I don't think there is a blame to put on app-makers. The Apple Watch is a companion-product by design.
Apple's target-group for the Watch is every iPhone user, they know that with patience they can sell an Apple Watch to every iPhone user out there.
So there's little incentive for Apple to create a Watch that doesn't require an iPhone, and little reason for app-developers to assume you own a Watch but NO iPhone...
I agree.
The Apple Watch is very useful, but I'm not happy about having to buy an iPhone to go with it. With luck the Pixel watches might become good enough to replace it.
Apple's target-group for the Watch is every iPhone user, they know that with patience they can sell an Apple Watch to every iPhone user out there.
So there's little incentive for Apple to create a Watch that doesn't require an iPhone, and little reason for app-developers to assume you own a Watch but NO iPhone...