Method and apparatus for developing socially suitable applications and devices

Abstract

An approach is presented for making the use of a mobile device more socially suitable. Remote control application programming interfaces and installation packages are specified to developers for designing applications that can be controlled via a main device (e.g., a mobile phone) and one or more accessory devices (e.g., a watch). Specifically, each application is required to have two installable components—one that resides on the main device and one that is automatically installed on an associated remote accessory device. By enabling the seamless installation of these two components, a new paradigm or ecosystem for how applications are to be created and installed is introduced. In this new paradigm, application developers will not only develop the applications, but they will also design and define a way to make their applications remotely controllable and reachable from an accessory device, thus making the associated mobile devices running such applications more socially suitable.

1 . A method comprising facilitating a processing of and/or processing (1) data and/or (2) information and/or (3) at least one signal, the (1) data and/or (2) information and/or (3) at least one signal based, at least in part, on the following:
 a specification of one or more programming interfaces for enabling control of one or more applications via one or more main mobile devices, one or more accessory mobile devices, or a combination thereof;   a determination, based at least in part on metadata contained in the one or more applications, of compatibility of the one or more applications with the one or more main mobile devices, one or more accessory mobile devices, or a combination thereof; and   selectively enabling, based at least in part on the determination, a graphic presentation of the compatibility on a user interface on one or more of the main mobile devices, one or more of the accessory mobile devices, or a combination thereof.   
     
     
         2 . A method of  claim 1 , wherein the (1) data and/or (2) information and/or (3) at least one signal are further based, at least in part, on the following:
 a determination, based at least in part on the metadata, one or more functions of the one or more applications, one or more form factors of the one or more main mobile devices, one or more form factors of the one or more accessory mobile devices, or a combination thereof; and   causing, at least in part, the graphic presentation of the compatibility with the one or more functions, the one or more form factors, or a combination thereof, on the user interface.   
     
     
         3 . A method of  claim 2 , wherein the (1) data and/or (2) information and/or (3) at least one signal are further based, at least in part, on the following:
 a selection of a combined installation package of at least one of the applications that is compatible with the main mobile device and the at least one of the accessory mobile devices, in response to a user selection upon the graphic presentation within an application store,   wherein the user interface includes one or more other user interface elements for enabling control of the at least one of the applications active on the main mobile device.   
     
     
         4 . A method of  claim 3 , wherein the selection of the combined installation package, causes, at least in part, an initiation of at least one of the applications at the main device and the at least one of the accessory mobile devices. 
     
     
         5 . A method of  claim 3 , wherein the (1) data and/or (2) information and/or (3) at least one signal are further based, at least in part, on the following:
 a generation of the combined installation package based, at least in part, on an operating system of the at least one of the accessory mobile devices and the compatibility.   
     
     
         6 . A method of  claim 2 , wherein the (1) data and/or (2) information and/or (3) at least one signal are further based, at least in part, on the following:
 causing, at least in part, a presentation of the one or more programming interfaces for a developer of the one or more applications; and   receiving one or more selections by the developer to set end-user options available at the one or more accessory mobile devices.   
     
     
         7 . A method of  claim 6 , wherein the end-user options include activating one or more notifications, deactivate the one or more notifications, activating the one or more remote features, deactivate one or more remote features, displaying the one or more applications in a remote menu, hiding the one or more applications in the remote menu, one or more previews of notification snapshots, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         8 . A method of  claim 6 , wherein the (1) data and/or (2) information and/or (3) at least one signal are further based, at least in part, on the following:
 a transmission of the one or more notifications, the one or more remote features, the one or more previews, or a combination thereof associated with the one or more applications between the main mobile device and the at least one of the accessory mobile devices via the one or more programming interfaces.   
     
     
         9 . A method of  claim 2 , wherein the graphic presentation shows that at least one of the applications as compatible with at least one of the main mobile devices and incompatible with at least one of the accessory mobile devices. 
     
     
         10 . A method of  claim 2 , wherein the one or more form factors of the main mobile devices include a mobile phone, a mobile tablet, or a combination thereof, the one or more form factors of the accessory mobile devices include a watch, a writing instrument, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         11 . An apparatus comprising:
 at least one processor; and   at least one memory including computer program code,   the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to perform at least the following,
 retrieve a specification of one or more programming interfaces for enabling control of one or more applications via one or more main mobile devices, one or more accessory mobile devices, or a combination thereof; 
 determine, based at least in part on metadata contained in the one or more applications, of compatibility of the one or more applications with the one or more main mobile devices, one or more accessory mobile devices, or a combination thereof; and 
 selectively enable, based at least in part on the determining, a graphic presentation of the compatibility on a user interface on one or more of the main mobile devices, one or more of the accessory mobile devices, or a combination thereof. 
   
     
     
         12 . An apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the apparatus is further caused, at least in part, to:
 determine, based at least in part on the metadata, one or more functions of the one or more applications, one or more form factors of the one or more main mobile devices, one or more form factors of the one or more accessory mobile devices, or a combination thereof; and   cause, at least in part, the graphic presentation of the compatibility with the one or more functions, the one or more form factors, or a combination thereof, on the user interface.   
     
     
         13 . An apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the apparatus is further caused, at least in part, to:
 cause, at least in part, a selection of a combined installation package of at least one of the applications that is compatible with the main mobile device and the at least one of the accessory mobile devices, in response to a user selection upon the graphic presentation within an application store,   wherein the user interface includes one or more other user interface elements for enabling control of the at least one of the applications active on the main mobile device.   
     
     
         14 . An apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the selection of the combined installation package, causes, at least in part, an initiation of at least one of the applications at the main device and the at least one of the accessory mobile devices. 
     
     
         15 . An apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the apparatus is further caused, at least in part, to:
 cause, at least in part, a generation of the combined installation package based, at least in part, on an operating system of the at least one of the accessory mobile devices and the compatibility.   
     
     
         16 . An apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the apparatus is further caused, at least in part, to:
 cause, at least in part, a presentation of the one or more programming interfaces for a developer of the one or more applications; and   receive one or more selections by the developer to set end-user options available at the one or more accessory mobile devices.   
     
     
         17 . An apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the end-user options include activating one or more notifications, deactivate the one or more notifications, activating the one or more remote features, deactivate one or more remote features, displaying the one or more applications in a remote menu, hiding the one or more applications in the remote menu, one or more previews of notification snapshots, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         18 . An apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the apparatus is further caused, at least in part, to:
 cause, at least in part, a transmission of the one or more notifications, the one or more remote features, the one or more previews, or a combination thereof associated with the one or more applications between the main mobile device and the at least one of the accessory mobile devices via the one or more programming interfaces.   
     
     
         19 . An apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the graphic presentation shows that at least one of the applications as compatible with at least one of the main mobile devices and incompatible with at least one of the accessory mobile devices. 
     
     
         20 . An apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the one or more form factors of the main mobile devices include a mobile phone, a mobile tablet, or a combination thereof, the one or more form factors of the accessory mobile devices include a watch, a writing instrument, or a combination thereof.