It’s been a quiet trend, but it’s still worth noting.
Over the last few months, a number of companies, including Google, Amazon and eBay have pulled some of their Apple Watch apps from the App Store.
The programs, namely Google Maps, Amazon and eBay, were all early supporters of the Apple Watch and released apps within a few months of the wearable’s April 2015 debut.
Checking today, none of the three companies offer Apple Watch apps, having quietly removed Apple Watch functionality through App Store updates. It’s not entirely clear when each app was updated to remove Apple Watch support, with the feature elimination appearing to have largely gone under the radar.
It’s thought that the apps were quietly removed without notice in that there weren’t many people using them.
Google Maps was perhaps the only app that was useful on the wrist, with quick directions to places like home and work. Amazon’s Apple Watch app simply allowed for voice-based searches and one-tap purchases, something that’s easier to do on a phone or computer, while eBay’s offered notifications for auctions being tracked on the site, which also required the concurrent use of an iPhone or Mac to track content in the first place.
Target has also quietly removed Apple Watch support from its Target app for iOS, although users can still access Apple Watch functionality through the Cartwheel by Target app.
Recently, in a statement, a Google spokesperson said the Apple Watch app has been temporarily removed but will be re-launched later. “We removed Apple Watch support from our latest iOS release but expect to support it again in the future.”
Stay tuned for additional details as they become available.
Via MacRumors and AppleInsider