Drowning in water, freezing in the snow, burning dry in the desert. All are extreme survival situations. And that’s how Apple introduced the new Apple Watch product line during the past Far Out event. Once a forerunner to a bright future, Apple’s recent performance was bleak – it reflects our current uncertain times, and makes the most of it to sell.
As co-founder Steve Jobs previously stated, Apple was founded with the mission to turn the personal computer into ” the bicycle in your mind “, but that is no longer the case. Even the top design innovations associated with Apple products are gone now that Jony Ive is no longer part of the company.
For the past 40 years, there’s been one reason Apple has become the greatest company in the world: instilling optimism about a better future through hardware that’s built faster, cleaner, and more affordable. features like never before. They deliver on the promise of ease of use, aesthetic beauty and efficiency.
But in the last event, Apple showed a completely different side of the new hardware.
Hit the fear
The opening for Apple’s recent Far Out event is the story of survivors. This isn’t the first time Apple has brought stories of heart attack survivors to the stage, but the message doesn’t stop there. A young woman sits in the wreckage of her father’s plane that just hit the ground – before the Apple Watch helps her call 911. Following is Apple’s explanation for the feature that has been in development for years: Crash Detection.
” We really hope you never need it, but you’ll feel a little safer every time you step in the car .” Ron Huang, Apple’s VP of Sensors and Connectivity, said.
Of course, the Crash Detection feature on this Apple Watch series 8 doesn’t help you avoid an accident – that’s not what Apple is talking about – but it implies another side: your world is becoming hazardous. You are also in danger. Try to survive to tell that story.
This scary context is even more obvious when the Covid-19 pandemic has just passed and many people are still haunted by what happened. That’s when they’ll need the new temperature change detection feature on the Apple Watch Series 8. Although measuring skin temperature doesn’t give an accurate number, detecting temperature changes can. help users know if they are sick or not.
If you have any hope of survival, you might be interested in the new Apple Watch Ultra. It’s virtually Apple’s first truly rugged product, built for the outdoors, complete with a compass and brighter display and orange accents for emergencies. .
But instead of emphasizing this factor, the opening of the Apple Watch Ultra introductory video refers to explorer Ernest Shackleton’s ad to find people to explore Antarctica with words like ” harsh journey “. , ” months of darkness and cold and danger await “, “unlikely to return safely” but promises to bring ” honor and recognition to the successful “. Another scary message in Apple’s recent product launch.
An approach never seen before
While these new features can be viewed as a continuation of Apple’s efforts towards the wellness elements, the company’s approach to emphasizing fear has also shocked many in the industry. attention. ” It’s a little surprising that Apple has taken a panic-stricken approach and positioned its device as a means of saving lives ,” said Ramon Llamas, research director at IDC.
Apple’s change in the way it markets its products comes at a time when it is facing a new economic landscape. Rising inflation, the possibility of an economic downturn will make it difficult for users to withdraw their wallets and spend thousands of dollars to upgrade new equipment – especially when it is not too different from the previous year.
On the other hand, the emphasis on safety and health features could help Apple increase revenue from subscription services. Eric Abbruzzese, research director at ABI Research, said the ability to connect to satellites to broadcast SOS signals is only ” free for the first two years ” and then users will have to pay a subscription fee. In addition, ” new health tools seem to be another way to sell more of Apple’s Fitness+ service “.
Refer to Fastcompany, CNN