Smart watch maker Pebble launched its app store for Android, after adding the functionality to its smartphone app.

In a blog post, Pebble said the development of the app store had taken longer than expected, as the company wanted to match the user experience of the iOS version, launched at the beginning of February.

Users can locate, browse and download apps and watch faces. Apps are then transferred from smartphone to smart watch via Bluetooth.

Pebble also announced new app partners, namely Evernote, eBay and Times Warner Cable. Mercedes-Benz, Yelp and Foursquare already offer apps for the platform.

Using the eBay app, users can access their feed on the ecommerce services and discover products from their Pebble smart watch. Users can also add items to their Watch List via their Pebble before completing purchases on their smartphone.

Evernote for Pebble allows users to access checklists, reminders and notebooks from their smart watch, while the Time Warner Cable app allows Intelligent Home subscribers to control home services from their wrists.

The Pebble App Challenge has been unveiled to mark the launch of the Android version of the app store. Developers are invited to compete with their apps for a $5,000 grand prize. The top 16 finalists will receive a Pebble Steel smart watch.

The submission deadline for eligible apps is 23 March, with the public voting for the winning titles on the Pebble App Challenge website.