Opportunity with Pokemon Go

[JohnApples]

I was hoping they'd include an AW app for Pokemon Go, then I heard about the Plus band and figured we wouldn't be getting one.

However, seeing as the Plus is sold out before it's even out, and that the AW market is relatively small, I'm sure that releasing an AW app for Pokemon Go wouldn't eat too much into their Plus sales. Hell, make the AW app a $5 IAP and I'd pay for it.

 

[friedmud]

Starting a discussion in a forum? What do you think who YOU are?
I'm not a Pokémon Go player, but I'm with you. The watch is the perfect place for this.

But now take two steps back and try to see things as a salesman who wants to make money with a free to play app..
How could you make money?
In app purches? CHECK
Merchandising? CHECK

The question is:
Why would they throw out money to make that kind of app for you just to cannibalize their own producs?

So this case is closed, I think?

As others have mentioned I (and many others) would be willing to purchase "Apple Watch Functionality" via IAP to enable this capability. I'd probably spend $10 easily... but I would probably be willing to go all the way up to $30 if it made it possible to interact with Pokestops without getting out my phone...

I was hoping they'd include an AW app for Pokemon Go, then I heard about the Plus band and figured we wouldn't be getting one.

However, seeing as the Plus is sold out before it's even out, and that the AW market is relatively small, I'm sure that releasing an AW app for Pokemon Go wouldn't eat too much into their Plus sales. Hell, make the AW app a $5 IAP and I'd pay for it.

I'd pay more than that - and I suspect others would too. I'd probably pay all the way up to the $30 they want for the physical band they're selling... especially if it had the ability to interact with PokeStops without pulling out your phone.

The situation is actually worse than just "Apple Watch is not utilized". Pokemon Go actually renders my AW _less useful_!

How does that work?

The problem is that Pokemon Go has to be open and running in order for it to track your movement for Egg Incubation within the game. Therefore, I walk around with my phone in my pocket... unlocked... with Pokemon Go playing. The problem is that if your phone is unlocked then iOS does NOT send notifications to your AW! It sends them to your phone screen instead!

This greatly reduces a lot of the utility of the AW... a fix has to be created one way or another.

 

[Mercifull]

Agree totally with poster above. Because Pokemon GO doesn't work in the background (minimised) it means that Apple Watch wearers have a black mirror on their wrists because none of the notifications come through to the device while the iPhone is active.

 

[convergent]

Agree totally with poster above. Because Pokemon GO doesn't work in the background (minimised) it means that Apple Watch wearers have a black mirror on their wrists because none of the notifications come through to the device while the iPhone is active.

Not sure exactly how it would work, but just looking at how some other apps work, they send navigation aware information to the watch. I get prompts from Maps while my phone is connected via CarPlay and showing the Map. That would mean the app is in the foreground I would think. Not sure exactly, but if Apple were involved then it could certainly happen.

 

[BarracksSi]

Isn't Pokemon Go just a reskinned Android-only game?

Wouldn't the developers need to redo a lot of stuff to tie in with the iPhone motion chip and connect with the watch?

They'd need to include Android Wear smartwatches too, right?

 

[Camato]

Would'nt it working, when the app is open on the Apple Watch and only "running" in the Background of iOS? So Apple Watch uses Phones GPS and Internet to track the Location.

Imagine this (App has to be open on AW all time):

• I see the nearby Pokemon feature on AW. When swiping to left, all 9 nearby Pokemon could be displayed as sprites.
• Also Pokestops: Nearby, non used Pokestops appear on the watch and have to be spinned to receive items.
• If there is a Pokemon nearby, you can tap it. Swipe up to throw a ball.

 

[convergent]

Would'nt it working, when the app is open on the Apple Watch and only "running" in the Background of iOS? So Apple Watch uses Phones GPS and Internet to track the Location.

Imagine this (App has to be open on AW all time):

• I see the nearby Pokemon feature on AW. When swiping to left, all 9 nearby Pokemon could be displayed as sprites.
• Also Pokestops: Nearby, non used Pokestops appear on the watch and have to be spinned to receive items.
• If there is a Pokemon nearby, you can tap it. Swipe up to throw a ball.

I'm not an Apple Watch developer, but based on how other apps behave I would think this would be possible. For example, CityMapper has a great Apple Watch app that works kind of like this. I can see my transit steps on the watch even though the CityMapper app is not open on the iPhone screen. It is running in the background. Even Apple's Maps app works like this as well. So true, the PG app would have to be running, but it wouldn't have to be open for the watch to be able to work I believe.

 

[parseckadet]

This actually gets at the heart of the problem with watchOS apps. From Niantic's perspective there's actually a disincentive to adding a watch app, since it would kill sales of their hardware device. More generally for app developers, a watch app does nothing to bring in more money and really just creates more problems for them. Things like:

• A more complicated code base, meaning more work to maintain the application
• More support issues to deal with
• More negative reviews for their app on the store, since people complain about how slow their app is on the watch
• Little to no added benefits to user experience that can't be handled by the existing notification APIs
• Degraded customer goodwill if you attempt to charge for the watch app via in app purchase

Niantic, and every other iOS developer, have no reason at all to create a watchOS app. That's why all the apps that do exist are so mediocre.

The only way I see this being a good thing for Niantic is if Apple agreed with them to create a special Pokemon edition watch like they have for Hermes, with Niantic getting a cut of the sales. But Apple will never do that, since it would just reinforce the notion that the Apple Watch is just a toy, cheapening its image overall and cutting into Apple's margins.

 

[Mercifull]

This actually gets at the heart of the problem with watchOS apps. From Niantic's perspective there's actually a disincentive to adding a watch app, since it would kill sales of their hardware device. More generally for app developers, a watch app does nothing to bring in more money and really just creates more problems for them. Things like:

• A more complicated code base, meaning more work to maintain the application
• More support issues to deal with
• More negative reviews for their app on the store, since people complain about how slow their app is on the watch
• Little to no added benefits to user experience that can't be handled by the existing notification APIs
• Degraded customer goodwill if you attempt to charge for the watch app via in app purchase

Niantic, and every other iOS developer, have no reason at all to create a watchOS app. That's why all the apps that do exist are so mediocre.

The only way I see this being a good thing for Niantic is if Apple agreed with them to create a special Pokemon edition watch like they have for Hermes, with Niantic getting a cut of the sales. But Apple will never do that, since it would just reinforce the notion that the Apple Watch is just a toy, cheapening its image overall and cutting into Apple's margins.

I'm not so sure about all those points. Generally there's aren't negative reviews for slow watchOS apps. But with watchOS3 that would be mitigated anyway with keeping apps active in the background.

In the case of the experience the Watch app would have similar, if not better, functionality than the GoPlus wearable.

Has there ever been a high profile app that has charged for Watch app functionality or would this be a precedent? It's hard to quantify what (if any) negativity could arise from this.

Yes there's more code and yes there's more support issues, I agree there. But that shouldn't be a barrier.

 

[convergent]

This actually gets at the heart of the problem with watchOS apps. From Niantic's perspective there's actually a disincentive to adding a watch app, since it would kill sales of their hardware device. More generally for app developers, a watch app does nothing to bring in more money and really just creates more problems for them. Things like:

• A more complicated code base, meaning more work to maintain the application
• More support issues to deal with
• More negative reviews for their app on the store, since people complain about how slow their app is on the watch
• Little to no added benefits to user experience that can't be handled by the existing notification APIs
• Degraded customer goodwill if you attempt to charge for the watch app via in app purchase

Niantic, and every other iOS developer, have no reason at all to create a watchOS app. That's why all the apps that do exist are so mediocre.

The only way I see this being a good thing for Niantic is if Apple agreed with them to create a special Pokemon edition watch like they have for Hermes, with Niantic getting a cut of the sales. But Apple will never do that, since it would just reinforce the notion that the Apple Watch is just a toy, cheapening its image overall and cutting into Apple's margins.

I seriously doubt that Niantic's business model is that a significant part of their income will come from their bands. The bands are "sticky" in getting people to keep playing the game; and are going to visually help market the game when people see them being worn. Having something tied to the Apple Watch platform would only add to this. So I guess I completely disagree with your view here.

 

[badmannersfalcon]

I'd love if the AW's Activity data could be transferred to Pokemon Go for egg hatching. Would be a great way to hatch eggs without having to have the app open all the time.

 

[Southern Dad]

As a father of a 13-year-old who has a 7-year-old half-sister, I have been drafted into the Pokemon thing a few times. I have been shocked by who is actually playing this game. It is not just teenagers or people who have no jobs. There are people from every walk of life playing it. I watched the 7-yr-old drain my battery as she was showing a senior citizen how to catch a Pidgey. Here's this lady in her 70's walking around with an iPad trying to catch imaginary animals. However, I do think it is a passing craze.

 

[xDKP]

I was actually pretty amazed they didn't jump on the AW wagon with a simple app - if nothing more, just some sort of reminder when certain pokemon are close or something like that... So even if nothing else, just a buzz and reminder to pick up your phone...

And to those who say it will hurt their sales - I think you guys forget that the bands will never come even close to the amount of profit playing the game will - everything they do, is to keep people having the app open and play it and hopefully buy some Pokecoins...

 

[convergent]

Just watching keynote... looks like Niantic is taking advantage of this.

 

[TsuaSai]

Just watching keynote... looks like Niantic is taking advantage of this.

I missed the first part. Is it going to work with the first apple watch or only the new one?

 

[dr34mc4st3r]

I missed the first part. Is it going to work with the first apple watch or only the new one?

Gonna work with the first one as well Can't wait!

 

[TsuaSai]

Gonna work with the first one as well Can't wait!

Awesome! With the serious one starting at $269 should be able to pick up a first gen real cheap.

 

[sean000]

Funny...I have avoided the Pokemon Go craze until recently. I was talked into installing it and trying it out. It's fun, but I'm not sure I will stick with it. I'm more just intrigued by the the way this game (and Ingress before it) utilize mobile technology to set the game in the real world.

I must say that I was disappointed when I realized that I did not get credit for walking to incubate an egg unless the app is open. I assume the Watch app for the game will resolve this. I'm very interested to see how the watch works with it in general. I might even stick with it for awhile! Hopefully the watch app won't drain the watch battery the way the iPhone app does!

Sean

 

[azfalcons]

so will pokemon go be on every watch or just the series 2?

 

[matrix07]

so will pokemon go be on every watch or just the series 2?

Its just an app so it will be on every watch that installs it.

 

[matt9013]

Will I need the app open on the watch for walking/hatching eggs? Would be nice if it took my steps and added it for the eggs.

 

[matrix07]

Will I need the app open on the watch for walking/hatching eggs? Would be nice if it took my steps and added it for the eggs.

Think of it as an exercise but instead of going to Activities and select an exercise you open Pokemon app and goes out.

 

[oftheheavens]

this dude (OP) called it months ago didn't he?! good call man. I saw this coming a couple months ago as well when I got my first egg and my son wanted to carry around my 6S and hatch it....he is 7 and there is no way a 7 year old is going on an adventure carrying my phone. Now I can use the adventure with him as my exercise and show him the progress on the watch (while on my wrist) when anything pops up on it. I don't like playing this silly game but he does and if it gets us both out exercising together while filling my rings I am totally down to change my perspective on how silly it is lol.

 

[matt9013]

Think of it as an exercise but instead of going to Activities and select an exercise you open Pokemon app and goes out.

So it's exactly like the phone app? I already walk with my phone on in my pocket, I was hoping I wouldn't need the app opened at all to get steps to count.

 

[matrix07]

So it's exactly like the phone app? I already walk with my phone on in my pocket, I was hoping I wouldn't need the app opened at all to get steps to count.

Yes, it's an app, not a native function of OS but the watch is on your wrist so you don't have to take the phone out of pocket at all. It's so much easier.