UNA Watch - Companion App for the First Repairable & Upgradeable Sports Watch

The sports watch market has long been dominated by closed ecosystems where hardware is often impossible to repair, impossible to upgrade and largely controlled by a single manufacturer. UNA Watch set out to challenge this model by creating the world's first repairable and upgradeable GPS sports watch, built around openness, longevity and sustainability.

Delivering this vision required more than innovative hardware - it demanded a connected software ecosystem capable of providing a seamless experience for both users and developers.

Memory Squared partnered with UNA Watch to help build that ecosystem.

Building an Open Wearable Platform

Unlike traditional companion applications, the project extended far beyond connecting a mobile phone to a wearable device.

Memory Squared developed the cross-platform mobile application, enabling users to pair their watch, configure settings, synchronise activities, manage firmware updates and analyse performance through an intuitive interface.

In parallel, we developed the Developer Portal and contributed to the developer framework supporting UNA Watch's vision of an open platform. This enables third-party developers to build applications, integrations and extensions, making the watch more than a standalone device and encouraging long-term community innovation.

The user experience and product design evolved collaboratively between the UNA Watch and Memory Squared teams, combining the client's product vision with our experience in mobile product engineering and usability.

Engineering Within Hardware Constraints

Developing software for wearable devices introduces engineering challenges rarely encountered in conventional mobile applications.

The companion application had to maintain reliable Bluetooth Low Energy communication with custom hardware while supporting evolving firmware and new watch capabilities throughout development.

Because the hardware, firmware and mobile software were all progressing simultaneously, engineering decisions required close collaboration between multiple disciplines. Features often depended on hardware capabilities that were still under development, while firmware changes required corresponding updates across the mobile application and supporting services.

The software architecture was therefore designed to evolve alongside the hardware, allowing new capabilities to be introduced without compromising reliability or the overall user experience.

From Crowdfunding to Commercial Product

Following the successful Kickstarter campaign, development continued through iterative releases delivered to early backers. This approach allowed the team to validate features, collect real-world feedback and continuously refine both the watch and its software ecosystem.

The product reached full commercial launch in July 2026, completing its transition from an ambitious crowdfunding project into a market-ready wearable platform.

Today, the mobile application, Developer Portal and supporting software continue to evolve together with the watch, enabling new functionality while reinforcing UNA Watch's mission of creating a more sustainable and open future for wearable technology.