Apple Watch Apps for Travel: Industry Insights and Design Considerations

We are all told that the Apple Watch is ideal for bite‑sized pieces of information, all consumed in a fraction of a second. Yet this gives travel businesses looking at a product for the Apple Watch clear (and limited) parameters to work within.

NB: This is an analysis by Ritesh Gupta, a reporter with ChinaTravelNews.

Travellers today are increasingly comfortable with devices and apps, so tech‑savvy travel brands must be proactive to capitalize on new opportunities. Within days of launch, many travel brands launched an app for the watch.

No one seems willing to weigh up the impact the watch will have on consumer lifestyles, though travel companies are quick to respond to new Apple developments.

Time for India and China

“Apple Watch is an attractive proposition for multiple lifestyle and social benefits,” says Ctrip’s mobile engineering director Haoran Chen.

Ctrip was one of the first to launch a Chinese version of its Apple Watch app soon after launch.

India’s OTAs were also ready to respond. Cleartrip’s chief marketing officer Subramanya Sharma notes Apple’s fan base ensures significant traction from day one, especially among early adopters who spend heavily through online and mobile channels.

Chen says the wearable market is booming in China.

“The product as such isn’t new, but the previous ones had their limitations. As for Apple Watch, the smartwatch stands out for affordability, easy‑to‑use functionalities and travel brands also need to consider the fact it has the potential to be the number one wearable device across the globe,”

So what’s the primary travel benefit of the Apple Watch app at this stage?

Travelers will mostly use it to keep track of flights, gate info and status – contextual, time‑sensitive information.

Chen notes that if a user has downloaded Ctrip’s iPhone app, the Apple Watch automatically installs and syncs Passbook features.

“In all, it’s clear that this new watch would be preferred over a smartphone for certain features during certain phases of travel – say at the airport. A brand stands to benefit as the level of interaction would go up considering the attractiveness of Apple Watch and the need to access certain information via your wrist.”

The new smartwatch also has a social element; it can be used on the go for chat and updates via Instagram, Facebook and WeChat.

“But personal itinerary management and notifications are the biggest benefits at this juncture,” Chen argued.

Cleartrip says a user can view the next upcoming trip up to 24 hours before departure, and when only 24 hours remain the glance shows flight number, current status and updated departure time.

The app supports notifications, with a choice to be notified on the Apple Watch if a flight is delayed, rescheduled or cancelled.

Designing the app

Chen says the idea was to keep the app simple and reflect the elegant design of the watch.

“It was clear that there was no scope for complexity in the manner in which information is being delivered. We focused on keeping every interaction simple and overall design to be perceived as a beautiful one.”

Sharma notes the biggest difference was that Cleartrip developers did not have access to the hardware; testing took place entirely on the simulator.

Once ready, the team was invited by Apple to the Watch Labs at its HQ in Cupertino to test on actual hardware, becoming one of only a handful of Indian companies invited.

Sharma added: “The other challenge was designing within the constraint of a 38 or 42 mm screen. Just shrinking the functionality of the iPhone app does not make sense. We had to think of use cases to give users the information they need, when they need it, in the most lightweight manner possible.”

He was concerned about battery life, noting the fatigue of charging multiple devices daily.

Future developments

Ctrip.com is open to new features; Chen says they are discussing room‑less hotel key access via the app.

“We are in discussions with our partners, and hope to launch such features that would enhance travellers’ journey further,” said Chen.

Chen sees the possibility of transactions on the device. Apple Pay is not yet introduced in China, but rumors suggest it may arrive later this year, potentially enabling payments at airports or in‑destination.

But making transactions simple on the Apple Watch can be quite complicated.

NB: This is an analysis by Ritesh Gupta, a reporter with ChinaTravelNews.

NB2: Apple Watch image via Shutterstock.