Slack has announced it's no longer going to offer an app for the Apple Watch, but users will be able to make use of notifications and respond using apple's rich notifications feature.
Previously, the standalone Slack app offered limited functionality for users of the smart watch, which has been unfortunately the case for many "made for Apple Watch" apps rolled out over the last few years. Although users can view notifications and respond to messages from the watch, it wasn't particularly intuitive on the small screen.
Now those features are available via Apple's rich notifications function, although the collaboration app users won't be able to view unread mentions.
"Apple Watch users, there's now one iOS app for all of your needs,' the company explained in its latest iOS software update. "We've removed the standalone Watch App, but rest assured, receiving and replying to messages from your wrist works the same as before. It's like two for the price of one, but with apps."
Slack isn't the first app-maker to end support for Apple Watch-designed apps. Twitter announced last year it would no longer issue updates to the Twitter Apple Watch app, instead opting to just send notifications to the wrist-mounted device using the same tech as Slack.
eBay also discontinued its app, alongside other first adopters such as Amazon and Google Maps. Companies were quick to jump on the Apple Watch as an extra way to get their services to users, but it seems without an intuitive experience that makes the user's life easier, there really isn't much point to the app's existence.
Slack was first introduced on the Apple Watch in April 2015. It arrived with much fanfare, with the company commenting at the time: "No longer will you be left tapping your wrist in vain: now doing so will enable you to quickly and easily create, receive and reply to new direct messages. You can also keep track of unread mentions, and get a simple heads-up of how many team members are online, straight from your Apple Watch."
Image courtesy of Slack
-
How the UK MoJ achieved secure networks for prisons and offices with Palo Alto NetworksCase study Adopting zero trust is a necessity when your own users are trying to launch cyber attacks
-
Putting small language models under the microscopeITPro Podcast The benefits of small language models are undeniable – but they're no silver bullet
-
'Digital hide-and-seek': Workers are wasting hundreds of hours a year sourcing the information they need to carry out their roleNews Knowledge workers globally are wasting a quarter of their working week tracking down information, new research from Atlassian has revealed.
-
Untethered: How CIOs and CISOs are paving the way for the new hybrid workforceWhitepaper Effective techniques to transition from exposed legacy infrastructure to an effective zero trust strategy
-
Unlocking the power of your digital servicesSponsored Businesses have invested significant cash into technology since COVID-19, but are they really getting their money's worth?
-
Delivering fast and secure digital experiences for the modern hybrid workforceWhitepaper A new approach to digital experience monitoring that can monitor the health of all systems
-
Collaboration is the glue that holds your business togetherSPONSORED A combination of productivity tools and cloud telephony can enable the best from your workforce
-
The future of work and the forgotten workforcewhitepaper How to deploy a mobile-first strategy so no one gets left behind
-
The case for an accelerated device refresh cycleWhitepaper Achieving a more cost-effective device lifecycle overall
-
Employees are choosing how they workWhitepaper And with the right secure digital strategy, this could be a great thing for your business: today and far into the future
