Can I build a stand alone Apple Watch app?

Question

In WWDC 2015 it is mentioned that watch supports native apps but I fail to see the option in new Xcode 7 for the way to just build an apple watch app without the companion app. Please let me know the way to do so, if it exists.

Answer 1

In iOS 13 it's possible to create independent watchOS application. More information can be found here. You have to download Xcode 11 to be able to create independent watchOS application.

To create it simply go to File -> New -> Project and select watchOS -> App as it's shown on a screenshot:

Answer 2

In fact, watchOS apps are linked to the iOS companion app.

In both versions, each watchOS app has two targets: WatchKit App - which contains storyboard, icons, etc - and WatchKit Extension, which contains the code.

In watchOS 1 (old WatchKit) + iOS 8 combination, WatchKit App is installed on Apple Watch, and both WatchKit Extension and iOS app are installed on user's iPhone.

In other way, in watchOS 2 + iOS 9 combination, both WatchKit App and WatchKit Extension are installed on user's Apple Watch, and iOS App is the only code and view installed on iPhone.

Running iOS app only requires one target, so it can run without Apple Watch (since the first iPhone OS).

But running watchOS apps needs both WatchKit App and WatchKit Extension. In watchOS 1 (the old WatchKit) because one is on iPhone and other on Apple Watch, so running apps need connecting between them with Bluetooth, so you have to carry your iPhone nearby. In watchOS 2, both are on Apple Watch, so running apps does not need connecting to iPhone and having iPhone nearby. You can connect them with WatchConnectivity framework included in watchOS 2 SDK (in Xcode 7).

So in watchOS 2 apps can run standalone, but they are not standalone at all. They install on Apple Watch when installing on iPhone, and they can connect with each other. When you create a new watchOS App, you must include it with your iPhone app when submitting it to the iTunes Connect.

NOTE: This makes watchOS apps faster and more reliable.

Answer 3

You can't build native watch apps yet. Maybe in a later build of Xcode 7, but so far all Apple has announced is that "at some point in the near future" you will be able to build a native Watch app.

Answer 4

In watchOS 2, watch apps are "native" in the sense that the WatchKit extension now runs on the Apple Watch instead of the user's iPhone. This means it can no longer share data with the iPhone app using shared app groups but must instead use the new Watch Connectivity framework to pass data back and forth. It also means that watch apps can be much faster and much more capable without the phone being present.

However, a watch app must still be bundled with a companion iOS app, at least for this year.