AppleInsider Staff
During Apple's second quarter 2015 earnings conference call on Monday, CEO Tim Cook said that Apple Watch customers now have access to more than 3,500 apps designed specifically for the new device.
In comparison to previous platform launches, Apple Watch is ahead of the game, Cook said. For example, when the iPhone App Store opened in 2008 it featured a selection of about 500 apps, while iPad launched with around 1,000 platform specific titles.
Cook said Apple was hoping to beat the 1,000-app mark for Apple Watch's debut, but ended up with around 3,000 titles at launch.
"And we thought it would be great if we were able to do that by a little bit, and as I've mentioned before, we now have over 3,500 apps in the App Store for the Watch," Cook said. "We couldn't be happier about how things are going from that point of view."
For products like iPhone, iPad and now Apple Watch, a thriving app ecosystem draws direct corollaries with strong hardware sales and device stickiness.
For many developers, creating Apple Watch apps has been a challenge, as Apple strictly limited access to functional hardware prior to launch. Larger companies like Facebook, BMW and United Continental Holdings were reportedly invited to develop apps in Apple's secret labs, though space was obviously limited.
After launch, Apple attempted to rectify the situation by facilitating fast shipping on early Apple Watch units, offering developers a chance at expedited orders guaranteed to ship no later than April 28.
Andrew Orr
Amber Neely
William Gallagher
Christine McKee
12 Comments
No one is able to leverage previous successes better than Apple.
No one is able to leverage previous successes better than Apple.
iPhone?
Make the iPod bigger and throw cellular in it.
App Store to go with it.
iPad?
Use the iPod ---> iPhone recipe but this time make it even bigger, and make bigger apps for it.
Boom. Paradigm shifts out the ass on both counts.
Apple Watch.
Put iOS in a watch. Give it its own App Store.
Done (see paradigm shifts comment.)
So simple it's genius.
Waiting for reviews and curation. Am shocked at how few reviews there have been of the watch by people who have actually used it. Weren't some seeded? Even MacWorld in their May issue e-zine reviewed on a store try-on. What gives?
[quote name="Robin Huber" url="/t/186016/apple-watch-app-store-touts-over-3-500-titles-cook-says#post_2716686"]Waiting for reviews and curation. Am shocked at how few reviews there have been of the watch by people who have actually used it. Weren't some seeded? Even MacWorld in their May issue e-zine reviewed on a store try-on. What gives?[/quote] My thinking is that the asshole analysts aren't sure which way the wind is blowing yet... so they don't want to stick their neck out the wrong way and look like a ...well... an asshole.
I'm four days into wearing/using the Apple Watch. I find the 'apps' a little slow at times when pulling down a live update but generally they get updated in the background. Generally I have noticed myself looking at my phone less and being more 'present' if that makes sense. I find it quicker to assess what needs dealing with now and what can be dealt with later on.
So early days but I am starting to appreciate the value of the device, which knowing Apple will increase as the ecosystem builds.