Thousands of apps are waiting to be discovered by new owners of the Apple Watch, that is when they finally get the smartwatch they ordered. Apple recently launched its App Store for Apple Watch, and it offers over 3,000 apps.
When it comes to its first ever wearable device, Apple appears to be holding lots of surprises. Earlier this month, a memo sent by Apple CEO Tim Cook mentioned that the App Store for its smartwatch would feature a thousand apps, but it turns out the real thing has more than triple that number. And it looks like it will continue to grow -- according to store analytics company appFigures, the Apple Watch store will balloon to an estimated 100,000 apps before the end of 2015.
The App Store for Apple Watch contains various curated collections of apps grouped into categories like communications, creativity, family, health and fitness, travel, and work. Other groupings include fun labels like get started, get the score, learning on the go, quick fix games, savvy shopping, and what's nearby.
For users who have already gotten their iPhones updated with iOS 8.2, they can check out the Apple Watch App Store through the Apple Watch app that has been automatically installed on their mobile devices.
The highly anticipated Apple Watch is scheduled to hit stores everywhere on Friday, after having been made available for preordering since April 10th. The wearable device is being offered in three basic models -- the entry level Apple Watch Sport, the midrange Apple Watch, and the luxury Apple Watch Edition -- and in two sizes, 38 millimeters and 42 millimeters. To make use of the Apple Watch, buyers will need to pair it with an iPhone (iPhone 5 or newer models).
Like any new device introduced by Apple, the Apple Watch is expected by many an industry watcher to be a hit. However, smartwatches in general have not been able to penetrate the mainstream even when it has already been a few years since they have been introduced to the masses. Apple, for one, lacks no effort in touting the many uses and potential applications of its smartwatch offering.
This is where apps come in. For many people, a smartwatch is just a techie watch. But with lots of apps available with a wide range of applications and functionality, consumers can begin to have a better appreciation of the possible uses of smartwatches, not only for indicating the time of day, but as a useful tool for work, leisure, health and fitness, and communications, among many others.
