If you want your mobile application to be compatible with Apple Watch, time to get it ready is ticking down quickly (pun intended). The highly anticipated April 24, 2015 Apple Watch release is an exciting time for hardware and development gurus to get in gear and get on the latest in wearable technology.  In an effort to make this easier for you, Apple released on their developer portal a handy guide called Preparing Your App Submission for Apple Watch. This is helpful for us especially as developers, but may not be particularly helpful for the business people who own the app and utilize developers to make their apps happen. That’s why we are here to help to get your WatchKit app - the version of your app specific to Apple Watch - ready so that you can reach this new and exciting audience.  Find a Design-Minded Developer Apple products and iOS in general have traditionally maintained a focus on simple, clean design. Apple Watch may be the biggest example of this focus, with a small interface placed on the especially sleek designs of the watches we’ve seen so far. While we normally urge you to focus on logical UX and UI anyway, this particular Apple Watch user will be getting acquainted with a new hardware product in the watch. Not only is the hardware foreign, but they will be exploring apps in a new way, including apps they have possibly used for years on larger interfaces like tablets or smartphones. Don’t be that app that frustrates the Apple Watch user - focus on design and make sure your developer can get it right before you submit your app.  iOS App Extension Possibilities The WatchKit app will function a little differently than the typical iOS or Android apps in that the watch is an extension of what you can do with your iOS app. This is by no means limiting, but rather adds to the repertoire of what your app can do. One app called IFTTT (If This Then That) is an app that aggregates more than 170 apps, allowing you to control the world around you - from your wrist - with the apps you already have. Such applications it syncs with include simple task apps like one touch thermostat control or more detailed actions such as creating a recipe to post onto Instagram or plug into DropBox. WatchKit apps are also convenient for athletes on the go. CRNT for example is an app to help surfers check current tide conditions on any given beach quickly. And of course while fitness-tracking apps have long been on iOS, WatchKit apps like Exact Fitness Timer allow you to track timers for interval training from your wrist. Update App Store Metadata Your App Store profile will need to be updated to include the new metadata for your app’s Apple Watch functionality. By metadata we mean the specifics of what your app will look like and what features you’ve added. This means including icons, up to 5 screenshots of the new WatchKit app, and adding the right keywords and descriptions to get optimized - especially the no-brainer keyword Apple Watch. This is critical to do right away to help you get that boost above other apps who haven’t put their submission together yet, thus handing you a potential lead in App Store optimization. One tip however, do not include the term Apple Watch in the actual name of your app. This is because your iPhone app and your WatchKit app will share one name and one description in the App Store.  Get Your Marketing Team Ready Once you get the development done and WatchKit application submitted to Apple, you’ll want to get started telling your users, target audience and of course all of your friends that your app will be on the Apple Watch. The buzz around this release is big, and it would be wise to make sure your audience is aware that you’ve taken those progressive steps to get on the Apple Watch early. If you haven’t been on social media much lately, now would be a good time to get attention for not only your WatchKit app, but can leverage that attention to point to your iOS app. And finally while you’re at it and have their attention, you can even mention that you have an Android application, if applicable. Apple Watch officially launches in Apple Stores on April 24, 2015, although Apple is taking pre-orders now. The Watch will be available in three basic variations which include a regular version, Apple Watch Sport and finally Apple Watch Edition. The prices for these watches range fairly significantly from $349 for the most basic, 38mm-sized Apple Watch to $10,000-plus for a gold Apple Watch Edition. Have something to add? More insight on Apple Watch or questions on your app in particular? Let us know in the comments below or ping us directly here.

The Internet of Things is delivering a new era of smart cities and governments. The result, when used correctly, could include reduced operating costs, improved sustainability, better efficiency, and higher customer satisfaction. As IoT continues to evolve, we're constantly discovering new ways to translate it into strong benefits for citizens — what are some of the top ways that IoT can be a smart solution for the public sector? Safety, Security, and the IoT As governments have begun to explore IoT, their focus has built in specific areas, such as the implementation of "Smart Cities" which improve citizen services with solutions like "smart parking", or "smart waste" removal. For instance, Big Belly Solar garbage bins update their status for collection routes, reducing the time that collection teams have to spend on emptying empty cans, and slowing down the time between emptying fuller cans. However, smart cities can go far beyond the benefits of efficient trash collection. Gathering data on a consistent basis can offer greater protection for city residents too. For instance, California's Caltech introduced a new "Quake Alert" project, which uses IoT sensors throughout the area to detect small tremors in the earth. That information can now predict an oncoming earthquake. In the future, this advancement may even be able to send alerts to smartphones, giving people a chance to take cover. Not only can this potentially save thousands of dollars in property damage, but it could save lives too. Reducing Costs and Improving Labor Efficiency For many in the public sector, the aim with IoT is to limit costs throughout various applications, making the government more efficient. For instance, smart buildings can automatically detect the need for cooling and heating power, thereby reducing unnecessary energy waste. Telematics programs can evaluate and improve the efficiency of government vehicles, and some agencies are also using IoT applications for asset monitoring purposes. IoT can even lead to opportunities for task automation, reducing costs and excessive labor in the workforce. For example, the Department of Defense recently turned to IoT to track the use of military and medical supplies. This assessment of valuable, real-time data can help the department to reduce waste, and find supplies when necessary. Improving Quality of Life and Citizen Satisfaction By evaluating structured and unstructured social data, public sectors can respond quickly to changes in resident preferences, and respond to those who need assistance with greater efficiency. Algorithms could even help to suggest ways of assisting people who are in need, such as unemployed people or citizens in need of additional care. Government agencies can use the data collected through IoT, as well as voice recognition and conversational algorithms when people call public sector help desks, to get a better insight into national sentiment, and discover what people want most from their government. This could help policy makers to prioritize and deliver new areas of public services. Greater Access to Resources The IoT also has applications for improving access to crucial resources. According to the United Nations Water Resources Group, current trends indicate that demand for water will overwhelm supply by 40% by 2030. Indeed, in California we are already facing extended droughts. Fortunately, IoT technology could help public sectors to define best practices for water supply and use, and identify areas to economize water use. Not only can IoT devices point people towards nearby sources of water, but it can also suggest alternative routes for yield and delivery. This could be particularly crucial, as more than 40% of our current water infrastructure is outdated, losing 16% output during deliveries. IoT could indicate exactly where to repair, and adapt for better yield. IoT for the Public Sector By offering a stronger insight into supply, demand, and citizen preference, IoT applications can help utilities and government bodies to work together and improve the governance of various public-sector solutions. There are various potential outcomes for IoT beyond those mentioned above. For instance, the US Geological survey is using sensors to monitor the contamination of lakes and rivers, while the General Services Administration measures the efficiency of green buildings. As more research into the IoT emerges, the public sector will continue to find new and advanced ways of improving efficiency, productivity, and quality of life for citizens across America. Interested in developing an IoT app for your government or public service agency? Get in touch with us for a free consultation.

“If we’re going to get people to wear sensors, they either have to be gorgeous or invisible.” Sonny Vu – Founder/CEO of Misfit Wearables Depending on your generation, different heroes wowed you with high tech accessories. James Bond was the king of exotic, unthinkable equipment, Batman always had a new tool under his cape. Every 80’s kid wanted a hand phone like Inspector Gadget, and Disney princesses had nothing on Wonder Woman’s tiara which doubled as a deadly boomerang. While the weapons haven’t quite gone mainstream, some of these then-fictional accessories have come to life. Yes the wearable market has existed for decades, but now microprocessors are compact enough for the wearable category to reach real life fruition. Built first for function, these devices have surely captured the marginal interest of consumers...but none have fully captivated a massive stand-in-line-for-hours-like-the-release-of-iPhone large scale obsession. So today’s innovators in Silicon Valley and beyond have not only the task to impress with cutting edge function, but to equally impress with style. The device needs an aesthetically pleasing allure - to look sophisticated, sleek, even sexy. This demand for the next tech hottie has created an exciting new space for current tech giants and new companies - but it looks like there’s a long way to go. Current Giants Get Fashion Forward...And Struggle Google caught widespread attention with the unveiling of wearable pioneer Google Glass last year, but have yet to make Glass a success. Studies continue to show that only around 9% of American consumers would actually consider purchasing the device if they could afford it. The reasoning ranges from privacy concerns to a lacking awareness of the utility Glass provides, but continued resistance is around the way Glass looks. Particularly, how Glass makes the wearer look. Consumers currently have no other base to compare Glass to, which causes confusion around what the device actually does as well as fear of being the only one with odd, arguably invasive glasses. While Google is still grappling with acceptance, Intel too has jumped in the wearable game. The mega company announced in September their new focus on wearables as an attempt to utilize their resources and intellectual property. Thus came the announcement of their smart bracelet MICA, My Intelligent Communication Accessory. MICA is set to debut to the public this month, a showcase at Barney’s for a relatively affordable $495. Yet early reviews of the device are less than encouraging, revealing that while MICA is a stunning intersection of high fashion and technology, too much of the focus is on flash and less about technological substance. New, Exclusively Wearable Companies As Google and other giants struggle, their woes reveal that the biggest problem with the wearable industry is that no one has figured it out yet. Yet at the same time this is just as much good news, allowing startups and relative tech nobodys to jump in the game and possibly get on the map. ABI Research estimated in February 2013 that 61% percent of the wearable market was attributed to fitness or activity tracking purposes. This leaves ample opportunity for developers to create new solutions wearable technology can solve. For example, the Sesame Ring is a 3-D printed ring, complete with an RFID card and a fully functional subway pass. Available for only $25, students at MIT invented the lightweight ring praised as the “ultimate accessory for fashionistas.” In addition to streamlining transportation, wearables are also breaching the safety sector. Guardian Angel is a jewel looking pendant developed in support of the Association of Women for Action and Research (AWARE) to provide a couple of security uses. The $100 - $120 pendant can be worn as a necklace or bracelet complete with a small button that triggers a fake call to the wearer’s phone. This is intended to get the user out of uncomfortable situations, for example an awkward blind date with your sister’s friend’s tax accountant or an excruciatingly long holiday confabulation with your privacy-invading Aunt. Fashion Pros Dress Up Devices Building technology while keeping fashion in mind is only one piece of the wearable industry pie. Well known fashion designers have entered from the purely fashion side, pairing technology with their already fashionable lines of clothing and accessories. For example Ralph Lauren’s “polo tech” compression shirts debuted in the 2014 US Open, monitoring athletes’ breathing and heart rate. Yet another space for burgeoning designers is dressing up already fully functional wearables, which may not have mastered aesthetic appeal on their own. Elite fashion designer Diane von Furstenberg designed DVF Made for Glass, glasses intended to make the struggling Google Glass a more desirable accessory for the fashion forward. Similarly, San Diego based FUNKtional wearables creates exclusive accessories suited for Fitbit and other activity trackers. Complete with an entire line of accessories such as bracelets and necklaces, FUNKtional provides a host of designs for anyone interested in monitoring fitness goals while maintaining an eye on fashion. The wearable industry is new, exciting and full of possibilities. However no one has found the secret sauce to bring on the masses, but chances are someone will. Wearables dominance is up for grabs but the question is, which device will finally find big time success? Tell us what you think in the comments below.