Application development for smartwatches : An investigation in suitable smartwatch applications

Abstract: The smartwatch has been predicted to be the next big thing in the ecosystem of wearable and mobile devices. The success of the smartphone has a lot to do with the support from third party developers and their applications. This support will most likely be of utmost importance if the smartwatch is going to be successful. But what are suitable applications for this type of device? What are people's expectations and opinions on smartwatches? This thesis work delved into these matters with focus on development for the Apple Watch. This was done through an online survey that reached more than 1400 people, through a field study for one person that used the smartwatch as an air-travel tool and finally through a usability test conducted on five people that tried out several applications, most of which were developed for this project. Four different applications were implemented: a timetable application, a museum audio-guide, a game and an airline application. The results indicate that people generally expected the smartwatch to act as an extension for their smartphones and notifications seemed to be an area in which the smartwatch excelled. The results also show that there are many applicable areas the smartwatch can be used for, but that interaction with these should be kept quick and simple. This is extra important given the limited screen-size and special considerations should be taken on what content to display.