CircuitMess
Developing an Android app with BLE functionality for seamless connection between smartwatches and customer smartphones.
Creating a mobile application with BLE for Android
Location:
Croatia
Cooperation model:
Fixed price
Industry:
Ecommerce/Robotics
Partnership period:
January 2026 – now
Improvements plan:
Discovery phase, requirements and estimation analysis, wireframing and prototyping, BLE mobile app development
Team size:
Mobile app developer, Mobile app designer, Project manager
Technologies:
Kotlin 2.3, Android, Jetpack Compose, Java 17, Nordic Semiconductor BLE Library
About the CircuitMess STEM brand
The CircuitMess company produces and sells STEM boxes for kids and adults who are passionate about learning how electronics works. The company started with a crowdfunding campaign on Kickstarter in 2017 with a mission to make electronics and programming accessible and enjoyable, and now it is one of the most popular brands in DIY electronics.
They provide their customers with materials, instructions, and ideas, and offer them an opportunity to build and code electronic devices on their own. CircuitMess' products let you build robots, game consoles, and gadgets while learning electronics, coding, and robotics, and are aimed at complete beginners.
It's a brand that sits at the intersection of education and fun, where "build your own gadget" is not just a weekend activity, but a genuine introduction to real electronics and programming skills.
CircuitMess product specifics
CircuitMess produces all kinds of DIY electronics kits for kids, teens, and adults. Their product line includes smartwatches, DJ mixers, self-driving robot cars, and even NASA Mars Perseverance rovers.
Once you purchase your favorite STEM box, you get all the necessary components and instructions to build an electronic device. Say, if your choice is a Mars Rover, you learn how to build a replica of a real NASA Perseverance rover that can maneuver its robotic arm, rotate the camera to capture the Martian landscape, and more. For every purchase in CircuitMess, you get lifetime support if you need any help with your build.
CircuitMess challenges
The CircuitMess team was looking for Android app development specialists to enable easy connection of their smartwatches with smartphones. They required such functionality to add it to the device kit in addition to the already existing iOS app. The connection had to be fast and energy-efficient to prolong smartwatch battery life. For this reason, we recommended the BLE mobile app development approach since that is what perfectly works for such cases.
An important distinction: CircuitMess smartwatches don't run Android Wear OS or any commercial platform like Samsung's. They use a custom, handcrafted OS built specifically for CircuitMess kits. This meant standard BLE wearable SDKs and integration patterns didn't apply, and most of the communication logic had to be tailored specifically to CircuitMess' custom firmware.
Solutions we've implemented for CircuitMess
Wireframes creation. The client used our mobile app design services to create wireframes for their Android app. Our specialist conducted research on the competitor apps and composed all the required designs for every screen for every possible action the user may perform, such as a menu of connected devices and paired message screens.
Android app development. Once the app design was ready, we started with the development of the BLE app for Android. The main purpose was to make the app seamlessly connect, disconnect, unpair, and add new BLE devices. Our development team implemented all the required functionality following the BLE protocols for an Android BLE app example. We also enabled the app to display all devices a user paired with their phone and indicate whether each device is currently connected.
Full Google Play submission support. The DigitalSuits team helped the client prepare the documentation necessary for adding the app to Google Play and fully managed the submission process. The CircuitMess Connect app is already successfully listed and available for CircuitMess customers.
Beyond core connectivity, we implemented a range of additional features tailored to the specifics of the CircuitMess custom device ecosystem:
Find My Device feature allows users to trigger an audio signal on their Android smartphone directly from the smartwatch, making it easy to locate a misplaced phone — a handy feature especially appreciated by younger users.
Media controls. The smartwatch can be used to control media playback (music, video) on the paired Android device, giving users a convenient way to manage what's playing without reaching for their phone.
Firmware version control. The app displays the current firmware version running on the connected device and guides users to the relevant update instructions, helping them keep their hand-assembled smartwatch up to date.
Results of the CircuitMess case study
As a result of our cooperation, the client got a new feature for their flagship product that lets Android users connect their smartphones with the smartwatch once they put all the electronic components together.
The CircuitMess Connect app is live on Google Play, fully supported, and available to CircuitMess customers worldwide, complementing the existing iOS app and completing the cross-platform experience for the brand's growing user base.
Frequently asked questions
Why did CircuitMess need a separate Android app for the smartwatch?
Because the smartwatch already had iOS support, but Android users needed their own app to pair the device, manage connections, and use the product more easily after assembling it.
Why was BLE chosen for this mobile app?
Android BLE connection was the right choice because it supports fast device pairing and communication while using less battery power, which is especially important for wearable devices like smartwatches.
Why did the app require custom BLE communication logic instead of standard wearable SDKs?
CircuitMess smartwatches don't run Android Wear OS or any off-the-shelf platform — they use a custom OS built specifically for their kits. Standard wearable SDKs simply don't work with it, so the communication logic had to be written specifically for CircuitMess' firmware.
What additional features does the CircuitMess Connect app offer beyond basic pairing?
Quite a few. Users can trigger an audio alert on their phone straight from the smartwatch — handy when the phone goes missing. The watch also works as a media remote, so there's no need to grab the phone just to skip a track. And if the firmware needs updating, the app shows the current version and points users to the right instructions.