Apple is just about ready to give developers a look at the unbounded version of the Apple Watch's tool kit, according to reports. The eventual unlocking of the WatchKit development platform will dismantle possibly the biggest challenge for developers seeking to make Watch games, but it isn't the only hurdle that has been hopped by those who hope to make new experiences for the smartwatch.
Right now, third-party developers don't have the ability to create native apps for the Apple Watch -- only Apple currently has that ability. When the Apple Watch's tool kit is opened in full to development, third-party developers will no longer have to build apps that rely on processing power of paired iPhones.
Jeff Williams, Apple's senior vice president of operations, just confirmed that the company is preparing to showcase the unbounded version of WatchKit during Apple's annual Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC).
Though developers are expected to be treated with a glance at WatchKit's full capabilities, Apple won't hand out the master keys to the development tool kit until later in the year. Phillip Ryu, founder of mobile game maker Impending, was in no hurry to create experiences for the Apple Watch, due to its current restrictions, and hasn't been alone in his reasoning.
"It feels like we have both our hands tied behind our backs, and that's why you haven't seen anything really impressive," said Ryu. "[Now] it sounds like they plan on untying our hands."
The unlocking of WatchKit smashes one hurdle, but there are several others that could hinder the growth of the Apple Watch's app library.
Controls
In creating games for the Apple Watch, developers will have to overcome built in objections to playing games on touch screens. And with significantly less screen real estate than smartphones and tablets, the challenge of game controls is amplified on the Apple Watch.
Size
Size matters here in terms of both screen and storage space. The smartwatch's small screen space dictates that Watch games will have to be tiny, which contrasts with the increasing complexity of mobile games that scale between tablets and smartphones -- and consumers are demanding more complex mobile games.
Battery
Battery life has haunted Apple Watches and Android Wear smartwatches alike.
Gaming, on any platform, requires more power than tasks like web browsing and reading messages. For a device that gets about a day or so out of a full charge, developers will have to make truly compelling Watch games to help consumers rationalize playing on a smartwatch instead of a smartphone.
Developers need to get paid for their efforts and doing so could be especially challenging when developing for smartwatches.
"You can do some cool stuff, but of course it has limitations," said Maximo Cavazzani, creator of Trivia Crack. "[Making money] is a little bit complicated if it's not a paid app - there's no way of putting ads and no way to do in-app
purchases."
