Critical elements to understand about wearable app development

With more organizations accepting bring-your-own-device initiatives, developers are increasingly working to ensure that their business applications are usable across a variety of hardware. The next big innovation in this space will be wearables, which are already being used in some industries. To keep up with user demands and current trends, it will be essential for programmers to build apps that will support this equipment. Here are a few things to know about wearables:

Some organizations are already creating software
Although wearables have largely been used in the healthcare environment for personal wellness efforts and remote patient monitoring, the uses of these devices are quickly expanding. Many vendors like Salesforce have recognized this growth and have taken steps to develop software specifically for wearables. With the Salesforce Wear platform, app builders can program software for Google Glass and Samsung Gear 2, along with four other devices, according to InformationWeek. The platform includes documentation, references and demos that can aid in these processes, ensuring that enterprises will easily be able to support new wearables as they emerge.

"By focusing on glasses and watches, Salesforce is going after the most likely business scenarios," said Forrester analyst and VP Ted Schadler, according to InformationWeek. "The Wear initiative should help Salesforce in two areas where it needs to expand: getting more employees using Salesforce products and creating more mobile engagement during the workday."

The market is very fragmented
Picking up right where tablets and smartphones left off, the wearable ecosystem is substantially fragmented, making it difficult for developers to pursue native coding approaches. Internal programmers would have to create separate applications for each piece of hardware, taking up significant time and resources that could be devoted to other processes. HTML5 form helps to change all that by providing a truly cross-platform approach to making applications. While this may not have traditionally been the method of choice for previous mobile apps, wearable software must separate itself from smartphone and tablet experiences, and present opportunities that other devices can't offer, Business Insider stated. HTML5 can help developers accomplish this by allowing them to build effective tools and deliver updates seamlessly across a range of devices.

"The entire wearable apps ecosystem is highly fragmented, and this is a big reason why there are so few wearable apps right now," Business Insider stated. "All of the prominent wearable devices on the market run on different platforms, which has made it difficult for developers to create apps for all of these environments."