Gruber on 3rd party apps "They suck. They’re really, really slow."

[KPOM]

Hopefully this improves when apps become native. I think ideally Apple would have waited another year before releasing the Watch, but felt they couldn't sit out for too much longer.

 

[Rogifan]

He's been nothing but positive about it. For the past couple of months that's almost all he's talked about on his podcast and he's been very supportive of it. I don't know where you got the idea that he doesn't like it but you're wrong.

Hmm...I'm not aware of him having much opinion on the watch one way or the other. Ok he might not have posted any doom and gloom about it. But it still seems clear he has reservations about the category in general.

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Hopefully this improves when apps become native. I think ideally Apple would have waited another year before releasing the Watch, but felt they couldn't sit out for too much longer.

I'm a little surprised they didn't forwarn reviewers about 3rd party apps. The Verge said Apple did reach out saying a software update was coming but I believe that was after they published their review.

 

[Mike Delta]

The watch has accessibility settings just like the iPhone from where you can activate screen zoom with might help a little bit.

 

[dannyyankou]

Apps can be fixed by software updates. Once developers get full access this summer, we'll see what he has to say then.

 

[Armen]

Am I alone in being ok with the native apps and notification support? I can't think of a single 3rd party app I'd like or want at this point.

 

[fs454]

I spent about a half hour with a watch in the store and it worked great. I have big hands and the universe page didn't bother me at all, it seemed very accurate and opened whatever I wanted with my big mitts.

It's third party apps that don't. I think the touching the wrong app thing is a side effect of a new interface that no one's used to quite yet.

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Am I alone in being ok with the native apps and notification support? I can't think of a single 3rd party app I'd like or want at this point.

Uber? Google maps? Waze?

It's impossible to use Apple Maps in Los Angeles as it only puts you on the largest main roads / highways that are jammed to all hell. I shave 20 minutes from my 40 minute commute by using Google or Waze.

Yelp? An app to do voice memos / dictated notes? There are tons of use cases.

 

[Armen]

It's third party apps that don't. I think the touching the wrong app thing is a side effect of a new interface that no one's used to quite yet.

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Uber? Google maps? Waze?

It's impossible to use Apple Maps in Los Angeles as it only puts you on the largest main roads / highways that are jammed to all hell. I shave 20 minutes from my 40 minute commute by using Google or Waze.

Yelp? An app to do voice memos / dictated notes? There are tons of use cases.

I look at Waze on my 5.5" iPhone 6+ screen that is mounted on my dash in my car. I don't see a need to have it on a 1" screen.

I've never used Uber as I drive my own car every where.

 

[dannyyankou]

]Uber? Google maps? Waze?

It's impossible to use Apple Maps in Los Angeles as it only puts you on the largest main roads / highways that are jammed to all hell. I shave 20 minutes from my 40 minute commute by using Google or Waze.

Yelp? An app to do voice memos / dictated notes? There are tons of use cases.

I guess it varies from person to person, but I took a to DC last weekend with my family and my dad was using Google maps. I looked up the route on Apple Maps and it showed that there was a lot of heavy traffic on the route Google was suggesting, so it suggested a faster route. My dad didn't trust it, and it turns out we spent literally an extra 3 hours in traffic.

 

[mchoffa]

I am sure that the kinks will be worked out, and this fall we get native on the watch apps anyway. I'm very impatiently waiting for May 13-27 either way!

 

[camtechman56]

Mr Apple news himself John Gruber didn't have a lot of nice things to say about 3rd party apps

http://bgr.com/2015/04/17/apple-watch-performance-ui-john-gruber-third-party-apps/

The 3rd party apps are slow? Well all the apps are going to be a little slower then if they were just ran off the watch. if they are on the phone it takes time for the watch and phone to communicate back and forth. like a crane that is driven from the cab is more responsive than when it is run by a radio control box, it won't be a long delay but there will be a delay because communication isn't Instantaneous

 

[KPOM]

The small icon part of it is on Apple, though. That seems rather fundamental, unless they really don't see people running "apps" the way they do on the phone. Android Wear is very much notification-centric. Perhaps Apple was looking for a middle ground, though that sounds more like Microsoft than Apple.

 

[DynaFXD]

I look at Waze on my 5.5" iPhone 6+ screen that is mounted on my dash in my car. I don't see a need to have it on a 1" screen.

Riding (horses, bikes, or motorcycles). Definitely don't feel like fumbling for the phone when focus needs to be elsewhere. Even walking can benefit from a quick flick of the wrist for the next turn as opposed to pulling the phone out. Just saying....

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Am I alone in being ok with the native apps and notification support? I can't think of a single 3rd party app I'd like or want at this point.

Well that's just the point, isn't it? Give the artists the tools and let's see what they develop. I agree, aside from a few mapping or workout apps, there isn't a whole lot 3rd party wise I am looking for. However, to paraphrase that quote ...... I don't know what I want or need until someone shows it to me. Can't wait to see what creative folks come up with.

 

[bjdraw]

As much as I want an Apple Watch, I'm having a problem seeing the value in the apps. As long as it allows me to reliably see the time and notifications while my phone is in my pocket, I'll be satisfied. Anything else is bonus.

 

[Armen]

Riding (horses, bikes, or motorcycles). Definitely don't feel like fumbling for the phone when focus needs to be elsewhere. Even walking can benefit from a quick flick of the wrist for the next turn as opposed to pulling the phone out. Just saying....

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Well that's just the point, isn't it? Give the artists the tools and let's see what they develop. I agree, aside from a few mapping or workout apps, there isn't a whole lot 3rd party wise I am looking for. However, to paraphrase that quote ...... I don't know what I want or need until someone shows it to me. Can't wait to see what creative folks come up with.

I guess I'm not expressing myself clearly. I bought the Apple watch for its notifications and am completely content with the native apps. I did not buy it with the hopes that 3rd party apps would make the watch useful to me.

However, if some killer 3rd apps come from this I'm all in.

 

[DynaFXD]

I guess I'm not expressing myself clearly. I bought the Apple watch for its notifications and am completely content with the native apps. I did not buy it with the hopes that 3rd party apps would make the watch useful to me.

However, if some killer 3rd apps come from this I'm all in.

Yep.

 

[Mad Mac Maniac]

At any rate, it's pretty clear the intended general use of the device has you launching apps out of notifications or glances anyway, as part of a contextual workflow. So I predict over the coming year, this will all be a total non-issue.

Agreed. I think they even touched on this in the podcast about how the watch face is the true "home screen" of the apple watch, instead of the screen of apps. The app grid will be irrelavent. Everything will be done through notifications, glances, complications, siri, or the communication button.

 

[Tom359]

This....native apps will be announced at WWDC

Hopefully this improves when apps become native. I think ideally Apple would have waited another year before releasing the Watch, but felt they couldn't sit out for too much longer.

At launch, "apps" on the watch are only extensions. Apple wanted to release native apps slowly after people had a chance to acclimate. I fully expect the native app SDK to be released at WWDC and be part of iOS 9.