Opinion: Alfonso Villar of Playspace on the Apple Watch

Alfonso Villar, CEO of Playspace, outlines some of the major challenges the Apple Watch has thrown up for social game developers

This year mobile will surpass desktop as the main revenue generator in social casino. This major shift in player behavior is testament to the disruptive impact that new technology can have on the industry, but could that status quo be about to change again? The Apple Watch recently sold more units in its opening 24 hours than its rival Android Wear had sold in a year, suggesting that the wearables market might finally be gathering some momentum. But could the Apple Watch ever compete with mobile as a major gaming platform?

In short, yes. However, the Apple Watch serves up a unique set of challenges and limitations which need to be overcome before the device reaches its full potential. However, in a sector where games are free-to-play, it’s vital that the player experience is intuitive and engaging, as the competition is just a click away. So can the Apple Watch deliver a rewarding player experience despite its size and limitations?

Having developed our first Apple Watch game ‘Numbies’, we’ve seen first-hand both the huge potential and major challenges the platform offers. These include:

#1 The server / client dynamic

The Apple Watch only has a tiny amount of storage and therefore relies on the iPhone, which as a host handles all the data storage and computing requirements. Whereas iOS developers used to focus on just one device, with Apple Watch they must contend with data transmission between devices. Now you have the server (iPhone) and the client (Watch), so finding the balance between both is key to creating a successful experience.

The lack of features on the Watch also has to be compensated with the well-working side on the phone as the mobile can contain the extra information the Watch can’t, like more advanced features, user interface elements, animations, and so on.

Both apps must therefore be self-sufficient and be able to work independently without their mutual need. You must be able to play a full game, give up or start a new game from the watch, with your phone being used for things like game history, difficulty chooser, customization of the avatar or to make in app purchases.

#2 The user experience needs re-writing

Mobile phones and tablets are perfectly suited to social gaming as you’re still able to enter text and chat to other players as you would on a desktop. The Apple Watch has no keyboard and can’t handle sophisticated user interactions, making chat impossible on the Watch alone. Without multi-touch gestures, user interface elements like alerts, scroll views, pop ups, text fields and zoom navigation are no longer possible, which forces us as developers to re-think a number of design principles.

#3 Slow data transmission can impact player experience 

The computer processing of an Apple Watch is extremely limited compared with the latest model of iPhone. Data reception from the mobile through Bluetooth combined with data downloading from the phone through mobile networks can really freeze the process on the Watch and thus impact the player experience.

This is a real challenge as in social casino and social games where there are a number of processes which need to happen in real-time, yet the data exchange between phone, watch and mobile network is something which is unfortunately beyond the developer’s control.

#4 Push notifications now meet Glances

Push notifications are an essential tool for tempting idol users back into your game. As the Apple Watch is always within the users field of vision, Apple Watch’s new features allow you to send push notification straight to the player’s wrist. In addition, the device has now Glances that enhances user experience.

A Glance could include the remaining time for a daily bonus, the number of games the user is playing, the challenges they have received or a timely special offer. Glances therefore force developers to really think about how to concentrate the information into a single line so that users are prompted back into play. However, as the Apple Watch is a completely new platform, finding the right balance with Glances and Push notifications so as not to annoy the player is key.

#5 Market opportunity

As we saw with the iPhone, those developers that managed to release games early in the iPhone’s lifecycle benefited from a much greater market share as there was less competition. With the Apple Watch, developers once again have the opportunity to gain an early-mover advantage, as the device is currently only available in six countries. However, there will be more countries in the following months, increasing new market opportunities.