Apps Tiny Timer - A Better Timer App for Your Apple Watch

[Furzul]

Sorry, but at the moment the app is totally useless. The timer seems to stop part way through, I.e a 2 minute timer will freeze at say, 1.23. I just set a 1 minute timer and timed it with the built in iOS stopwatch and it finished at 1 min 37 seconds. Still needs a lot of work. This is the paid for version.

,EDIT. Just used it on my iPhone 13 pro, it works fine on the phone but will not work on my series 5 watch. What am I doing wrong?

 

[FelixII]

Hi @Furzul,

Thank you for your feedback! Please check if you have the latest version of Tiny Timer (1.3.1) installed on your watch:

1. Open Tiny Timer on your watch.
2. Tap the cogwheel button at the bottom.
3. Scroll down and check the version number.

I've fixed a couple of issues with stopping timers in the last update.

 

[Furzul]

Hi @Furzul,

Thank you for your feedback! Please check if you have the latest version of Tiny Timer (1.3.1) installed on your watch:

1. Open Tiny Timer on your watch.
2. Tap the cogwheel button at the bottom.
3. Scroll down and check the version number.

I've fixed a couple of issues with stopping timers in the last update.

Yes it is 1.3.1 (63)

 

[FelixII]

Hi,

I've just released a new TestFlight beta with support for the always-on display on Apple Watch. The numerical timer should now run continuously when the screen gets dimmed, and the timer ring updates once every minute (watchOS limitation). Since my Apple Watch doesn't have an always-on display, I cannot test this feature properly. So if anyone with a Series 5 or later could give the new version a try, I would be very grateful. ?

TestFlight - Apple

Using TestFlight is a great way to help developers test beta versions of their apps.

testflight.apple.com

 

[bukalemun]

Hi,

I've just released a new TestFlight beta with support for the always-on display on Apple Watch. The numerical timer should now run continuously when the screen gets dimmed, and the timer ring updates once every minute (watchOS limitation). Since my Apple Watch doesn't have an always-on display, I cannot test this feature properly. So if anyone with a Series 5 or later could give the new version a try, I would be very grateful. ?

TestFlight - Apple

Using TestFlight is a great way to help developers test beta versions of their apps.

testflight.apple.com

Hi Felix,

Just tested Tiny Timer with Apple's Timer with 5 min timers, adding them both to the circular complications. Here are the results:

1. Tiny Timer outer ring does not update either in full brightness or dimmed. It is always full.
2. Apple Timer continuously updates the ring when in full brightness and the ring is completely hidden when dimmed.
3. Tiny Timer sort of updates the timer countdown, but erratically. It is generally updated when another screen update occurs like for example a new minute comes and the watch updates the minutes hand.
4. Apple Timer instead reverts to counting down every minute when dimmed instead of continuously trying to update its status. So it shows the timer like 2MIN 1MIN <1MIN etc.

I also tested the timers in the side complications. Both work as expected and the same there. Tiny Timer updates its interface correctly and consistently when dimmed like I explained for Apple's Timer above (2MIN 1MIN <1MIN etc)

 

[FelixII]

Hi @bukalemun,

thank you very much for testing!

1. Tiny Timer outer ring does not update either in full brightness or dimmed. It is always full.

Which watch face are you using? I haven't updated the complications for the always-on display yet. I will see what I can do here.

I've just tested the circular complication on the Infograph Modular watch face, and the ring did move (in full brightness). The ring only updates every few seconds, though, depending on the duration of the timer. That's a limitation of third-party complications on watchOS.

3. Tiny Timer sort of updates the timer countdown, but erratically. It is generally updated when another screen update occurs like for example a new minute comes and the watch updates the minutes hand.

Does it make a difference whether the screen is dimmed or in full brightness?

Could you please also test the always-on display when a timer is running full-screen in the foreground? That's where I've implemented the support for dimmed screens in the latest update. Thank you! ?

 

[bukalemun]

Hi @bukalemun,

thank you very much for testing!



Which watch face are you using? I haven't updated the complications for the always-on display yet. I will see what I can do here.

I've just tested the circular complication on the Infograph Modular watch face, and the ring did move (in full brightness). The ring only updates every few seconds, though, depending on the duration of the timer. That's a limitation of third-party complications on watchOS.



Does it make a difference whether the screen is dimmed or in full brightness?

Could you please also test the always-on display when a timer is running full-screen in the foreground? That's where I've implemented the support for dimmed screens in the latest update. Thank you! ?

I tested Infograph. I also tested Infograph Modular and I can confirm that the ring works better on that when the screen is on full brightness.

When the timer is running on foreground full screen (Tiny Timer itself is full screen and on foreground) and the screen dims, the app blurs and the digital clock appears which is the feature of always on screens when an app is running. It is not possibe to take a screenshot but I am attaching a photo of the screen. The screen (blurred ring) also does not update while it is in this situation. It only updates when I raise my wrist.

I suggest you should focus on the complications instead of the UI when in full foreground and dimmed. Because the blur effect will hide most things you do while dimmed.

 

[bukalemun]

I also took a look at what Apple does with its timer when in full screen. I think it uses a special mode that the workout apps can use which blocks the blur effect so the app can show its interface while dimmed. But when dimmed, it greys out the ring and seconds, and only shows the minutes. And it updates only every minute. But you can immediately tap stop or pause buttons while the screen is dimmed.

 

[FelixII]

Hi @bukalemun,

Thanks again for testing! ? Are you running watchOS 8 on your Apple Watch? Because according to this WWDC session, watchOS 8 apps should always show a dimmed version of the actual UI instead of the blurred background. Maybe there is a bug in the OS, or I'm missing some configuration key. I guess I have to wait until Apple fixes the buggy simulator in Xcode 13. So I can test the always-on display properly. ?

 

[bukalemun]

Hi @bukalemun,

Thanks again for testing! ? Are you running watchOS 8 on your Apple Watch? Because according to this WWDC session, watchOS 8 apps should always show a dimmed version of the actual UI instead of the blurred background. Maybe there is a bug in the OS, or I'm missing some configuration key. I guess I have to wait until Apple fixes the buggy simulator in Xcode 13. So I can test the always-on display properly. ?

Yes, watchOS 8. Are you building with Xcode 13?

 

[FelixII]

Yes, watchOS 8. Are you building with Xcode 13?

Yes, I've even increased the minimum deployment target to iOS 15 / watchOS 8 in the latest update.

When I run Tiny Timer in the Xcode 13 simulator and enable the always-on display, the timer ring continues to move, but the numerical timer doesn't refresh anymore. However, the same thing happens when I run a simple SwiftUI timer in the simulator:

import SwiftUI

struct ContentView: View {
    @State private var currentDate = Date.now

    var body: some View {
        Text(currentDate.addingTimeInterval(30), style: .timer)
    }
}

According to the Apple docs, this should work though:

Even though your app is inactive or running in the background, the system continues to update and monitor many of the user interface elements. For example, when displaying dates and times, using Text.DateStyle values like relative, offset, and timer, the system automatically updates the Text view while in Always On.

Therefore I suspect that there is still a bug in the simulator and/or the watchOS 8 SDK.

 

[bukalemun]

That is not available to all apps. Even Apple's own apps like Home don't use the always on capabilities when dimmed. I am pretty sure your app needs to identify itself as a workout app or a timer app to watchOS before gaining the capability to update the interface while dimmed. Perhaps an entitlement corrects the issue?

 

[harriska2]

I have a dedicated Series 6 watch face just for tiny timer. Always on is enabled and I’m running whatever version of Tiny that was available in July when I upgraded my watch. Works a treat for me but I do hit the dial button to bring it back to the complication screen after setting the alarm. If I don’t, I might miss the alarm. I find that true of the Apple timer, too.

 

[FelixII]

That is not available to all apps. Even Apple's own apps like Home don't use the always on capabilities when dimmed. I am pretty sure your app needs to identify itself as a workout app or a timer app to watchOS before gaining the capability to update the interface while dimmed. Perhaps an entitlement corrects the issue?

In this WWDC session, they talk about the update frequency of the always-on display. Workout and music apps are allowed to update the screen every second, other apps once per minute. Certain UI elements like SwiftUI timers should update automatically, though. I've only found an entitlement to disable the always-on display altogether. (WKSupportsAlwaysOnDisplay)

I have a dedicated Series 6 watch face just for tiny timer. Always on is enabled and I’m running whatever version of Tiny that was available in July when I upgraded my watch. Works a treat for me but I do hit the dial button to bring it back to the complication screen after setting the alarm. If I don’t, I might miss the alarm. I find that true of the Apple timer, too.

Looks great. When a timer expires and Tiny Timer is currently running in the foreground, you should get an alert and a notification sound in the app. I'm currently investigating a watchOS 8 issue where the notification is not delivered when you close the app a few seconds before the timer runs out.

 

[bukalemun]

Hi @FelixII,

Just got an Apple Watch 7, configured it from scratch, not from a backup. Strange problem here with Tiny Timer. Its icon is completely black on this watch. The app is installed, I know where it is on the App Grid and can tap to launch it, but the icon is completely black, it also shows as a black circle on the list view. Uninstalled and reinstalled the app from both the App Store and TestFlight, with no luck. Restarting also did not work and the issue only happens with Tiny Timer, all other 3rd party apps show up correctly. Wanted to let you know.

 

[FelixII]

Hi @FelixII,

Just got an Apple Watch 7, configured it from scratch, not from a backup. Strange problem here with Tiny Timer. Its icon is completely black on this watch. The app is installed, I know where it is on the App Grid and can tap to launch it, but the icon is completely black, it also shows as a black circle on the list view. Uninstalled and reinstalled the app from both the App Store and TestFlight, with no luck. Restarting also did not work and the issue only happens with Tiny Timer, all other 3rd party apps show up correctly. Wanted to let you know.

Hi @bukalemun,

Thanks for testing! This seems to be an App Store processing issue on Apple Watch Series 7. The suggested workaround is to remove and re-download the app from the App Store. I will issue a new update for Tiny Timer soon. Installing a new version should also fix the problem.

 

[bukalemun]

Hi @bukalemun,

Thanks for testing! This seems to be an App Store processing issue on Apple Watch Series 7. The suggested workaround is to remove and re-download the app from the App Store. I will issue a new update for Tiny Timer soon. Installing a new version should also fix the problem.

Yes, re-download fixed it this time. It looks like the bug was still present while I tried re-downloading earlier.

 

[newellj]

Yes, that's a good idea. I have already considered combining several timers into groups. So you can run them either sequentially or in parallel (e.g. for cooking). Thank you for your feedback!

Sequential timers would be a good update.

 

[newellj]

Hi @bukalemun,

Thanks for testing! This seems to be an App Store processing issue on Apple Watch Series 7. The suggested workaround is to remove and re-download the app from the App Store. I will issue a new update for Tiny Timer soon. Installing a new version should also fix the problem.

Yes...lots of apps have had this issue. Examples: Carrot weather, Fantastical, Things3. You're in good company.

 

[FelixII]

Sequential timers would be a good update.

Yes, that's already on my roadmap. Thanks! ?

 

[FelixII]

Hi,

I’ve released a new Tiny Timer update for iOS 16 today. 😊

• Lock Screen Widgets: You can now pin timers to your lock screen for quick access.
• App Shortcuts: Tiny Timer integrates with the Shortcuts app. You can create, start and pause timers. These actions can be automated and integrate with other apps.

The update is now available for download on the App Store. The new features require iOS 16 and are therefore currently only available on the iPhone. iPadOS 16 is expected to be released in October. Tiny Timer will also continue to work on all devices with iOS 15.

As always, I'm happy to answer questions and provide feedback. Just post a message in this thread.