At the WWDC 2019 conference held last month, Apple announced the next generation of the Apple Watch operating system, namely watchOS 6.
The most important change in the new OS is the (finally) presence of a dedicated and independent app store. If it looks familiar to you, it is most likely because you have already seen it on your TicWatch.
In fact, since early 2016, Wear OS (which at the time was called Android Wear 2.0) allows you to install and run applications independently of the smartphone. The internal store has therefore greatly simplified the way in which we use the smartwatch.
The Impact of an Independent App Store - 01
From the very beginning, wearable devices, represented mainly by smartwatches, were born with the expectation of being "independent".
Why do we want them independent? The reason is quite obvious, many features are more complex to use or do not work properly when connecting the smartwatch to the smartphone.
Previously it was not even possible to install an application without connecting the two devices. Instead, it was necessary to install the proprietary app on the smartphone, synchronize the smartwatch and only after these steps could an app be installed on the smartwatch.
Furthermore, once the application was uninstalled on the phone, it also disappeared from the smartwatch. It was not possible to manage the apps independently and there were problems with the various permissions and other limitations.
Precisely for these reasons many users still think that the smartwatch is an accessory of the smartphone, because without the latter the watch lost a lot of functionality.
What does it mean to have a standalone store? - 02
Having a standalone store means being able to use the smartwatch without the help of the smartphone. We can search, install and use applications independently.
As if that were not enough, having a store on the device brings with it other advantages. The applications are developed specifically for the smartwatch, making the most of the hardware available without having to connect to the smartphone.
For example, if an application consumes too much energy, developers will be forced to optimize it to improve consumption. This leads to higher application quality than it otherwise would have been.
It is no longer just a functional bracelet - 03
Yes, let's talk about the app store again at this point, but for another reason.
Its appearance has in fact allowed users to search and find their favorite installations, just like on smartphones.
The presence of the app store means that applications go through a more rigorous control process, ensuring higher quality and compatibility with the device.
The application can even bring features that the smartwatch or smartphone does not have in itself. While the continuous increase in demand means that developers continue to create more and more applications.
Both the smartphone and the smartwatch are therefore not used for the hardware itself, but for the applications we install, whether it is Facebook, Youtube or whatever.
For these reasons, having an independent app store full of dedicated applications is more important than internal components or basic functions. What would be the differences from a fitness band otherwise?
The store on TicWatch - 04
The app store on TicWatch smartwatches is one of the most provided, both with applications and different dials to change the appearance of the device.
It is possible to use apps for streaming music, the Google Keep app for writing notes, apps dedicated to sports and much more.
Also, if you change TicWatch and log into your account, you will be able to go to the store and download all your favorite applications and dials. There is no need to synchronize the smartwatch with your phone.
The search for the apps to install is then made easier by the swipe method of writing (swipe your finger over the various letters instead of pressing them one by one) and by the voice recognition to write without having to type.
Currently, more than one hundred models are supported by TicWatch for Wear OS Google 2.0.
Which of you uses the integrated TicWatch store? How do you find yourself? Let us know in the comments section below!
