James Cullimore

On paper, Wear OS development should feel like a natural extension of building Android apps. In practice, it often comes with hidden obstacles: UI redesigns, Play Store quirks, broken permission flows, missing APIs, and unexpected debugging challenges. In this roundtable, we’ll explore the realities of bringing apps to the wrist—from communication between phone and watch modules, to performance trade-offs, to custom UI workarounds. Join us to share experiences, frustrations, and lessons learned so the next wave of Wear OS apps can be a little smoother for everyone. Kick-off questions: > What has been your biggest surprise when moving from Android app development to Wear OS? > How do you approach UI design differently for the wrist compared to the phone? > What workarounds or hacks have you discovered for missing APIs or broken system flows on Wear OS? > How do you test, debug, and deploy effectively when working with Wear OS hardware and the Play Store? > Do you think Wear OS development will get easier over time, or are the constraints of the platform here to stay?

Every developer dreams of building a game at some point. I did too. But with no time, no budget, and no prior game dev experience, it felt like something I’d never realistically pull off. This talk is the war story of how I proved myself wrong. I'll walk you through how I turned an idea, a game I could play one-handed while walking my dog, into a working Kotlin-powered mobile game with in-app purchases, localization, and community traction. No Unity. No backend. No big budget. Just a roadmap, some creativity, and a lot of train rides for development. We’ll look at how I made strategic tech decisions to avoid unnecessary complexity (like skipping an engine and going full Kotlin), how I kept costs near zero (using Fiverr, AI-generated assets, and open licensed music), and how I kept momentum alive with a clear MVP goal and low-pressure side project mindset. If you’ve ever wanted to ship your own game but felt overwhelmed by the barrier to entry, this talk will give you a realistic, developer-first blueprint that starts with Kotlin and ends with a playable, publishable game. Key Takeaways / Learning Points - Why you don’t need a game engine to start building games as an Android dev. - How to approach a side project with minimal time and budget and still ship. - How to build a working MVP game in Kotlin, from graphics to gameplay. - Tips for low-cost asset creation: AI tools, Fiverr, free music, and DIY design. - How to start monetizing early (ads, IAPs) without a backend. - Lessons from launching: app store assets, community traction, GDWC, and early feedback loops. - The importance of scoping, accessibility, and localization from day one.