The 5 most useful smartwatch apps

Smartwatches and the associated apps are already playing an increasingly important role. That is why we present the five most useful tools for your digital watch here.

Control music with the smartwatch app

If you only want to skip one song in your playlist, you don't have to pull out your smartphone first. One tap on the smartwatch on the wrist is enough:

• The music player control is already integrated in Samsung's Galaxy Gear smartwatches. Unfortunately, the Galaxy Gear is only compatible with the Galaxy smartphones. In this guide, however, we show you how you can also pair the Galaxy Gear with the iPhone.
• For the Pebble smartwatch, on the other hand, there is the Android app "Music Boss" for currently 1.42 euros. Here you get far more functions than the smartwatch has integrated.

Public transport always in view thanks to the smartwatch app

The smartwatch is perfect for quick information in between: For example, you can find out the departure times of the next means of transport at a glance:

• Unfortunately, Samsung's gear store is still too thin for such a rudimentary function - we hope for future updates.
• The Pebble developer community has a solution here: "Get me out" is a free app that automatically shows the closest departure times on your Pebble.

Useful fitness apps for smartwatches

A smartwatch is the ideal device for jogging - small, light and equipped with all important sensors:

• In addition to its own apps such as "S-Health", Samsung's Galaxy Gear series also supports third-party providers such as "RunKeeper" and "Runtastic". All apps show you the most important values ​​such as distance, calories and heart rate directly on your smartwatch.
• "RunKeeper" is also available for the Pebble Smartwatch. To do this, simply install the free tool on your iOS or Android device.

Talk to the smartwatch - these apps make it possible

You can't do a lot on the small smartwatch display. Voice input makes it all the more. We show you the best apps for it:

• The Galaxy Gear series has already integrated Samsung's voice assistant "S-Voice". You can use it to dictate messages, call contacts, or browse the web, for example.
• The pebble has to fit here: Without a built-in microphone, the clock cannot be operated by voice control. Pity!

Navi on the wrist - the most useful smartwatch apps

Whether on a sightseeing tour on foot or in a foreign city - with a smartwatch you always have your navigation system with you:

• Samsung does not offer a solution from the start. However, the competition from Nokia will soon have a turn-by-turn navigation for the Gear series - according to current rumors.
• Pebble can cooperate here with both iOS and Android smartphones: With the 3.59 euro "PebbleNav" for iOS, you get a complete navigation display including vibration reminders on your Pebble. A comparable app on Android is still in the beta phase. You can use this link to register for the non-public test phase.

Conclusion: Too early for real app hits

Smartwatches like the most prominent solutions Galaxy Gear and Pebble Smartwatch are still in the starting phase. A real "app culture" has therefore not yet developed. The apps and their functions are correspondingly thin.

• Time for the new big player: With its "Android Wear", Google has introduced its own operating system for wearables, which will hopefully bring more apps to even more smartwatches.
• Until then, you can still use your smartwatch as a spicker.