Apple Watch is now at the closing stages of preparation, with CEO Tim Cook having suggested last month that his company was on track to begin shipping the wearable in April. To aid developers in preparing the first batch of apps in time for launch, the Cupertino company has been inviting a number of developers to its campus over the past week and will continue to do so through this, with in excess of 100 app makers having been summoned in all.
As we know, any new product category in the mobile market must have a decent selection of apps right from the get-go, and while early Apple Watch adopters won’t be inundated with options as is the case with the current App Store, the Mac maker appears to be taking steps to ensure that users quick to the proverbial draw have enough to keep themselves occupied.
A varied ensemble of developers, ranging from authors of productivity apps to sports-related utilities, have been selected as part of the program, which aims to help with the finishing up of apps ready for launch, as reported by 9to5Mac.
For Apple devs, this is a very exciting time. Back when iOS first allowed third parties to create apps, there were those that stood out and established monumental brands as a result of that early-bird mindset. The likes of Angry Birds, Doodle Jump and Sleep Cycle Alarm Clock have all enjoyed rich success, with part of the reason being the promptness of arrival, and with Apple Watch now just weeks away, many app makers old and new will be hoping for a quick start and healthy user base among the early adopters.
As well as developers, Apple has also been in talks with banks in light of the Apple Pay initiative, which seems to have hit the ground running since being formally inaugurated with iOS 8.1. The contactless system has enjoyed a largely incident-free first few months, and with Apple Watch set to play a major role in proceedings looking ahead, having the banks and big financial institutions onside would seem essential.
With so many developers involved, it may be that Apple wants to showcase some of these apps at the special media event that will take place upon launch, and according to 9to5Mac, devs that have attended thus far have done so in a cloud of secrecy. Apparently, while different app makers have shared meeting rooms, they’ve been identified by "unique number identifiers" rather than real names, a move that helps to keep these competitors respective plans under wraps.
We’re pretty excited about Apple Watch’s arrival, as may of you surely will be, and should any further updates come to light, we’ll have them covered right here!
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