A de Young companion app for the Apple Watch, allowing a user to be notified of nearby artwork, play audio, and see tour progress from the Watch.
Description
Around the time of launching the de Young app, Apple was getting ready for a marketing push of the Apple Watch. We had established a developer relationship with them since launching the Hearst Castle app, but the success of the de Young app reignited that. After talking with Apple, it became clear that developing the Apple Watch companion for the de Young app would be a good idea, so we jumped at the opportunity to build something new and exciting. During a fast-paced few weeks we designed and built the Watch app to coincide with the de Young’s new special exhibition, Oscar de la Renta: The Retrospective. We quickly installed iBeacons throughout the exhibition and fine-tuned them for accurate notifications when approaching different stops. The user would be notified when they approached a featured stop with audio and presented with the ability to play audio from the Watch, assuming the user had bluetooth-connected headphones.
Before public launch of the Watch app, Apple held a press day at the de Young in the exhibition space featuring the app. The response was positive, and showcased how the Watch could act as an intuitive tour guide, encouraging focus on the artwork and less on looking down at a screen.
