Manage tons of functions from your iPhone, respond to messages by voice, customize the screen with your initials

Jan 14, 2015 09:15 GMT  ·  By

According to registered Apple developers with access to iOS 8.2 betas, iPhone users will soon get a Companion app for the upcoming Apple Watch, enabling them to control numerous aspects of the wearable device from the smartphone.

The application manages settings both for the Apple Watch, as well as for phone-watch integration, such as managing and organizing applications on the Apple Watch home screen, setting up a Monogram (such as your initials) on the watch’s display, etc.

In order to minimize the intrusiveness of the notification system, you can choose to just have a red dot displayed at the top of the clock face, according to 9to5mac’s leak.

If you’re a trader, or you like to stay on top of trading-related aspects, you can have a stock shown via complications. It will show things like current price, market cap, point/percentage change, etc.

Messaging and accessibility

Users will be able to message back from their watch using their voice (with audio messages), or via transcribed dictation. Pre-defined text replies can also be set.

Like iOS and OS X, the underlying software of the Apple Watch will offer VoiceOver, magnify (zoom on the Apple Watch’s screen), settings to tweak motion and transparency, grayscale mode, animations, bold text, and even stereo audio balance.

Security

The Companion app will allow users to set a passcode for their wrist-worn mini-computer, a requirement for Apple Pay, according to the leak. Unlocking the watch will be done either on the wrist, or via the iPhone, whichever way the user prefers at a given time.

Users will have the ability to wipe the watch clean, or have it wipe its own data automatically if the passcode is entered incorrectly one too many times.

Health & Fitness, and other stuff

You’ll be able to set the watch to remind you to get off your rear and start moving, if you’ve been sitting too much. You’ll receive an activity progress, completion of goals, achievements, and summaries, if you set the watch so.

Confirming that the wearable will have on-board storage, the Companion app will show storage capacity, songs, photos, apps, and more.