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Apps What's your go to killer app?

S

satchmo

macrumors 603
Original poster
Aug 6, 2008
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Canada
I have to admit that I've never been a huge proponent of the Apple watch.

But when GPS was added, my interest was peaked, as I'm a runner. Although I'm still on the fence going back and forth with Garmin Forerunners.

I recognize that the AW has potential to be more with a pretty big ecosystem (and it has music storage).
But I'm wondering what are the great AW apps?
And not just running apps, but what killer app has made the AW indispensable or super productive?
 
I don't find it to be a device that is productive, but here are the things that I find indispensable:

  • Notifications - I don't miss any, and my phone can stay in my pocket or docked on my desk or nightstand at home. I use Outlook for email, and I am able to triage my email pretty effectively by marking as read, deleting, archiving, or setting a time to follow up.
  • Fitness - I love that I can keep track of my activity, stand, breath, and exercise throughout the day. I am not a runner, but like having the information.
  • Navigation - I have a 1999 Miata and the extent of its tech is a cassette/CD player combo. I like the option of having navigation directions on my watch. Before series 2, I was pretty much limited to the tactile feedback because the screen washed out in the sunlight. Series 2 adds additional brightness that makes the screen wholly readable in sunlight so I can see the upcoming turns as well.
  • Music control while in the shower
  • Actionable notifications for times when my phone is in the other room; I can reply on the platforms that I use and Siri dictation is getting better and more reliable.
 
Thanks. So you're basically using the default apps.
Ideally, I would love to hear about great 3rd party apps.
 
satchmo said:
Thanks. So you're basically using the default apps.
Ideally, I would love to hear about great 3rd party apps.
Click to expand...

I use Hours for time tracking on projects. The watch is great for that. I haven't found a killer app yet that accomplishes a task that the iPhone isn't better suited for. It seems it excels at micro interactions, and I don't have many work flows with micro interactions.
 
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I added a calculator to mine but honestly I only use a few apps on mine and if it wasn't for all the fitness tracking I probably wouldn't find much use for it. I'm a runner and I'm in the gym 7 days a week so exercise tracking is it for me.
 
Yeah I don't think there are many 3rd party apps that work great. Mainly the biggest things for me on the Watch are not missing notifications. Although 95% of my things are not usually time sensitive...
I like the music controlling feature from the Watch and the activity tracking even though it's basic. That's about all I can really think of off the top of my head. I was a FuelBand user and a Watch wearer so this bridges that gap. Between that and the music it can be perfect for gym sessions. I like the fact I can leave my phone in a certain spot and rest/relax/work/meetings/interactions and still know what's going on with my phone alerts.
 
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Similarly, as a runner I waited for GPS and waterproofing before buying an Apple Watch to try.
As I've written elsewhere, current software is fine for casual running but I won't be selling my FR235 and will retain it for when I need more advanced capabilities.

Still, I will be keeping my AW2 for the following (off the top of my head):

  • Remote control of Pandora or iHeartRadio while working on home improvement projects.
  • Gymaholic - great for keeping up with specific routines
  • Phone & Messaging - take a quick call or respond to a text without going to the next room where my phone is sitting, or digging it out of my pocket while walking the dogs
  • Able to set an timer via Siri without having to go to my phone - great when I doing something with the grill or the smoker and my phone's sitting indoors.
  • Apple Pay without having to pull my phone out of my pocket.
  • Grocery/shopping list - I'll use the Reminders app for a quick grocery list and can look at it and mark stuff off via the watch. It's a bit buggy right now but will be very handy when working well.
 
Most used: Regular face for telling the time, date and outside temp.
Next most used: Siri for home automation and messaging,
Next: Dark Sky for 'rain-starting-in-5-minutes' alerts.
Next: Other alerts/notifications
Next: Fitness/workout tracking
Next: Apple Pay
Next: Clear (list/todo app)
And then a whole bunch of minor functions (built in and 3rd party)

Love it.
 
I use my watch to exercise. Mostly I use the workout app. However, responding to texts, asking Siri to play some music in the car, and checking the weather are apps I use a lot. Hell, I even have my gym membership card on the Watch via Stocard.

I'm a teacher, and the most used app I have during the school year is the keynote remote. It works via Bluetooth and I have it paired to the iPhone, which remotely controls my iPad. It's weird, but it works.

And Apple Pay.
 
Arran said:
Most used: Regular face for telling the time, date and outside temp.
Next most used: Siri for home automation and messaging,
Next: Dark Sky for 'rain-starting-in-5-minutes' alerts.
Next: Other alerts/notifications
Next: Fitness/workout tracking
Next: Apple Pay
Next: Clear (list/todo app)
And then a whole bunch of minor functions (built in and 3rd party)

Love it.
Click to expand...

How's Clear app for a shopping list app?
 
Dodgeman said:
How's Clear app for a shopping list app?
Click to expand...
It's great. Simple and useful.

I'll create the list on my iPhone at home and then consult/check off in the store on my watch. Phone stays safely in pocket.

But thinking about the OP further, there isn't really a "killer app" per se. More of a "killer form-factor" or "killer convenience" that the watch provides.
 
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Ever since i got my watch (1st gen) on launch day the apps have been pretty meh. The only apps I use are the built in apps. It seems the watch app market has not taken off. I for one would love to have spotify on the watch.
 
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My fav (and I think only that I use right now) 3rd party app is HeartWatch. It's a fantastic app that you can use to monitor your heart rate, daily movement, exercises, and sleep. I've been using it for nearly a year now, and it's the only 3rd party app that I keep using.

In addition to HeartWatch I love all the glanceable information that is available. Whether it's the weather, daily activity, or even just notifications. I love to be able to peak at stuff like that. I also have a sunrise/sunset complication on my "sleeping" watch face, and I've been surprised at how useful it is to be able to know that information. I've rarely given it much thought before, but ever since I started using it I check it fairly regularly and have even adjusted plans around it. Similarly I've also used the "solar" watch face to determine when solar noon was. Lastly, I love how I can just keep my phone in my pocket while running. I've also used my watch a couple of times to "ping" a misplaced iPhone. There are just lots of little things that all add up.
 
RiddlaBronc said:
Ever since i got my watch (1st gen) on launch day the apps have been pretty meh. The only apps I use are the built in apps. It seems the watch app market has not taken off. I for one would love to have spotify on the watch.
Click to expand...
What?

You may not have many needs.

Among the numerous apps, two come to mind:

Drafts: dictating with or without Airpods
Intervals: timing for everything, especially Tabata intervals.

We're just getting started.

Wait until AR kicks in.

➰
 
For me the important uses/apps are:
Notifications
Messaging (SMS) by uses the quick scripted answers .
Golf, I use FunGolf, play at least 3 times a week.
Heart rate for exercising.
Carrot weather & complications.
So quite a bit of use really.
 
My most used 3rd party apps:

1. Sports Alerts
2. Deliveries
3. TweetBot
4. Starbucks

Most used Stock apps:

1. Clock
2. Messaging (mainly just to read them)
3. Workout
4. Music Control
5. Weather
6. Calendar
7. Wallet
 
in the summer I used Charge ( i think that's the name) it's a simple app that tells how much battery is left on your iPhone. I mostly kept my phone in my backpack while at camp and in theme parks and could monitor my iPhone's battery.

but I mostly use it for notifications/messages and changing tunes in the music app.

I don't work out, so that's a no. I'm trying to find a sleep tracker that is good and easy to understand.
 
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