How to Develop a Wearable App?
Tags: programming, mobile, devops, wearableapp
Published: 2023-01-04 12:00:13

You might first want to know what a wearable app is. Wearable apps are apps like usual only that they deal with wearables. Wearables are devices that are worn or attached to a user’s body. An example is smart watches, medical devices, and VR headsets that can be placed anywhere on the body - on, skin, ankle, and clothes. If wearable app development interests you, you may want to know how to develop a wearable app. We are going to talk about a lot of topics relating to this subject, like types of wearable apps, the most successful wearable apps, and more. Keep on reading to get updated!

## Types of wearable apps
While [wearable app development](https://addevice.io/blog/wearable-app-development/) is similar to usual app development, there are some varieties that relate to this category only. Here they are:
**Standalone apps:** these devices connect to the body via Wi-Fi. They can be use independently of mobile devices.
**Companion apps:** these apps accompany mobile devices. They constantly exchange data with mobile applications.
**Faces:** this is not an app. It is a lock screen that is custom-made for smartwatches.
**Glances:** these are cards that are easily accessible.
**Notifications:** these are notifications from smartphones to wearable devices.

## Most successful wearable apps
**G Pay**
_G Pay_ is an excellent way to pay online or in stores and Google Play Store applications. The app accepts both credit and debit cards. You can also use a PayPal account. It can in attached to NFC-enabled watches. You just need to hold the watch close to the terminal.
The astounding $4,5 billion a year is an indicator of a successful app. The app earns from transaction fees from banks and sellers as well as from ads and product offers.
**Google Maps**
We all know about Google Maps. It’s interesting how they make money. It was reported that $61.2 billion (or 82%) of total revenue came from advertising alone. This is inspiring, of course, but Google managed to create an app as useful for everyone as Google Maps.
**Strava**
[_Strava_](https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.strava&_branch_match_id=845265492226646285) is a fitness app that you can use to track cycling, running, walking, etc. It tracks time and distance and also maps the user’s route by means of GPS. Even if you don’t want to pay, there are a lot of helpful features with Strava. But much of his income comes from subscriptions. [Fitness app development](https://addevice.io/blog/how-to-create-a-workout-app-detailed-guide/) has its peculiarities. Check the linked article for more info.
**Google Fit**
[_Google Fit_](https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.google.android.apps.fitness&hl=en&gl=US) is also a tracking workout app owned by Google. The difference with Strava is that you can also integrate other services with it. As such a lot of people consider Google Fit a better option. It is better when it comes to coaching with widget support, past data graphs, sleep data, multiple language support, and so on.
**Telegram**
[_Telegram_](https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.telegram.messenger) stands out among many Messaging apps. After the entire WhatsApp saga that happened recently, many have turned to Telegraph. This is good in case you have a smartwatch running Wear OS. It had more than [550 million users](https://backlinko.com/telegram-users) as of July 2021. It’s amazing how Telegram could make such a move in the market when everyone was after WhatsApp. And again, and again, I should repeat that it’s about new and attractive features that Telegram offers. Plus, there are controversies around the privacy of WhatsApp. WhatsApp lost a lot of users after the messenger service changed its privacy policy. The users were concerned that their data could get to Facebook. A lot of users shifted to Telegram on this account.

## How to develop a wearable app
If you are interested in specific steps, here are the steps to follow:

- Define your purpose
- Conduct market research
- Pick right functionality
- Design MVP
- Start the wearable app development process
- Test your product
- Launch.
Each of these steps needs thorough investigation but I want to focus on two – how to design a miniature UX and what features to include.

## How to design a miniature UX
Some engineers think that the most important thing is coding. That is not true. A nicely designed UX can considerably add to the value of your product. Here is what to consider when designing a UX for a wearable app:

- UX design without a screen
- UX design with a screen

UX design without s screen has specific peculiarities. The goal is to make things so simple that the users don’t have to memorize a lot. Normally, there is an initial tutorial. But if you don’t keep things simple, the users may struggle with your device and even may drop your app altogether.
UX design with a screen is peculiar. For example, when working with a small screen, make sure that the most important information is brought to the forefront. If a user thinks that grabbing a phone is simpler, then they would not bother with the wearable device. That’s why it’s important to design with different screen sizes in mind, including choosing adaptable fonts and colors that will still be noticeable on lower-quality screens.

## Build features
I am going to tell you what are the features of the most successful wearable apps. These features are must-haves. Of course, you should think of better and more unique features for a successful outcome. However, these are the basics.
**Personalization**
Let’s take fitness apps. An individual approach is needed when creating specific nutrition plans and other training programs. A lot depends on the users themselves. For example, they need to enter accurate data on age, sex, weight, height, etc. But once they enter this information, it is up to the app to process this information taking into account personal features.
**Statistics and other reports**
If we take the fitness apps again, it becomes clear how important statistical metrics are. For example, users want information about calories burned, hours, kilograms, miles, etc. The apps, including fitness and health apps, become useless without such information.
**Tutorial and exercise**
It is important to provide your users with videos and other content tutorials. This should be adapted both indoors and outdoors.

## The cost to develop a wearable app
It is very hard to tell as the cost depends on a number of factors. But you will have an idea of what to expect by looking at these numbers.

- An app like Google Play will cost you **around 70,000 US dollars.**
- An app like FitBit is between **$25,000 – $35,000.**
- Developing an app like Starbucks will cost you between **$60,000 – $100,000.**
If this gives you an idea of what budget to look at, it can be a good start. Otherwise, consult your development company for an estimate.

### Wrapping up
Wearables are gaining more and more acceptance in the global market. Developing an app or not is a matter of careful consideration. My advice is not to copy any of the existing apps but to come up with something that will excite users. Good luck with your job!