Getting Your App Ready for Apple Watch

If you want to have your app interact with the Apple Watch, you need to get things in gear because the release of the watch is just around the corner on April 24. To help jumpstart your efforts, the Apple developer portal has a section named “Preparing Your App Submission for Apple Watch.” Included are the following guidelines.

You’ll need to update Xcode to the latest release of Xcode 6, which includes iOS 8.2 SDK with WatchKit. Apple provides details and resources for designing a WatchKit app and how to follow the requirements outlined in the Apple Watch Human Interface guidelines. There are also development tips and guides to build a WatchKit app, Glance, and actionable notification for Apple Watch.

Your iPhone app and your WatchKit app share one name and one description. If your iPhone app contains a WatchKit app, Glance, or notification, Apple suggests mentioning this early in your description and include it in the What’s New section. 

You’ll want to make sure the metadata for your App Store product page includes your app’s new functionality on Apple Watch. Your WatchKit app icon should be visually similar to your iOS app icon. 

Apple will allow you to upload up to five screenshots of your WatchKit app in addition to five iPhone app screenshots. Apple requires using the full space for the screenshot and not framing the screenshot in an Apple Watch. Also avoid placing your WatchKit app within your iPhone app screenshots. 

Your app preview can only use footage of your iPhone app, and footage must stay within the app. Apple is not allowing developers to change a preview to show a WatchKit app.

To meet the April 24 launch, you need to get your app submitted for review as soon as possible and make sure the version and build numbers for your iPhone app, WatchKit extension, and WatchKit app are the same in the binary you upload.

All iPhone apps with a WatchKit extension submitted to the App Store are reviewed based on a set of technical, content, and design criteria. Once your WatchKit app is approved (fingers crossed!) and released by Apple, your existing iPhone users will receive the app update and customers will see your WatchKit extension icon and description on the App Store.