Is There A Way to Have a Watch App Both Standalone AND Embedded?

That may seem like an odd question, but hear me out...

I have a couple of apps that I've written: A Watch app, and an iOS app. They are both basically "faces" of the same thing.

The Watch app has just been submitted as a standalone app, for offer in the new Watch App Store. The iOS app has already been in the iOS App Store.

It would be nice to have the Watch app embedded in the iOS app, so that people getting the iOS app would also get the Watch app. They don't have any interactions with each other. It would just be a "2fer" deal.

What I would like, is if people that had the Watch app, were to download the iOS app, the embedded app would not interfere with the one they got from the App Store, or would replace it.

It seems that I can't set this up in Xcode. It has to be one or the other. This can be done by giving them different App IDs, but that means that the user could get two copies of the same app on the Watch, with one not aging well.

Is there a way to get a Watch app to be both embedded AND standalone?
Answered by Frameworks Engineer in 629063022
If your watchOS app is essentially the same as your iOS app, it cannot be submitted as a separate app. It must be bundled with the iOS app. If it can operate when the iOS app is not installed, check the Supports Running Without iOS App Installation.
Not sure about embedding, but if you mean buy one get both, take a look at

https://developer.apple.com/support/universal-purchase/
Thanks! I'll have to check if it's possible to get what I need from it. Not sure if it's possible; but maybe.
Accepted Answer
If your watchOS app is essentially the same as your iOS app, it cannot be submitted as a separate app. It must be bundled with the iOS app. If it can operate when the iOS app is not installed, check the Supports Running Without iOS App Installation.
Is There A Way to Have a Watch App Both Standalone AND Embedded?
 
 
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