Apple Watch apps take some of the pain out of travelling
A slew of apps for Apple Watch offer travellers ingenious ways to ease their journey
Can Apple Watch change the way we travel? Car-hailing services like Uber have been a hit worldwide and have shown how much an app can drastically alter the most basic of travel necessities, but now there's more to think about.
When the Apple Watch launched in Hong Kong in April, it was the 18-carat gold alloy Apple Watch Edition that was marketed. Costing a whopping HK$130,000, it's out of reach of all but the elite, but the regular watch starts at just HK$2,728 - expensive, but cheaper than most smartphones.
There's no denying that the Apple Watch's hands-free convenience is hard to beat when on the road. "There are lots of small frustrations which we think we can solve with lightweight, well-timed features delivered via a smart watch," says Frisby, who is particularly interested to see how Apple Watch performs in China, a key market for wearable devices and apps. Among other things, Booking Now gives Apple Watch wearers directions back to their hotel after dinner, it remembers their room number without having to fish out the keycard, and it reminds them that it's almost time to check out.
"Smartwatch apps will undoubtedly change the way we travel, with the potential to influence where, how often and with whom," says Clive Jackson, founder and CEO at private jet charter app Victor, which has just launched an app for Apple Watch. "The immediacy of a watch app makes the delivery of information more spontaneous, impulsive and accessible - and the connectivity of everything has the potential to make travel more inclusive and collaborative."