Searching for the killer wearable productivity app is waste of time
I've read articles and listened to podcasts from numerous technology pundits as of late as to the disappointment they have in Android Wear, Apple Watch, and wearables in general. The common thread is that until there is a "killer app" (which seems to be the responsibility of the OS companies rather than software developers) the platforms are a waste and will not amount to anything. Full disclosure I am an avid and perpetual wearable tech user and I say if you're waiting for a killer app to drive your use of a technology then that technology is not for you.
Wearables are more than a watch
Let's take wearables as a type of technology rather than the product of a specific vendor. The premise is to provide easier access to your information, more convenient notifications, and extend the experience to a new platform. I use my wearable (an ASUS ZenWatch 3, previously an LG G Watch) as many times a day as my smartphone if not more. Is it a replacement for my smartphone? Not in the least. Is it a valuable contribution to my personal productivity solution? Absolutely.If I scroll through the list of apps currently on my wearable I can:
- Check my investment balance
- Check my calendar
- Set an alarm
- Check the weather forecast
- Monitor my fitness activity
- Check my bank balances
- Find my phone
- Reply and send text messages
- Capture notes and act on to do lists
- Control my music and my podcasts
- Track soccer timing and scores (I'm a soccer dad, so, of course)
- Place and answer phone calls
- Control my camera on my smartphone
- Check in at locations
- Calculate the tip on meals
So when you look at this list (which just scratches the surface of capabilities) you are seeing what is truly the killer app...configurability. There is no application out there that is an exact match for all needs so looking for a "killer app" is only killing time. Use that time to break down the specific things you want to do, accept the fact that the platform isn't for everything, and put it to use doing what it does best which is extending the capability of the computer in your pocket.