Thousands of people woke up to a shiny new Apple Watch under the tree on Christmas Day, and if you were one of them, you may well be wondering what to do with it.
Apple Watch savings add up
The tiny screen on the Apple Watch means it is only suited to small amounts of information – like text messages. But the ability to reply with ‘stock’ messages is incredibly useful.
Being able to respond with an ‘OK’ (or similar) direct from your wrist saves a lot of time cumulatively. If you send and receive a lot of SMS messages at work, you will find the convenience of not having to dig your phone out of your bag/pocket particularly helpful.
Get used to talking to your wrist
The Watch makes heavy use of Siri, Apple’s voice assistant, to perform all manner of tasks. Initially you may feel strange talking to your wrist, but after a few days it becomes second nature. You can reply to text messages or emails using the built-in voice recognition, allowing you to properly multitask without holding your phone. Perfect for those urgent messages that always seem to need responses when you’re travelling on business.
Time tracking
For consultants or similar job roles that rely on accurately tracking time spent on projects or tasks, the Apple Watch is an ideal addition to your workflow. Using an app like Hours it is possible to create any number of projects and tasks, recording time against each with a quick tap on the screen.
Enterprise apps on your wrist
Realising that the Apple Watch is the perfect tool for quickly checking and approving various workflow actions, several enterprise software vendors have got in on the act. ERP vendor SAP has begun releasing new apps including Unvired Workflow which allows line managers to review and approve (or dismiss) purchase orders, leave requests, travel expenses and the like, direct from the Watch.
Microsoft has also got in on the act, creating a cut-down version of the Outlook email and scheduling app, which allows users to see messages and upcoming appointments at a glance. This is complemented by OneNote, which enables Watch owners to record messages or conversations for review at a later date.
Perfect for travel
The voice functions of Apple Watch can be further exploited when travelling. For instance, the Microsoft Translator app can help you cut through language barriers, automatically converting phrases that it “hears”, so that you can understand and reply – even if you don’t speak the local language.
Apple Wallet also allows you to store important travel documents, like boarding passes, helping reduce the hassle of printing paperwork for use at the airport. Simply present the relevant ‘card’ on your Watch for scanning, and you’ll sail through security without fumbling in your pockets for the relevant dockets.
The Apple Watch is still something of a novelty item, rather than a crucial piece of work kit. But as the bestselling wearable by quite some distance, businesses are starting to see the potential of the technology. The ideas listed here are just the start – expect to see a lot more developments in the near future.
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