that will help you perform household, scientific and engineering calculations on the go . The utility works with several number systems. This is a lightweight application with a simple design and rich features. It's free in its simplest form, but to perform more complex calculations you'll have to pay $0.99 or more.

Quick Notes

If you need to quickly record important information or a brilliant idea, it's better to use a voice recorder and create a voice note. It is for this purpose that the Just Press Record program was created, which not only creates audio recordings, but also converts dictated notes into text. Its cost is 379 rubles.

Daily tasks

To easily make daily purchases, the “Platypus - Grocery Delivery” utility will be useful. With it, you don’t need to take your iPhone out of your pocket to order groceries, medicines, pet supplies and household chemicals. The program has a voice search function, adding products to favorites, scanning barcodes, and delivery reminders. The application is free.

Navigation and orientation

The Yandex.Maps application will be very useful not only for travelers, car drivers and cyclists, but also for ordinary pedestrians. The built-in GPS receiver appeared in the iWatch Series 2 models, and later the company added GLONASS support. The Yandex navigator will help you find the right address, get directions, and get information about places and organizations. The program is free.

Weather forecast

Notifying the user about weather conditions outside is the most important option for any device. In this area, Yandex.Weather - online forecast will be indispensable. The utility forecasts the weather accurate to the specified address. Plus, it's free.

On a note! This application reflects not only the thermometer readings, but also how the temperature feels at the current air humidity and wind speed.

For study

Teachers at educational institutions have already called the Apple Watch an ideal cheat sheet, and the strictest of them do not allow owners of smart watches to take tests and exams. The device can be used not only for cheating, but also as a convenient diary for students. Thus, the “Class Schedule - Timetable” program will be relevant for studying. With it, the list of lessons or pairs no longer needs to be rewritten by hand. You can also enter homework into the application. You won’t be able to forget about classes and homework—Timetable will remind you in advance of all types of learning activities. The basic version of the utility is free, and the premium version costs 149 rubles.

Productivity apps

The following applications will help you plan your day so that it goes as efficiently as possible and leaves time for rest.

Other useful applications

To check your mail, you don’t need to sit down at your computer or take your gadget out of your pocket, as there is a very useful utility called Spark - mail from Readdle . This email client will allow you not only to read letters, but also to filter, mark, postpone, find what you need, and also send a short reply. The application is free.

Citymapper

If you spend your holidays in Paris, London, Los Angeles or other major cities of the world, then the Citymapper application will definitely be useful to you. It will help you get directions in cities, show the cost and schedule of public transport. You will be able to find out the points of departure, arrival and stopping places. Also, if you have the latest version of an Apple watch, which has an LTE modem, then you don’t have to use a smartphone.

iTranslate Converse

If you are on vacation in a country unfamiliar to you and people speak a language you don’t understand, then the iTranslate Converse app will definitely come in handy. You will need to select the translation language and press the button. The application itself will determine who speaks what language and will translate your speech and the interlocutor. It is worth remembering that the longer the sentence, the more time it will take to translate it.

Yelp

If you are in a place that is unfamiliar to you and you urgently need somewhere to eat, then everyone knows that they use the Yelp application for this. And now you can install this application on your watch. Download it and select the desired service category. The application will recommend you the best establishments in your location, which is very convenient. At the moment there is no LTE support, but such an opportunity will appear soon.

Elk

This currency conversion app has a very user-friendly and good interface. It will be able to determine the currency you need based on your location. Or you can choose the currency that you need at the moment. Thanks to the simple interface, you can easily set the amount to convert. Elk is a good, smart and useful application. It is definitely more convenient to use than any calculator.

Reminders Nano

For unknown reasons, the Apple Watch does not have a Reminders feature, which is very strange. But no worries, there is a very good app for this: Reminders Nano. First of all, it is convenient because it can arrange your tasks in alphabetical order. It is also possible to create your own list or set a new reminder, without the need to use an iPhone, which, you see, is very convenient.

Bring Shopping List

Download on iTunes:

free
What's the trick:
An excellent free analogue of the famous application for making a shopping list “Buy a loaf”.

Bring! Shopping List has a minimalistic interface and allows you to create visual shopping lists, as well as synchronize lists with other users.

All products are divided into categories and visually presented in the form of cards, a long press on which allows you to add a description, as well as mark the number of required products. It is possible to make additional cards outside the presented list.

You can create and share shopping lists with family, colleagues or friends.

On the Apple Watch screen, the list is displayed in the form of icons with descriptions. Clicking on each item “closes” the purchase. Managing such a list from a watch is easier and more convenient than holding a smartphone in your hands while shopping.

Pros:

Convenience and ease of use make grocery shopping as efficient as possible. No more endless “text messages” from your spouse. Unlike “Buy a loaf!” the Swiss analogue can be used absolutely free.

Minuses:

lack of Russian language, despite many requests in the App Store.

MultiTimer

Naturally, Apple has its own timer app, but it's not particularly functional and won't work on the watch without your smartphone. So you will need a MultiTimer. First of all, it is autonomous. You will also have the opportunity to run several timers at once, in case you need this. In any case, this application is definitely better than the standard one.

Cardiogram

This program is one of a number of useful applications for Apple Watch. Cardiogram collects information from smartwatch sensors and then predicts the risk of cardiovascular disease with maximum accuracy. For example, it will detect tachycardia, bradycardia, arrhythmia, hypertension. First of all, the software relies on heart rate monitor data and records ongoing changes in heart rate. Heart rate is recorded every 5 minutes. However, the user can customize this parameter individually to suit his own characteristics: fortunately, the program has a large selection of settings. Works together with the app watch “Health” program and analyzes information from it. In general, if for some reason you do not have the opportunity to visit a cardiologist, run this application. Of course, the program in no way replaces a trip to a specialist, but at least it will indicate what is worth paying attention to. By 2020, the program was updated more than once: the functionality was improved, and the analysis results became more accurate.

iTunes Price: Free

Size: 57.4 MB

Age limit: 12+

Advantages

• diagnosis of diseases at early stages;
• convenient icons;
• nice-looking interface;
• free on the App Store;
• The application is constantly being modified.

Flaws

• no support in Russian.

Shazam

If you are a fan of listening to great music, then you definitely need the Shazam app on your smartphone. After all, with its help you can easily find out what cool track is currently playing on the radio or in the video you are watching. But there is a small nuance: by the time you take out your smartphone, the song may already end. That's why Shazam is also available on smartwatches. Raise your hand and the application is already looking for the playing melody.

1Password

If your memory has failed you more than once, then this program simply must be present in the menu of your smart watch. The 1Password application will securely save any passwords: from various sites, from account profiles, bank card PIN codes. You only need to enter information into 1Password once and you no longer have to remember or write anything down on a piece of paper. The application can not only remember different passwords, but also generate your own. When your imagination turns out to be powerless, and you urgently need a new complex password, you can simply use the option of this utility. Data is automatically synchronized with all Apple devices via the cloud. The 1Password manager for iWatch also supports a one-time password system.

Important! Regardless of the watch model (Series 1, Series 2, Series 3), the application works without being tied to an iPhone, that is, it is completely adapted for smart watches.

iTunes Price: Free

Size: 98.9 MB

Age limit: 17+

Advantages

• instant synchronization using iCloud;
• strict protection of all data;
• rich functionality;
• clear interface;
• passwords are securely encrypted.

Flaws

• The program is free, but for full-fledged operation the user will have to fork out additional expenses.

Overcast

Overcast is the best app for listening to your favorite podcast. It is very convenient, thanks to cool functions: built-in effects to enhance your voice, smartly remove silence in recordings, etc. On Apple Watch, using the application becomes even more convenient and autonomous. You can rewind, increase reading speed, pause and enable various effects.

Organizer

Let's see what programs there are for apple watch that are used to organize and store personal data and contacts.

Just Press Record

Just Press Record is a voice recorder that only requires a watch to use. If you urgently need to write down a short message, but you don’t have paper and pen at hand, the application can help. The file is saved to the cloud, and when the phone is nearby again, it is automatically transferred to it and saved. On your iPhone, you can set up the voice recorder so that recording starts after 1 press.

Instapaper

This application may seem strange, but suddenly it will be useful to you. Instapaper is a so-called archive for reading articles. If your hands are busy and you cannot read the article on your smartphone, then using this application on your watch, you can enable audio reading. Yes, it sounds very strange, like a talking robot, but maybe it will be useful for you.