Last month Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) released WatchKit, a software toolkit that allows developers to begin building and testing apps for its forthcoming wearable, the Apple Watch. The company is encouraging application developers to create apps for the watch, and the copmany gave developers three ways to extend their regular iOS apps to the watch. However, according to some developers contacted by FierceDeveloper, Apple seems to be acting just as slowly and cautiously at letting them build apps for Apple Watch as it was when the first iPhone came out in 2007.
"In terms of what types of apps are possible (with WatchKit), it's pretty limited to textual display and images--very simple UIs, scrolling lists, paginated views," said Kevin Hardwood, a developer with Mutual Mobile based in Austin, Texas. "All these apps are going to look very similar. You're not allowed to draw anything custom, no core animation."
For more on how developers are thinking about Apple Watch app development, check out this FierceDeveloper special report.
