11 apps an Apple Watch owner needs

Key Takeaways

• Use native apps to perform various tasks on Apple Watch without needing the App Store.
• Third-party apps can enhance functionality on your watch, such as currency conversion and fitness tracking.
• Consider apps like Streaks, Elk, and Just Press Record to get inspiration and productivity from your arm.

The Apple Watch puts some of the iPhone's capabilities on your wrist, but the smaller screen size means many tasks are better handled on a phone instead. The opposite can also be true: The small screen and easy access mean that sometimes the Apple Watch app is easier than digging out your phone. After all, why pull out your iPhone if all you want to do is set a simple timer, check your water usage, or pay for a quick purchase?

The native apps that come pre-installed with the Apple Watch give the wearable a wide range of capabilities without the need to open the App Store. With Apple software, you can use your watch as a remote camera trigger, check in with Apple Pay, see directions, set a timer, track your usage, make a phone call, or check the weather, you name it. a few of my most used favorites. Apple has finally decided to add a calculator app to the Apple Watch.

That said, third-party apps open up new possibilities for your arm. With the Apple Watch's limited SSD space — and the cost of some apps — you won't want to randomly download any app. These are the best ones to try.

1 Strokes

Establish healthy habits by challenging yourself with Streaks

The Apple Watch can already track your exercise runs — but what if you want to track your streak of, say, remembering to make the bed? This is where Streaks comes in. The app provides additional motivation by allowing you to build a series of successfully completed tasks. Once you build them, you won't want to tear them down. You can add daily, weekly and seasonal tasks. You can check your streaks and see which ones are outstanding right on your Apple Watch.

2 Elk

This currency converter tells you how much it really costs in other countries

When you're abroad, you want to know how much things cost. Elk allows you to make quick currency conversions in your hand. It uses location data to automatically select the right currency for you, as well as the starting price. You can then swipe left to increase values, swipe right to decrease them or tap the value for more precision. There is a free version, and a paid version with access to all currencies.

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4 Just press Record

Save ideas or recall a meeting with quick access to the record button

Do you ever come up with a great idea, then forget about it five minutes later? Or do you really wish you had a tape recorder handy for when your spouse finally admits you're right? Simply pressing record can help with both of those situations and more. Tap a button on your Apple Watch, and it will start recording audio. Say whatever you want to write down, and the sound will be written and magically appear on your iPhone. It really is like magic and can save you a huge amount of frustration.

5 The Night Sky

Get a compass that tells you where to look for planets and constellations

Have you ever looked up at the night sky and wished you knew what those little dots of light really were? Stars, right? Or is that a planet? Wonder no more; with Night Sky you can point your Apple Watch in the direction of certain stars and see which constellation it belongs to, or if one of them is a planet. There's also a dedicated Apple Watch face you can install that's full of useful stargazing information.

6 Fitbod

Apple's native apps won't count your reps, but this one will

If sculpting a perfect body is your goal, rather than simply maintaining your fitness, Fitbod can help. The app provides personalized training plans based on your current abilities and adapts to your progress, tracking which muscles you've used and recovery time. But the biggest reason to use this Apple Watch app instead of traditional fitness tools is that this one can track your reps and your weight on your wrist, so you don't have to worry about playing on your phone while you work out. outside.

7 iTranslate Converse

Translate as you speak, all on Apple Watch

The original iTranslate app is useful if you want to know how to say a certain phrase in a foreign language, but not so useful if you want to hold a conversation. iTranslate Converse solves that problem by listening to two different languages ​​and translating between them, allowing two people who don't speak the same language to hold a conversation. Not only will you see spoken speech translated into the target language on your Apple Watch, but it will also speak a sentence in that language. The app will turn the text upside down, so you can show the translation to the person you're talking to without twisting your arm.

8 My Fitness Friend

Track calories, water intake and more on Apple Watch

On the iPhone, the My Fitness Pal app not only tracks your food intake but lets you burn more calories by tracking workouts on your Apple Watch. The Apple Watch version of MyFitness Pal doesn't have as many tools as the iPhone version, but you can quickly add calories or even track your water intake on your wrist with this free app.

9 Time Period

A virtual timer that helps you stay focused

Yes, the Apple Watch has built-in time tools. But Time is different. This app is a virtual timer designed to help you stay focused for a set time. I originally downloaded this app to help my kids stay focused on their schoolwork, but it's a great tool for adults to stay motivated and on task as well. Apart from the virtual circular timer, the app also has features like interval timers.

10 Carrot Weather

The most intuitive and boring weather app

If you find talking about the weather boring, Carrot Weather might be the breath of fresh air you need. That's because you can change the personality of the app to get slightly different predictions. Professional forecasts appear like any weather app, but settings like Snarky, Homicidal, and Overkill offer increasingly aggressive snapshots. It is a wonderful job to make the weather pleasant.

11 ArcEmu

Get the best of Game Boy in your hand

Admittedly, the Apple Watch isn't great for gaming. Although we would love to play ArcEmu on our iPhone, if you often leave your iPhone at home, prefer a gadget on your arm or have a large screen Apple Watch Ultra, then ArcEmu is a serious bore. You can play games like Pokemon Yellow and use on-screen controls and digital crown to play.