The world‘s first Apple Watch grocery shopping app has been launched by Ocado Technology, for online supermarket Ocado.
The app makes it easy for customers to place and track their orders via an Apple Watch. Items can be added to orders by simply speaking into the Watch and real-time order status updates are visible at a glance of the wrist.
The Ocado Apple Watch app features include:
Instant shop: The app provides a predicted order based on previous shops using advanced machine learning. Customers can then complete a shop in fifteen seconds on their wrist.
Real-time order updates: The app, which takes advantage of Apple Watch’s ‘Glances’ feature, enables customers to swipe down on the home screen to get an accurate order status update (e.g. estimated time of delivery, whether order has been picked or is en route).
Voice ordering: By taking advantage of Apple Watch‘s voice dictation feature, customers can speak into the Watch to add specific items to their basket. Say “bread” and the app will bring up a selection of choices to be added in three taps.
Add favourites to basket: Customers can quickly browse their existing Ocado favourites and add them to their basket using the Apple Watch app.
Add items to an existing shop: Top-up items can be added, via the Apple Watch, to an order that has already been made on a different device.
iPhone order transfer: Customers can use Apple’s ‘Handoff’ feature to seamlessly continue their shop via their iPhones.
The Apple Watch app was developed over the last two months by Ocado Technology, the division that powers Ocado.
“We developed the Ocado Apple Watch app with a clear goal: make it effortless for Ocado customers to order their shopping without needing to use their phone,” said Paul Clarke, Director of Technology at Ocado. “The ultimate example of this is the app’s instant order feature. Customers can now checkout without using their phones in just fifteen seconds.
Another example of where we’ve reduced customer friction is by enabling people to add items quickly to an existing order with the Apple Watch app. For example, if a customer has completed an order on their desktop computer but forgot to buy milk, they can say “milk” into the Watch and it will be added to the existing order. So with three taps on the wrist they can add a forgotten item to their order, without needing to get their phones out.”
