I have some questions for y’all! First, what watchOS apps can you not live without? (I have a lot of apps installed on my watch and use many regularly, either directly or via complications/widgets, but I’m curious what others depend on, so happy to hear about your faves in the 🧵.)
I realized I should have left this poll up for 7 days instead of 1 day 🤦🏼♀️, but thank you to the 137 people who found it on a Friday afternoon (or Saturday morning, depending on where you are in the world) and weighed in. Both your votes and your write-in replies are much appreciated.
@lorihc Activity, far and away justifies having a Watch
@lorihc I expected the Smart Stack to become a huge pat of the experience, but in reality I never use it, and when glancing at a complication isn't enough I either launch the app from the complication or the honeycomb.
@lorihc Does interact mean jump into the app, or also accessing data by glancing? Increasingly, I'm looking at and tapping complications less and using Smart Stack widgets more.
@twinpeaks_sf Yep, looking at complications or Smart Stack widgets counts!
@lorihc I have no non-Apple watch apps installed. Maybe if my car supported one I’d add it, but otherwise, none
@lorihc because you’all do such great apps!
@lorihc Nearly always by tapping a complication - the middle ‘now playing’ indicator in the center is particularly easy to mis-tap, so I often end up in one of the apps in the top left or top right hand corners.
Third-party:
- Strava
- WaterMinder
- Pedometer++
First-party:
- Weather
- Workouts
- Timer
- Fitness
- Calendar
All on the watch face (Infograph) via complications. ⌚️
Hope that helps! 😊
@lorihc Thank *you* for reaching out to users!
@lorihc I haven’t used widgets once since they were added and only see them when I’m trying and failing to open Control Center
@lorihc Pocket Casts (Outcast prior) - love how Pocket Casts is a fully independent app where I can download my queue in the morning and be good to go for the day also it will sync the now playing episode across everything if I do need to jump devices - also Audible is in this same category of most have apps - my watch has become a modern day iPod and needed to upgrade to the ultra just because audio playback kills the watch battery! Listen to around 8 hours of content a day from the watch
@tchaten That’s awesome! I too am an audio addict but mostly use the phone for playback (and the watch for controls) unless I’m out for a run.
@lorihc Yea my day job makes it hard to keep my iPhone nearby and leave phone range often enough I’ve moved most playback to the watch directly and love how well it works - even streaming over cellular when I forget to download in advance.
@lorihc Weather, Fitness, Pedometer++, Overcast and Messages get used the most, mostly though complications and widgets
@lorihc honestly the only third party one I use regularly is Kayak.
@lorihc WorkOutDoors. Unbelievable fitness tracking/mapping app. Configurability and customization is mind blowing.
@lorihc I use Things throughout the day, usually launching it from the smart stack. Same with weather.
@lorihc Third-party apps: Pedometer++, Things, Overcast, and Flighty (when traveling).
Apple apps: Workouts, Activity, Weather, Medications, Timer
@lorihc As for how I launch them, I use all methods, but I think my most frequent is launching from the Home Screen. I find that I am still getting used to the existence of the Smart Stack, but I do really like it.
@lorihc I use Training Today, Athlytic and Workouts for fitness things, Carrot for weather and my own Protein intake tracker which I’m still working on: https://mastodon.social/@raphaelfyi/112049935408772992
@lorihc
First party:
- Timer
- Sleep
- Medication
- Weather
- Home
Third party:
- Carrot weather
- Due
- Fantastical
- Overcast
- Rise sleep
@lorihc In Australia:
- Up Banking is a great complication and AppleWatch app
- Dawn Patrol surfing app
- Slopes for snowboarding
- Next There public transport
- Petty from @zachsimone
- Pillow used to use it
- Tide Guide
- Trip it
@oliverw I am a Next There subscriber and use both the widget in the Smart Stack and the app itself several times a week.
@lorihc I don’t use the Smart stack but maybe I should try it. Preferred it when we had the previously used apps in the stack.
@oliverw Those are still accessible via a double press of the crown.
@lorihc First party, in a rough order:
- Timer (use this one far and away the most often)
- Wallet/Apple Pay
- Voice memos (to candidly record my daughter’s storytelling)
- Activity/Workouts
- Reminders (the only way I can grocery shop)
- Now Playing (and media controls in general)
- I’d like to say Weather, but it often doesn’t load fast enough and I end up just pulling out my phone.
Third party:
- Things
- Day One
Would love to see more third party apps! Especially with full functionality… so many are just an informational view into the accompanying phone app.
@lorihc Weather, Workout, Activity, Things, Starbucks (but I am heavily biased on that last one)
@lorihc First Party:
- Timer
- Workout
- Fitness
- Weather
- Mindfulness
- Home
Other Party:
- Due
- HabitBoard
- Things
- Zenitizer
@lorihc First Party:
- Workout
- Fitness
- Wallet/Apple Pay
- Messages
- Music
- Home
Other Party:
- Due
- Mercury Weather
- WaterMinder
- Intervals Pro (amazing for custom circuit/workouts, I use this to run an Omnia gym class)
- Fantastical
- Castro Podcasts (or Pocket Casts)
@lorihc
Gentler Streak, Nike Run Club, Home, Streaks, Weather, 1Password, Overcast, City Mapper, Outlook, Music, Water Minder and Shortcuts. These are the ones I use every day.
@lorihc I use Crouton to follow recipes: https://crouton.app/
@lorihc Redpoint
@lorihc For me #1 is definitely @OmniFocus.
@lorihc I don’t have that many apps anymore. I use only a few, but those basically daily:
- Fitness
- Timer
- Calendar
Third party apps regularly only:
- @CARROT (via complications)
- @things
- GymBook (https://apps.apple.com/app/id650113307)
@lorihc Concentrating on third party apps:
First and foremost, I am very unhappy that Deutsche Bahn removed their WatchApps both for their main App „DB Navigator“ and and for „Call A Bike“ Bike sharing. Personally, I found them very useful.
Generally, it is a shame that so many Watch Apps died (Washington Post, NY Times)
Little things: I find the WebEx watch app incredibly useful, because it allows me to mute and unmute quickly while on my AirPods. (1/2)
Third Party Apps I like really can’t do without are the Sport ones: Nike Running, Slopes, Strava (2/2)
Second, what are the main ways you interact with the watchOS apps you use most? I’m mostly interested in non-Apple apps here, and multiple choices are allowed.