Slack is latest major service to drop standalone Apple Watch app

Screenshots of Slack's now deprecated Watch app.

Enterprise messaging platform Slack updated its iOS app on Wednesday and in doing so announced the deprecation of its standalone Apple Watch app, marking the latest major service to dump Apple's wrist-bound wearable.

In release notes furnished alongside Slack version 3.36, the company said it will not longer support standalone Watch software. Instead, users will have to rely on notifications pushed to the wearable by the Slack iOS app.

Apple Watch users, there's now one iOS app for all of your needs. We've removed the standalone Watch App, but rest assured, receiving and replying to messages from your wrist works the same as before. It's like two for the price of one, but with apps.

Without a native Apple Watch app, Slack users will have to rely on the iOS app to read direct messages. Previously, the Watch version allowed users to interact with DMs, switch workspaces, view the number of unread messages in a given workspace and more.

Slack is the latest major vendor to pull its Apple Watch development assets. Last May, AppleInsider discovered a number of high-profile app makers, including Google Maps, Amazon, eBay and Target ended support for Apple Watch. Google later said it expected Apple Watch support to return, but the current version of Google Maps is still iOS only.

Developers have only offered vague answers to questions regarding the deprecation of their respective Apple Watch assets, but some cite a lack of interest from users. For Slack and products like it, wearable apps are loss leaders as such software can only hope to offer a fraction of the features presented by corresponding smartphone or tablet apps. In such cases, dedicating time and money to developing a Watch app becomes a questionable endeavor.

Apple Watch is a relatively new hardware format, and Apple itself is still attempting to find an optimal position for the device within its ecosystem. With the latest Series 3 versions, Apple is placing heavy emphasis on health and fitness, connectivity and first-party services like Apple Pay. New cellular capabilities untether Watch from a paired iPhone, but the device is still very much an accessory.

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37 Comments

cornchip

said about 6 years ago

Having just recently gotten a gen 1  Watch, I have to say, I really like it. Set my lunch timer with it, use Apple Pay with it, respond quickly to some texts, set up reminders, use remote, log into my work Mac (home Mac too old :( ) and even took an emergency phone call from my wife at work (was an actual emergency) when I happened to leave my phone on the other side of the building.

However, I only use one non-Apple app regularly.

now that I’ve been using it a month or so, I can see why devs have been tapering off on development.  Watch is a very Apple product which works incredibly well with all the features and conveniences of the Apple ecosystem and makes certain parts of being in the Apple ecosystem even more convenient. But it doesn’t really make a lot of sense for much else other than that. I’ve used Shazam a couple times, but hell even that’s Apple now. And that one other app I do use could be accomplished with reminders if I really wanted to. The only other app I wish was on the watch is a Bluetooth door key for my work so I didn’t have to fiddle with the phone app. Doubt the devs will ever get to it though, but that didn’t stop me from requesting it!

 Watch is a fantastic little piece of tech and will obviously only get better with each new release, but it’s general usefulness beyond Apple’s ecosystem, for me, has yet to materialize.

winston2010

said about 6 years ago

That is too bad. I'm using Slack on my Apple Watch everyday. I've often getting pulled into meetings the last minute, and Slack on the Apple watch really helps people tracking me down. Oh well.

ihatescreennames

said about 6 years ago

cornchip said:

 Watch is a fantastic little piece of tech and will obviously only get better with each new release, but it’s general usefulness beyond Apple’s ecosystem, for me, has yet to materialize.

I agree. At first I frequently found I would just pull out my phone because the Watch was so slow. Now that I have a Series 3 I wish I could try some of those discontinued apps again, just to see if the experience is better with speed.

But, to me, apps for Amazon and Target just don’t make much sense. I could see the eBay one being handy for bidding, but if it was slow forget it.

One thing I love and I think people forget or don’t even know about is using the camera app to see a preview from the iPhone camera and then trigger the shutter. So great, especially when using a tripod.

arthurba

said about 6 years ago

I love having a feature rich SMALL phone, but I'm becoming convinced that Apple are not interested in small, unless it's a watch.

I'm giving a lot of thought to net getting a new iPhone, but getting the cellular version of Apple Watch Series 4 (or Series 3, 2018 update).

But if I can't leave my phone at home, there not much point. The apps are critical. Slack and eBay included.

If Apple really want the wearable to have a large market - apps beyond fitness are key. If it's fitness only they'll suffer enormous churn.

Maybe the 'series 4' needs something that attracts the app makers back. I though series 3 with cellular would do it - but we're seeing the opposite.

e.g.; I want internet banking apps that allows inter-account transfers and bill payment from the watch, not just account balances.

No idea what would tempt slack back though.

Soli

said about 6 years ago

winston2010 said:

That is too bad. I'm using Slack on my Apple Watch everyday. I've often getting pulled into meetings the last minute, and Slack on the Apple watch really helps people tracking me down. Oh well.

I use Slack on my Watch, but for notifications that are independent of the app. I never actually go to the app to send DMs (if it can do more than that, I'm not aware).