Watchkit App Development Essentials

WatchKit App Development Essentials is intended for readers with some existing experience of iOS development using Xcode and the Swift programming language. Beginning with the basics, this book provides an introduction to WatchKit apps and the WatchKit app development architecture before covering topics such as tables, navigation, user input handling, image handling, animation, maps and menus. More advanced topics are also covered throughout the book, including communication and data sharing between a WatchKit app and the parent iOS app, working with custom fonts and the design and implementation of custom notifications. As with all the books in the “Development Essentials” series, WatchKit App Development Essentials takes a modular approach to the subject of WatchKit app development for the Apple Watch, with each chapter covering a self-contained topic area consisting of detailed explanations, examples and step-by-step tutorials. This makes the book both an easy to follow learning aid and an excellent reference resource.

Intended for readers with some existing experience of iOS development, watchOS 2 App Development Essentials has been fully updated for watchOS 2, Swift 2 and Xcode 7. Beginning with the basics, this book provides an introduction to WatchKit apps and the watchOS 2 app development architecture before covering topics such as tables, navigation, user input handling, maps, menus, working with images and videos and the recording and playback of audio. More advanced topics are also covered throughout the book, including communication and data sharing between a WatchKit app and the parent iOS app using the WatchConnectivity framework, working with custom fonts, user interface animation, clock face complications and the design and implementation of custom notifications. As with all the books in the "Development Essentials" series, watchOS 2 App Development Essentials takes a modular approach to the subject of app development for the Apple Watch, with each chapter covering a self-contained topic area consisting of detailed explanations, examples and step-by-step tutorials. This makes the book both an easy to follow learning aid and an excellent reference resource.

Build real-world applications for the Apple Watch platform using the WatchKit framework and Swift 2.0 About This Book Find out how to download and install the Xcode development tools before learning about Xcode playgrounds and the Swift programming language Discover everything you need to know about the WatchKit platform architecture, its classes, as well its limitations This book introduces you to the very latest mobile platform with hands-on instructions so you can build your very own Apple Watch apps Who This Book Is For This book is for developers who are interested in creating amazing apps for the Apple Watch platform. Readers are expected to have no prior experience of programming. What You Will Learn Navigate within the WatchKit interface using the page-based, modal, and hierarchical navigation techniques Work with context menus to allow your users to interact with the Apple Watch and respond to their actions to perform a task Use the MapKit framework to display a map within the WatchKit interface to track the user's current location Build effective user interfaces for the WatchKit platform and integrate iCloud capabilities to synchronize data between the iOS app and the WatchKit UI Design your apps for the Apple Watch platform by adhering to the set of User Interface design guidelines set out by Apple Reinforce image caching to display animations within the Apple Watch user interface Explore WatchKit tables, which allow your users to purchase groceries and pay for them using Apple Pay Analyze the new layout system to ensure that your Apple Watch apps work with various screen sizes In Detail Wearable are the next wave of mobile technology and with the release of Apple's WatchKit SDK, a whole new world of exciting development possibilities has opened up. Apple Watch App Development introduces you to the architecture and possibilities of the Apple Watch platform, as well as an in-depth look at how to work with Xcode playgrounds. Benefit from a rapid introduction to the Swift programming language so you can quickly begin developing apps with the WatchKit framework and the Xcode Development IDE. Get to grips with advanced topics such as notifications, glances, iCloud, Apple pay, closures, tuples, protocols, delegates, concurrency, and using Swift Playgrounds, with each concept is backed up with example code that demonstrates how to properly execute it. Finally, discover how to package and deploy your Watch application to the Apple AppStore. By the end of this book, you will have a good understanding of how to develop apps for the Apple Watch platform, and synchronize data using iCloud between the wearable and the iOS device. Style and approach This book takes a step-by-step approach to developing applications for the Apple Watch using the Swift programming language and the WatchKit UI. Each topic is explained in a conversational and easy-to-follow style.

iOS 9 App Development Essentials is latest edition of this popular book series and has now been fully updated for the iOS 9 SDK, Xcode 7 and the Swift 2 programming language. Beginning with the basics, this book provides an outline of the steps necessary to set up an iOS development environment. An introduction to the architecture of iOS 9 and programming in Swift is provided, followed by an in-depth look at the design of iOS applications and user interfaces. More advanced topics such as file handling, database management, in-app purchases, graphics drawing and animation are also covered, as are touch screen handling, gesture recognition, multitasking, iAds integration, location management, local notifications, camera access and video and audio playback support. Other features are also covered including Auto Layout, Twitter and Facebook integration, App Store hosted in-app purchase content, Sprite Kit-based game development, local map search and user interface animation using UIKit dynamics. Additional features of iOS development using Xcode 7 are also covered, including Swift playgrounds, universal user interface design using size classes, app extensions, Interface Builder Live Views, embedded frameworks, CloudKit data storage and TouchID authentication. The key new features of iOS 9 and Xcode 7 are also covered in detail, including new error handling in Swift 2, designing Stack View based user interfaces, multiple storyboard support, iPad multitasking, map flyover support, 3D Touch and Picture-in-Picture media playback. The aim of this book, therefore, is to teach you the skills necessary to build your own apps for iOS 9. Assuming you are ready to download the iOS 9 SDK and Xcode 7, have an Intel-based Mac and ideas for some apps to develop, you are ready to get started.

Apple Watch is the sort of science-fiction gadget that people used to dream about as kids. What kinds of apps do you envision for this new device? If you’re comfortable using OS X, Xcode, and iOS—and familiar with Swift—this concise book shows you the basics of building your own apps for this wrist-mounted computer with Apple’s WatchKit framework. You’ll learn what an Apple Watch is, what it isn’t, and how and why people might interact with apps you build for it. This practical guide also examines the type of apps most suitable for this device, and shows you how to be a good citizen in the iOS/Watch ecosystem. Learn the Watch app lifecycle, and understand how these apps interact with the user’s iPhone Build a Watch app and its iOS counterpart by adding controls, working with multiple screens, and sharing data Design a simple glance, the non-interactive Watch component that provides quick-look information Add functionality to the notification system, including actionable items, and display them on the Watch face Design and build complications, Watch-face gadgets that can display quick snapshots of information, including future events with Time Travel

Create Breakthrough Apple Watch Apps with the WatchKit Framework With its Apple Watch and WatchKit framework, Apple is challenging developers to build exciting and innovative apps for Apple Watch. iOS developers who master Apple Watch programming now will have the same huge “early mover” advantage that early iPhone developers enjoyed. Learning WatchKit Programming is a complete, hands-on tutorial for all iOS developers who are ready to design and build tomorrow’s hottest new wearable apps. Leading iOS development trainer and author Wei-Meng Lee covers all of the fundamentals of Apple Watch development and the WatchKit API, from application architecture and design to navigation, notification, and glances. Using practical Swift code examples designed for clarity and simplicity, Lee guides you through building apps from the ground up and shows you how to integrate those apps with the iPhone for expanded capabilities. The perfect companion to other mobile development books in the Learning Series, this guide helps you extend your iOS skills to a whole new environment, build apps that solve a new set of problems, and reach millions of people in the new Apple Watch marketplace Coverage includes Getting started quickly with WatchKit and Apple Watch development Storyboarding apps and testing them on the Apple Watch Simulator Mastering Apple Watch’s multiple-screen navigation Building highly efficient interfaces with Apple Watch UI controls Customizing each screen’s look and feel, and passing data between them Responding to user interactions via buttons, switches, sliders, or Force Touch Displaying information via labels, images, or tables Communicating between an Apple Watch app and its containing iOS app Calling web services from Apple Watch Displaying short- and long-look notifications Customizing notifications to display your message’s essence more quickly Implementing glances to give users a faster way to gather information Localizing your Apple Watch apps All of this book’s sample Swift code is available for download at informit.com/title/9780134195445.