App Overview

Theodolite for Watch icon

Theodolite for Watch

Craig Hunter · Navigation

Theodolite was one of the earliest augmented reality (AR) apps for iOS when it debuted in 2009 -- in fact Theodolite was pioneering AR technology before "AR" was even a buzzword! In the time since, Theodolite has been...

$1.99 · In-app purchases

PRICE
$1.99
In-app purchases
BUSINESS MODEL
Paid
No overall Grossing estimate available
RATING
4.2
20 ratings · Top 30%

Evidence scope: No current overall US chart position is available. Category-chart positions shown in discovery are a separate scope. Revenue is a directional model estimate, not verified earnings.

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Build Kit

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A product spec, screen plans, and build steps for your coding agent.

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What's included17 files

A product spec, phased build plan, differentiation notes, and screen references.

  • START_HERE
  • AGENTS
  • EVIDENCE
  • SPEC
  • BUILD_PLAN
  • DIFFERENTIATION
  • skills/
  • screens/
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Illustrative example: an invoice app for independent contractors. Your kit is tailored to the app you choose; this is not its generated content.

Feature spec

Goal: Send a clear invoice after finishing a job.

  • Add a client, line items, a due date, and payment instructions.
  • Preview the total before exporting a PDF.
  • Keep an editable draft if export fails.

Screen plan

Invoice editor: Client at the top, editable line items in the middle, total and preview action at the bottom.

States: Empty draft, validation errors beside each field, exporting, and a retry action that preserves the draft.

Differentiate and validate

Hypothesis: Contractors need faster repeat invoices more than more templates.

First experiment: Test duplicating a previous job with five contractors. Watch where they hesitate before expanding the feature set.

The full kit adds a phased build plan, evidence notes, tool prompts, and implementation guidance. It is a plan for your coding agent, not a finished app.

Usage: Mechanics are fair game; never reuse the original name, branding, assets, or verbatim copy.

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Quick prompt

> SELECT BUILD PLATFORM:

Good fit for mobile-first iOS and Android prototypes with managed app scaffolding.

// RORK SYSTEM PROMPT
Rork plan preview for Theodolite for Watch: map the core Navigation workflow, choose the smallest differentiated feature set, define the data and monetization boundaries, then prototype the riskiest user journey first.
            

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Opportunities

AI-GENERATED OPPORTUNITY HYPOTHESES

These are generated suggestions, not verified review quotations. Check current App Store reviews and speak with users before treating a possible gap as a requirement.

Hypothesis 1

Integrate with GPS and other mapping services for enhanced functionality.

Assumption to check: Limited integration with other navigation tools

Validate with people who use this workflow before building.

Hypothesis 2

Implement offline map access and angle measurement.

Assumption to check: Lack of offline functionality

Validate with people who use this workflow before building.

Hypothesis 3

Add onboarding tutorials and tooltips to aid new users.

Assumption to check: Not user-friendly for beginners

Validate with people who use this workflow before building.

Hypothesis 4

Create a robust measurement history feature with the ability to save and share.

Assumption to check: Limited measurement history

Validate with people who use this workflow before building.

App evidence

Original App Store material. Ratings and screenshots describe the existing app, not proof of demand for your version.

App Store description

Theodolite was one of the earliest augmented reality (AR) apps for iOS when it debuted in 2009 -- in fact Theodolite was pioneering AR technology before "AR" was even a buzzword! In the time since, Theodolite has been used by millions of consumers and professionals in their outdoor adventures and on the job. Now, we've taken the Theodolite concept to Apple Watch by combining a compass, inclinometer, GPS, and maps into one indispensable app that sits on your wrist. We're excited to keep evolving this centuries-old instrument as hardware and software technologies allow the concept to come to new device formats. On iPhone and iPad, Theodolite uses a viewfinder format, uniting the device sensors (GPS, magnetometer, gyro, accelerometer) and camera. On Apple Watch, Theodolite combines data from these sensors into an AHRS (attitude and heading reference system) layout similar to what you'd see in the glass cockpit of a modern aircraft. This layout allows Theodolite to efficiently display compass bearing (yaw angle), pitch angle, and roll angle in a compact format that works extremely well on a small screen. This information is augmented by latitude, longitude, and altitude from GPS, as well as sun and moon position. New in Theodolite for Watch version 2 is a map screen and waypoint manager. You can add waypoints on the map or at your current location, and view waypoints on the compass ring to visualize their bearing from your current location. Theodolite has settings for compass mode (true or magnetic, degrees or mils), distance/altitude units (feet or meters), and position format (decimal degrees, degrees-minutes-seconds, MGRS, USNG, UTM, UTM-B, and Maidenhead Locator System). Users can choose to display an artificial horizon in the center of the app display (tied to pitch and roll) and can set the app's level reference to flat or vertical orientations of the Watch. The app has six color schemes, including two night vision modes - midnight red and luminescent green. Theodolite for Watch is recommended for Apple Watch Series 5 and later (including Ultra). Apple Watch Series 4 and older do not have a compass sensor and will not show compass data. On older devices, the app uses the device's gyro sensor to measure rotation. You can twist the watch's digital crown to adjust and calibrate the gyro to the sun position, moon position, or a known bearing. Using these references, the "gyro compass" is able to give bearing. The calibration can be repeated as often as desired to give accurate results. Theodolite reports accuracy from the magnetometer sensor in your Watch. To improve results, operate Theodolite away from magnets, electronics, or sources of electro-magnetic interference, including car dashboards, aircraft cockpits, metal structures, and other devices. Like all our apps, we plan to continually improve and evolve Theodolite for Watch. Please contact us with feature requests, suggestions, and general feedback. We'd love to hear what you're doing with the app! And if you don't already have Theodolite for your iPhone or iPad, check it out!

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Screenshots

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Build scope

Plan a focused first version with your coding agent. These are planning assumptions, not a delivery guarantee.

Define the first version

Choose one audience and one core workflow. Use the kit to agree on its screens, data, and acceptance criteria before building.

Set boundaries

Decide which secondary features, integrations, and platform support can wait. Your version does not need to reproduce everything in the original.

Check the hard parts

Validate external services, specialist technology, data access, and ongoing costs for your chosen scope.

SUGGESTED BUILD STACK
React Native
Expo
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zustand
expo-location
BUILD KIT DIFFICULTY
Intermediate

From the Build Kit assessment.

A reliable timeline needs an agreed scope and a technical check. Ask your agent to estimate the phases in BUILD_PLAN.md after that review.