App Developers are Abandoning the Apple Watch (and it's not a big deal)

[acurrie]

You may have heard that the latest update to Instagram will remove its companion app for WatchOS. If you read the same 9to5Mac story that I did then you'll also know that Amazon, eBay, Google Maps, Slack and Whole Foods have already abandoned the Apple Watch.

And it's not a big deal. At least, I don't think so.

There are two reasons why this is happening. The first is pragmatic—in the case of Instagram, continued support for WatchOS would require a rewrite of the software using a newer SDK. Instagram likely decided that it wouldn't be worth the effort, which brings us to reason number two: Just because you're wearing a small computer on your wrist doesn't mean it should be used like a computer on your wrist. I can't see how swiping through tiny thumbnails of your Instagram feed would be in any way better than using a full-sized iPhone. And using a watch to make an Amazon purchase or to put an item up for auction on eBay sounds like a terrible experience.

Presumably users will still get notifications for these abandoned apps through WatchOS itself. I personally don't see this as any kind of crisis—rather the opposite, a healthy culling of the herd. After all, not every app on your phone needs to be duplicated on your wrist.

Source: 9to5Mac

[cutie_11]

I am not satisfied with Apple Watch at all! I think that it's one of their worst products ever. After using Airplane mode, my Apple Watch gives me a No iPhone error. I need to restart watch, then to restart iPhone, unpair them and then pair again. Too much hassle! From now I use Garmin only.

[JennDcosta]

Apple watches doesn't justify the worth of money that we have to pay. I would rather go for Garmin or Samsung Gear.

[rightrozz1]

It's a shame too that they completely abandon Series 1, so everyone that bought that $17000 watch can hardly use it today.