Is Apple Watch useful as an enterprise tool?

Author
Dr Mark Mason
CEO | Mubaloo
8th May 2015

Dr Mark Mason, Mubaloo founder and Business West Board member, shares his experience of using Apple Watch for a week and explores whether it is a useful tool for enterprise. Plus, read our 'Apple Watch: At a Glance' overview below.

Apple Watch - At a Glance:

The Apple Watch is Apple’s first-generation smartwatch, meaning there's still scope for improvement and further development. Despite being first-generation however, it offers the user a bit more than simply an extension of their iPhone.  

To work it needs to be paired with an iPhone 5 or newer. Over 3,000 apps that many people already have on their phone, including PowerPoint, Evernote, British Airways and others can sync over to the Watch. Once you've spent a few days having a play, getting set up and familiar with its slightly different functions, it provides a range of core features and special extras which help make it stand out from its competitors:-

  • Display - the Watch has a very graphic interface, offering a number of well-designed faces as well as a great looking app screen. Raising your arm turns the display on automatically so you can check your notifications quickly and turns off when the arm is lowered.
  • Notifications - it's very easy to view and respond to notifications via the Watch and you'll likely get through your digital comms much faster and with ease, whether dictating a text message response or dismissing an email - resulting in less time interacting with your phone. Plus, you'll be alert to notifications through a "taptic" pulse on your wrist rather than the less subtle alert ding.
  • Siri - comes into its own via the watch and works well in assisting you - you'll likely find yourself warming to it more, if not already a fan.
  • Glances - access a list of your favourite functions in one screen; regular curated information for different apps. Check the weather, sports score, or your daily fitness activity.
  • Calls - you can opt to take calls via your watch through its inbuilt speakerphone, though this may take some getting used to, and for private calls probably best to stick to your phone.
  • Fitness Tracking - a core focus on the Watch, it encourages consistent, all-day activity with a neat alert to let you see at a glance how many calories burned, hours spent active, and how much exercise you've logged. It features a heart rate monitor that tracks your heart beat every 15 minutes throughout the day, or constantly if you are exercising.
  • Apple Pay - yes, you can pay for something simply by putting your wrist up to a payment terminal. Easy (when it comes to the UK).

Digital Touch - if you know someone else with an Apple Watch, you can have some fun. Send them animated drawings, haptic taps, or even your heartbeat!

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