Apple Watch is Cool, Just like iPhone

After spending time with Apple Watch, it became abundantly clear why people will like the device: it's new and cool. A device that can fit into one's life, but still seemingly blend away when not in use, shares many similarities to the iPhone. While coolness may not be enough to use as the conclusion of a 5,000-word product review, and it certainly won't cause the general public to run out to an Apple store and spend $400+ on a watch, it will lead to imagination. Apple Watch's long-term success will depend on the people pre-ordering the device today; the trailblazers who view the Watch's potential with the same eye that saw iPhone's potential in its early years. 

Apple Watch's coolness transcends the much more complex and important topic of technology. The Apple Watch needs to become a better device. While this may sound like a stern warning, it is a necessity that simply describes the path of technology, exemplified by the iPhone over the past eight years. Not only did the iPhone become thinner and lighter over the years, but the fundamental way we used the device changed, thanks in part to more powerful components and third-party developers. From a device used to access the internet when we were away from our computer, the iPhone is now our computer. 

The same process will occur with Apple Watch. Today, the Apple Watch is a cool device that can show the time when we look at our wrist, track how many steps we walk each day, and send tap messages to friends. As the device gains additional sensors, better battery technology, and revolutionary materials and components, the use cases will expand as developers utilize the device's potential.

Apple Watch will use coolness to sell itself until people find that utility. As developers understand what the Watch is, and more importantly isn't, apps will improve, taking information once destined for the iPhone and repackaging it for the wrist. In many ways this is what early adopters do, buy things that they think are cool and interesting and then spend time tinkering and thinking. Saying a product is for early adopters isn't an insult, even though many have equated the two in recent years. 

Watching people of all ages try on and interact with the Apple Watch, the impression I got was that most saw it as an interesting watch. That is to be expected considering the wrist was ruled by the watch for decades and anything destined for the same spot on our bodies will likely be initially compared to a watch. This is one reason why I heard a few complaints about the screen turning off when not pointed at the wearer, or having to charge it each night. Regular watches don't have those "tradeoffs". The same was said about iPhone "drawbacks" such as not having a keyboard and needing to charge it more frequently compared to feature phones. Even though the iPhone was introduced as the best smartphone in the market, in many ways it made for a suboptimal phone. Over time, our demands for a phone changed. The same will occur with what we consider to be Apple Watch negatives, and ultimately, what we want out of a watch. 

The bet that Apple is making with Apple Watch is that in an environment of smart glasses, virtual and augmented reality goggles, and other wearable devices, it is the wrist that has a long runway with an immense level of untapped innovation, and more importantly, void of many roadblocks to reach that innovation. Apple knew that consumers wanted to wear and play with something that looked cool, while every other smartwatch maker was too concerned about first answering the utility question. Why else are Apple Watch bands, which have little functionality besides being a fashion accessory, the most talked about Apple Watch feature? 

The Apple Watch represents potential. I suspect that is one reason why Apple executives can't hold back a smile whenever Apple Watch comes up in conversation. With an iPhone, although there is still plenty of innovation left, exemplified by Apple's recent $20 million acquisition of LinX, people now understand the iPhone is a computer. The level of excitement or surprise will never be the way it used to be. We now demand our iPhone to take over the world. The Apple Watch possesses similar traits to when we first saw the iPhone. There isn't just a level of excitement around the device, but also intrigue and mystery. We don't know what will happen to Apple Watch in a few years. We are told Apple Watch will never work on its own. We are told it will always be an iPhone accessory and companion. People are buying it today because subconsciously they want to see if those statements are true. We want to know if the Apple Watch is the future. Just like the iPhone, a very good case can be made that the answer is yes and it starts with being cool. 

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My Apple Watch Try-On Experience

For the past seven months we have been told how the Apple Watch is the most personal device Apple has ever created. This past Friday, the general public had its first chance to find out what Apple meant as Apple Watch try-on appointments were rolled out.  I selected one of the first time slots at my local Apple store as in many ways I was more interested in the way Apple had set up these try-on appointments than actually trying out the device. Needless to say, I ended up learning quite a bit. 

While I have some constructive criticism and suggestions, I found the entire try-on process enjoyable. Despite following the Apple Watch beat for the past seven months, I still found there to be surprises. I can only imagine how someone not familiar with Apple Watch would likely feel overwhelmed by this new gadget for the wrist.  

Going into the try-on I thought the Apple Watch Sport will be the most popular model, possibly by a pretty wide margin, and the black and white sports bands will be the most popular bands by a significant number. That view was only reinforced after trying on all of the different options.

No Lines and Limited Try-On Models

Despite Apple encouraging customers to make an appointment to try on the Apple Watch, I ended up simply walking in and getting taken care of as there were open try-on slots available. The store had been open for an hour, but things still seemed pretty quiet. While my specialist was friendly, helpful, and approachable, there was little in the way of agenda or questioning. "Which would you like to see?" was the first, and basically the only question asked of me during my appointment. Fortunately, I was already well aware of each band choice. Unfortunately, the store only had one size of each available watch band, often with the smaller 38mm case, which I found odd. I asked one of the workers why so many models were missing, and he said that was all they had received. Strange, but honest answer.

Tough Choice Between 38mm and 42mm Watch Case

A 38mm Apple Watch on the left compared to a 42mm Apple Watch on the right. It was a close call between which one looked more appropriate on my 140mm wrist.

I came into Friday with the assumption that the 38mm Watch case was being sold just to push the 42mm version, with few people actually opting for the 38mm. After Friday, I actually think the 38mm is indeed the right size for a certain percentage of the buying population. Recent data from Slice would seem to support that view, with their analysis pointing to approximately 30% of pre-orders in the U.S. going with the 38mm. The Apple specialist even said the 38mm looked better on my 140mm wrist, although I responded I wanted the extra screen real estate that came with the 42mm.  It honestly was a close call between the two, as seen in the attached image. 

The Watch collection stainless steel cases certainly had the finish of a higher quality product compared to the Sport collection, but I actually didn't look at the aluminum Sport as cheap or a toy compared to its more expensive counterpart. Instead, I think Apple was successful in having the Sport give off a more active vibe. I'm not sure I would feel as comfortable running with a stainless steel Watch. 

Sports and Leather Watch Bands Were Most Comfortable

In what I just label as first-time jitters, I had quite a bit of trouble putting on nearly every watch band, especially the Sport. I didn't come away with any lasting concerns from this, but rather just thought it was interesting. 

The bands are truly all about personal preference. I enjoyed the fluoroelastomer (sports band) followed by the stone leather loop. I found both to be the most comfortable on the wrist and the easiest to forget I was wearing a watch. The Milanese loop and link bracelet definitely had a more solid feel to them, reminding me of a regular men's watch, something I actually was trying to avoid with Apple Watch. The modern buckle didn't stand out to me as something I would be interested in wearing. With fitness and exercise in mind, I would have little interest in wearing anything other than the sports band. I wouldn't label any of the bands as inferior, so I think Apple succeeded with this first round of watch bands. I would be interested to see where things go from here concerning the bands.

Random Trying-On Musings

Apple Watch try-on station, showing Apple Watch supply issues and the official Apple Watch rag.

Not following any agenda, I continued trying on every watch model that they had in stock, often wearing two at a time for comparsion. All the while, the specialist was super careful to not have any of the watches fall on the ground. I had to keep my wrist above the counter, especially when I was taking a watch on and off. My only thought was that Apple must be very nervous about tight supply as the store was probably told to make these first demo units last. The other noticeable activity was the near-constant wiping down of both Apple Watch try-on units and the Apple Watch display table that had a large piece of glass covering all of the Apple Watch models. There is something off-putting with seeing someone clean something you just had on your wrist right in front of you. 

The Apple Watch security guard was also hard to ignore, making sure that no one ran off with a non-functional $399 Apple Watch Sport. 

Apple Watch Demo Unit

After I ended my try-on session by declaring "I guess I tried every watch you have here," I preceded to use one of the Apple Watch demo units on the other side of the store. I was able to quickly observe what some had said was a interface that took some getting used to, but over the span of 15-20 minutes that awkwardness went away. To be completely honest, I am a bit disappointed that so many early reviewers from the Watch keynote demo made such a big deal out of this issue. I think it was blown way out of proportion. 

The only thing that I needed help with was changing the utility watch face to solar. After being shown that a Force Touch was the answer, I then spent the next 15 minutes engulfed in the various watch face options. I actually found this feature to be the most interesting. There really is something mesmerizing about the various watch faces including the motion options.

As a sign of how ingrained my iPhone and iPad usage is, I gravitated towards using my finger on the Watch screen instead of the Digital Crown. While some of that may be due to the fact that the watch wasn't on my wrist, I was thinking that the Digital Crown was more of a required feature in order to use the watch, instead it would appear to just be one way of gaining more precision. 

I found all of the demo apps worked flawlessly with no noticeable lag or hiccups. After 45 minutes of trying the demo Apple Watch, I noticed the store was getting more crowded and the available demo units were dwindling, so I moved over to play with the new MacBook. 

Remaining Nimble

The thing that struck me the most during my try-on was that Apple was doing something completely new (selling a wearable product) with the same retail strategy that Apple Store has come to be known for. Instead of renovating each store or creating a special Apple Watch area with a new layout, Apple stuck with the well-known large rectangular wooden table scheme. This process even extended to Apple's store-in-a-stores in Tokyo, London, and Paris. 

Apple Watch display table on left with try-on and demo table on the right. Additional try-on and demo spots were located alongside each wall.

The Apple Watch area in the store I visited comprised a demo/try-on station table, an adjacent Watch display table, and then additional try-on stations on one wall and demos on the opposite wall. In total there were eight try-on stations and eight demo stations. Considering this was one of the smaller stores in Apple's retail footprint, I would imagine bigger stores had multiple times the number of demo stations.  

Ultimately, I view the effort to remain nimble as the guiding principle behind the Apple Watch try-on process. Apple had given us clues not to expect anything too dramatic with the way the stores would look with Apple Watch as Apple's recent financial filings indicated there wouldn't be many store renovations and we got a look at Jony's new Watch display table at Colette in Paris this past September, looking very similar to the now iconic wooden tables but with a cut out in the middle covered by glass.

I noticed that most of the Apple store employees were still somewhat in awe of the Watch display table, so I asked when it arrived. Just a little while ago was the answer. It is important to keep in mind that all of this Apple Watch try-on sales process was installed in nearly 400 Apple stores overnight, or in some cases that morning. I wonder if this gives us clues as to how Apple will sell new products in the future, relying on the same wooden table theme.

Would I Change Anything?

Having gone through the try-on process, I asked myself if there was anything I would have changed. Surely, each step was created by Apple's retail and marketing teams (not to mention Jony and his team), so I spent some time figuring out the pros and cons of the major decisions that went into the process.

The Apple Watch demo unit.

Apple is accomplishing two goals with these Apple Watch try-ons: having people test the various watch models and then being able to interact with a working Apple Watch. Apple chose to split these two goals, which I suspect is more related to practicality and timing. It would be hard to have people not only try various watch bands on, but also play with the device on their wrist. For example, I spent 15 minutes trying on various watch bands, but then 45 minutes playing with the demo unit. With the current layout, customers can also play with a demo unit while waiting for a try-on appointment, which is an added benefit of splitting the two. I really didn't have a problem with interacting with the watch on a table versus on my wrist. Having demo units on a table also made it easier for an Apple Store employee to help with any questions that I had about the Watch interface or an app, in addition to having more than one person look at the same watch demo unit. 

As for the actual trying-on process, there are two fundamental preference tests: watch case sizes and watch bands. 

• I would have liked to see a more formal process with answering which watch case (38 mm or 42mm) was a better fit for me. A few people on Twitter told me there is indeed a way to tell what is right or wrong for watch sizing. The specialist did comment on what he thought looked better on me after I showed a bit of confusion, but I was still left a bit unsure. While this comes down to personal preference, I would have liked a bit more help.
• As for the bands, I would have preferred a set up where I know more about the watch bands. Simply going up to a demo unit and being asked which band I wanted to see isn't going to work for most people. I was well aware of the watch going into the process, having memorized all of the models. I would suspect most consumers wouldn't know the first thing about the band options. While much of this process could be discussed by the specialist instead of having printed material or a display, I think there was room to explain the bands a bit more.

I suspect the whole concept of having the specialist stand next to me instead of across from me over a watch case like in every other retailer was a byproduct of Apple trying to make the try-on fit in with the current store layout. For the Edition, a conference room was used for demos in some cases while other stores simply relied on a quiet back corner, which doesn't exactly sound as an ideal option for a "luxury" experience. While having a "watch bar" with chairs and a team of Apple Store employees behind the bar sounds interesting, I think it all goes back to Apple simply being unable to incorporate such change into the current footprint without a lot of additional work. I also am not sure if a "watch bar" would make it easier to assist customers with putting on various watch bands.

Ultimately, I think Apple did a great job with my try-on appointment. While going through the process early Friday morning revealed some early jitters on the part of the Apple Store specialists, backed up by others who told me they were repeatedly given incorrect information about the watch, I thought the overall process worked fine. 

Takeaways

Over the next two weeks, Apple will be in a position to give hundreds of thousands of consumers the chance to try Apple Watch. It cannot be overstated how important these try-on appointments are for Apple Watch's success. They give Apple a competitive advantage against others that will undoubtedly enter the wearable space. I would expect Apple to fine-tune the process over time, but at least on Day One, I had a great time trying on Apple Watch. It is rather amazing how the average Apple retail store employee's job description has changed with Apple Watch. The involvement and personal interaction required when helping people try on various Apple Watches supports the idea that the retail store employees play the most crucial role out of the entire experience.

Looking at the crowd, I actually didn't get an early adopter vibe that we have assumed would be the only ones interested in the device. Obviously, going on a weekday morning resulted in the lack of children and teenagers, but I would say the crowd interested in Apple Watch was generally in-line with any other day at the Apple store. I was able to talk with a few "non-early adopter" people about their first impressions about the device. Interestingly, their first comment was that it was a cool watch, with fun customizable watch faces. I go back to when Apple first introduced the watch and I was explaining the device to people, even then the watch faces were the primary talking point. I really think there is something to be said with how normal people look at Apple Watch as primarily a watch that can do other things. I also received a comment about going to see the device made them want it even more, an obvious goal that Apple had in mind with the try-on appointments.

When I left the Apple Store, I asked myself how would I describe the device in one sentence. Without much thought I said, "It's cool." I've been very adamant that people have been overthinking the watch for the past seven months. When it comes down to it, the watch is simply a cool device and my try-on experience reinforced that view.

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I went into more detail on my trip to the Apple Store for Apple Watch on Above Avalon Podcast Episode 20. 

Product Reviews are Broken

Apple Watch reviews were published yesterday. The majority of reviewers thought the Apple Watch was a great device and has potential to be a game changer in how they use technology. The problem is that unless you read every review, you wouldn't have known that. Instead, the collective conclusion from the web yesterday was that the Apple Watch flopped with early reviews. There were 21 Apple Watch reviews published, but the 4 reviews that were more critical of the device got the most attention, leaving the 14 glowing reviews behind. Meanwhile, most of the important features of the Watch such as watch bands and durability were either not included or buried within lots of other text. Simply put: product reviews are broken. There needs to be a better way to review products. 

Product Reviews Have Lost Their Luster

I couldn't help but think how the product review has changed over the years. Whereas a company's primary benefit from a product review was to win precious space in newspapers and magazines, product reviews are still mostly a marketing ploy, but the review itself has become a commodity, with people pulling the most interesting and juicy quotes (using iPhone screenshots) from various sites, and combining them into a new "Review Round-Up" post. The rest of the narrative, and the actual review, is left far behind. This process has been occurring for a few years, but lately it is getting much worse. This is the primary reason why so many people thought the Apple Watch was panned by reviewers while in reality, most people enjoyed the product. Out of thousands of words written about Apple Watch, most will only remember a small fraction and even a smaller fraction will be included in these problematic "review summary" posts.

We now get our news and information from social networks where the desire to be noticed in a sentence or two has led to much more noise with sporadic bouts of greatness. In the process, the product review has lost its luster. Whereas in the past we may have turned to the WSJ for the definitive Walt Mossberg product review, we now are exposed to 20+ reviews that are all trying to be the one to stand out from the pack. While we still have talented people writing most of these reviews, they are increasingly gearing them toward their core audiences. Apple realized this long ago and expanded the number of review units accordingly, effectively watering down the review and in doing so, diffusing the voice of a few into a dull rumble of many.

In a quest to stand out, we now have some reviews turning into full-fledged productions. The Verge's Apple Watch review involved 31 people. Meanwhile, other reviews have remained largely unchanged from yesterday, basically a few paragraphs of generalized statements. 

There is still a Place 

I still think the world needs independent product reviews. There is enough prior misbehavior on behalf of companies to suggest such third-party reviews can serve a purpose by giving consumers value. The problem is that many reviewers don't know what kind of value that is. The move into personalized wearables has largely turned the traditional tech gadget review into an artifact from a begone era. The nature of the tech review should have changed, but many tech reviewers haven't adapted their review process to this new wave of technology. While adding video may represent a new dimension to the review, the underlying premise of the review needs to be rethought.

Path to Fixing the Review

There are two ways to start putting the review on the right path. 

1) Embrace the Current Environment. Video. Video. Video. 

One of the more effective Apple Watch reviews came courtesy of Mashable. It wasn't their couple thousand word review intertwined with various high-quality photos but their six-second Vine clip that didn't include any words. I found the clip to be amusing and interesting because it: 1) showed Apple Watch packaging 2) briefly revealed watch bracelets being resized 3) revealed the mechanism of how the watch bracelet worked. I wasn't able to get that information from any other Apple Watch review. Of course Apple could have had the same video on their website, but this is where the independent product review's value shines: legitimacy. There is value in seeing someone not connected to Apple show off its technology in a real-world setting. 

Here it is. An Apple Watch "review" with no words. https://t.co/tni0y8h40B

— Neil Cybart (@neilcybart) April 8, 2015

Video is an effective medium for much of this to take place because it's 1) easily shareable 2) able to retain its message. One of the biggest's problems facing text reviews is the ease in simply taking a few words out of context. But a six-second Vine? It would be pretty hard to shrink that down any further.

Pharrell Williams published his seven-second Apple Watch "review" Tuesday on Instagram. Similar to Mashable, it showed one aspect of the watch that most people would actually find interesting: how the watch face turns on when one's wrist is turned. 

I think one of the better Apple Watch reviews would have been comprised of 10 Vine or Instagram clips that highlight features of Apple Watch that would likely show how we would use the device. Johanna Stern at WSJ did a four-minute video for her Apple Watch review which was entertaining  but ultimately too long and missing the larger point of Apple Watch: it means something different to each user. The answer to that isn't simply to do every single thing possible with the watch and then complain at the end that the watch does too many things. 

2) Redefine a Review.  As technology products become more personal, it is becoming more critical to redefine what a product review should be. Instead of videotaping oneself doing 20 different things with Apple Watch during a typical day, focus on aspects of the device that are universal: quality, craftsmanship, durability, and the simple tasks everyone will have to do.

• Does the Apple Watch screen scratch easily?
• What happens if you get grease on Apple Watch? What about sweat? 
• What if you keep the Apple Watch on for long periods of time? Any rash?
• Is it easy to charge?
• How do you replace bands?

Very few reviews addressed those talking points, with only a few even mentioning watch bands, arguably one of the more important deciding factors when it comes time to purchase the watch. Each one of those questions could be answered with a six-second Vine. The product review essentially becomes a test as to whether a company's claims about a product are true. There is a different time and place to talk about the larger implications of how Apple Watch will or won't change the world. A product review isn't necessary the right place to go into theories about technology or nit-pick on why turning on all notifications results in too many notifications being sent. People are going to buy Apple Watch if it looks cool. The review should try to help answer that question. 

Taking into account Apple's changing retail strategy, reviewers will need to understand how Apple.com and the Apple Store iOS app are going to become more crucial information sources for consumers. It is important to embrace the change and not brush it off.  Apple will have 10 Guided Tours for various Apple Watch features. How about using Instagram video to compare the most important parts of Apple's multi-minute videos to real-life reenactments? 

Apple's New Apple Watch Guided Tours

The product review will be rescued when it is understood that the consumer should make the final decision of whether a product is good or bad. The product review should be one variable in the much bigger buying process that likely will involve family, friends, time, and a bank account. The product review has a bright future for giving valuable information and insight to consumers. It just needs some help getting there.  

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It's Time for the Watch

"Apple decided to make a watch and then set out to discover what it might be good for..."  - Wired

With one sentence, Wired perfectly described the Apple Watch, Apple's first product designed specifically to have a purpose dependent on the user. Today it is a watch. Tomorrow it will be something else. Next year it may be completely different. After years of development, the next phase of Apple Watch has arrived with preorders beginning on Friday. Just as was the case when the product was introduced in September, many are overthinking the watch, turning Apple's refrain about making great products into a complex business theory that risks missing the obvious keys to success. By overthinking the watch and ignoring the clues we received over the past few years, it is too easy to miss what Apple Watch actually is: freedom to do different things with technology.  

iPod Nano

Phil Schiller announcing new clock faces for iPod nano in 2011.

While it is hard for any outsider to pinpoint when the idea for Apple Watch first started to percolate, according to Apple executives, the project had its official beginning in late 2011, soon after Steve Jobs' death. However, it was clear at a much earlier time that Apple was at least thinking about a watch.

Back in 2010, Apple shipped an "instantly wearable" new iPod nano that had a multi-touch user interface. Possibly due to some inclination that people may use it as a time piece, Apple included a few watch faces. Steve Jobs even said one of Apple's board members was going to clip it on an arm band as a watch (which got chuckles from the audience). Soon enough, people began to use the device as a wrist watch. Apple embraced the trend and in 2011 went so far as to create new clock faces. It was fun and cool. There were limiting factors for a more advanced gadget at that time, including a new user interface and better battery, but that didn't matter. Apple was a different company in 2010, having just launched the iPad and iPhone 4. Simply put, Apple had more important things to focus on than a watch, but the idea was there. There was something about the wrist.  

Tim Cook Gave Us Clues

One of the key questions after Tim Cook became CEO was if Apple would be able to come up with new product categories. The question took on renewed vigor given a few years of evolutionary iPhone and iPad updates. While product secrecy continues to be a very important intangible asset for Apple, the company has historically given a few clues as to areas of interest, and Cook was no different judging by his public appearances in the years leading up to the Watch launch. 

2012: Tim Cook at D10 conference. "I think there's some cool things that can be done [with wearables] and I think it's an interesting area...The book hasn't been written on that yet. If it's just a cool thing to know, it will fade, but if it can really drive someone to act differently, to behave differently, then I think it can be pretty cool, and so I think the verdict is out. It will largely be determined by how much innovation is in that area. I think there are some good companies that are working on this." 

2013 : Tim Cook at D11 conference. "I think wearables is incredibly interesting, and I think it could be a profound area for technology...there's lots of things to solve in this space, but it's an area where it's ripe for exploration. It's ripe for for us to get excited about...I see it as something, as another very key branch of the tree...I'm interested in a great product...The wrist is interesting." 

The Apple Watch Sales Pitch

Tim Cook introducing the three main marketing tentpole features for Apple Watch: a timepiece, communication device, and health/fitness tracker.

As 2014 began, it was becoming increasingly likely that Apple was indeed up to something with a wearable, if nothing else due to the fact that so many other companies were coming out with subpar smart watches. Each device had severe limitations lacking fashion or personalization cues.

In September 2014, Tim Cook introduced the Apple Watch with the following sales pitch: a personal device that could be used to tell time, communicate with people, and track one's health and fitness.

In the preceding weeks and month, the official Apple Watch marketing campaign took shape with the main refrain remaining largely the same, focused on the three primary use case tentpoles. In addition, it gave more insight as to the overall design process behind the Watch and Apple's product-first culture. 

2014: Tim Cook during interview with Charlie Rose. "The Apple Watch is the most personal device we've ever created. I think it takes us into a whole different area. We had an intense team working on this for three years...As the product came to fruition it became not only the timepiece that you would expect, but a device that can do many different things include really a whole new way of communicating and connecting with people and also it has a health and fitness component that we think could be profound." 

2014: Jony Ive at Vanity Fair. "One of the advantages of being part of the design team that's been around for a long time is that we haven't the luxury and opportunity to develop out process, and so one of the things we do is we meet religiously as the creative team three or four times a week...I'm still so excited about just the nature of the process. I feel so absurdly lucky to be part of a creative process where you know on one day, on Tuesday, there's no idea. We don't know what we are going to do. There's nothing. And then on Wednesday, there's an idea that was created and invariably the idea is a thought that becomes a conversation, and so that we design to start with is to talk and it's fairly exclusive..involves a few people...and a remarkable thing happens in the process, and it's the point in the process where there is the greatest change and it's when we give form to an abstract idea."

2015: Tim Cook at Goldman Sachs Technology Conference. "We want to change the way you live your life. And just like this iPad has changed the way you work, and hopefully the way you live, and the iPhone has done that. We see the Apple Watch doing that...There's just an enormous number of things that it will do, and I think you're going to find it something that you're going to think, 'Wow, I can't live without this anymore!'"

2015: Jony Ive in The New Yorker: "We always thought that glasses were not a smart move, from a point of view that people would not really want to wear them. They were intrusive, instead of pushing technology to the background, as we've always believed...We always thought it would flop, and, you know, so far it has...[Apple Watch] isn't obnoxious. This isn't building a barrier between you and me..."

2015: Alan Dye in Wired: "There was a sense that technology was going to move onto the body...We felt like the natural place, the place that had historical relevance and significance, was the wrist."

The prevailing message illustrated in the above comments was that Apple looked at the wrist as something special with the primary idea of a watch that could change your life serving as the start of everything. More refined use cases and ideas around watch bands came at a later time.  

 Apple's New Marketing Strategy

Judging from Apple's Watch marketing strategy over the past seven months, it is clear that Apple is taking a new route. The Katie Cotton era of public relations is over. With most new things, there are risks, and I suspect we are seeing one of those risks play out as some company observers are having trouble with an Apple that gives out so much information. If Steve Jobs represented a firewall for Apple marketing, Apple's primary risk now is not filtering the message enough. 

Apple's new marketing strategy has relied heavily on positioning Jony Ive as leader of an industrial design team that uses collaboration to create products. Photo: Vogue

Apple is relying on a new marketing strategy because it no longer has the showman that introduced the iPod, iPhone, and iPad to the world. Instead, Apple is forming the narrative around a range of individuals involved with product development, led by Jony Ive and Tim Cook. Apple likely feels it has reached a point where its size and social awareness make it difficult for just one person to control the entire marketing campaign, and management is right. Apple is different today. The news cycle is ever more busy and filled with noise. While it is critical to make sure that the narrative stays on point and coalesces, Apple's strategy is fundamentally the same: get people to want to use the product. To accomplish that goal, Apple is relying on a shock and awe type of public relations strategy to elevate Apple Watch awareness to extreme levels.

It's All about the Product

One theme that management has taken very seriously with Apple Watch marketing is that Apple strives to make great products, and that is the primary theme Apple has tried to showcase with its marketing by using interviews and various high-profile write-ups. I suspect many technology observers have simply gotten used to Apple executives repeating the refrain, ignoring what that phrase really means.  One secret to Apple's success is keeping product development behind closed doors, leaving the final, well-polished product to be seen in a retail store.  While much strategy is involved in determining what products to work on or what industries to get involved in, strategy alone will lead to failure. At the end of the day, if the product isn't good, nothing else matters, even if the strategy is on point.

When David Pierce talked about Apple deciding to produce a watch first and then thinking of use cases second in his Wired piece, he correctly described Apple's product-first strategy. One theme that has become apparent in mobile is that a product's use case changes over time. It is much more important to focus on the big picture first, positioning a product that can take advantage of major computing themes, not something that checks off a few use cases on a list. 

1. Apple wants to make a product that has the potential to change the way we live our lives. Management is interested in owning the core technologies that underlie such a product. Management has commented that much time, and anxiety, is spent on this part of the equation.
2. The wearable space had become interesting, not because of smart watches, but due to fitness bands. Meanwhile, phones were becoming more powerful as time went on, to the point of being able to replace laptops and desktops for some. Was there room for a simpler device able to turn the complex into the simple?
3. Judging from decades of watch use, and now fitness bands, it was clear the wrist contained some value. However, watches were not able to unlock that value due to their lack of utility. It was reported that Jony started to research the history of the watch, including the reasons the wrist was so valuable. The focus was first on the device itself. 
4. With the idea in mind (don't forget about lessons learned from the iPod nano), it was then time to develop use cases for a device destined for the wrist. With a workable user interface, there can be attention given to what can be done with the device. Taking a look at the iPhone and iPad, it's clear the initial use cases designed for a device aren't even that important. Instead, the technical capabilities (and the runways of such technologies) are much more important. 

In the future, the watch may begin to take on more iPhone functions, or it may not. The much more important goal for Apple is to make sure that each new model is better than the previous one. Looking at the iPad, although sales momentum has stalled, Apple is still concerned with shipping the best iPad each year. Market dynamics may not always work in an Apple's product favor, but management hopes to be the reason such market changes impact its product line. 

Too Busy Finding a Story

One problem that is becoming a theme in the ever-increasing news cycle is overthinking things by needing to add a new twist or take. While such overarching theories may make for an interesting weekly column or Medium post, in reality, I suspect the truth is much more simple and rudimentary.

Looking back at the iPad and iPhone, many have developed elaborate stories around those products in order to address the mystery. In reality, they were simply great products that relied on a revolutionary multi-touch user interface. After launching at a too-high price (and different business model based on mobile revenue sharing) and without an app store, it took Apple and the iPhone three years and additional features and changes before hitting mass-market awareness. However, the legend was that Apple foresaw the coming mobile app revolution. Stories are told to provide answers to the unknown. The problem occurs when those answers are fabricated. Apple is launching the watch as a fun, personalized iPhone accessory with different use cases dependent on the user. If one doesn't leave the complicated stories and theories at the door, it will be difficult to see the Apple Watch for what is and, more importantly, isn't. 

Judging Success

Apple's goal is to make a great product. With Apple Watch, success will be straightforward. Will people want to use it?  A few days ago, I asked on Twitter what will be Watch's likely "-gate" controversy, similar to iPhone 6 and "Bendgate." As expected, I got responses ranging from waterproofing issues to scratching and rashes. One of the more serious public relations problems that could impact the watch is drawer-gate or nightstand-gate. If people forget to wear the Watch, not seeing a point in putting it on for their run, the trip to the grocery store, or to attend parent teacher night, the device won't be able to impact someone's life. One of the reasons the iPhone has done so well, including having a strong upgrade cycle, is that it is literally on us all day, every day. If people enjoy wearing Apple Watch, the product will be a success. 

Freedom

The Apple Watch is the first Apple product designed from the beginning to be worn and have a purpose dependent on the user. For some, it is the best way to listen to music on a run. For others, it is a revolutionary way to communicate with the kids or keep track of appointments. This is the primary reason why so many people are struggling to understand the Apple Watch. The Apple Watch doesn't mean the same thing to everyone. 

We don't know what the Apple Watch will become as we have never experienced personalized technology worn on the body. Personalization doesn't just mean getting to choose between a white or blue wristband, but having a product mean something different and special to each user. 

The Apple Watch is an attempt at giving users freedom to do various things with technology suited to their lifestyles. It has been three years since Apple came up with the idea for a cool device for the wrist. On Friday, the era of personalized technology will enter the next phase as Apple Watch pre-orders signal the start of something new.

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Apple's Music Strategy Looks Increasingly Risky

Apple is late to the music streaming game. In what could be seen as a rare sign of Apple ignoring a product for too long, Jimmy Iovine and company are still putting the finishing touches on their shift from paid downloads to paid music streaming. While Apple will most likely have a specific marketing plan in place to become the biggest paid music streaming service in the world, the overall risk to the strategy remains elevated. Being forced into something is a new experience for Apple and one has to wonder if becoming the most popular paid music streaming service is just a near-term prerequisite for a company with much bigger music initiatives.

The sea change in music continues unabated. Paid music sales are declining as music streaming is growing in popularity, built primarily on a freemium model where advertisements are used to annoy listeners to the point of driving paid upgrades. Spotify has 15 million paid members, equivalent to less than 5% of the overall iPhone user base, while YouTube serves billions of songs, masked as videos, for free. In such a volatile landscape, Apple's rumored plans for music streaming seems rather simple and, to a certain degree, refreshing. One tier, charged at a monthly rate, with users able to listen to music across a range of products and even operating systems.

Apple's strategy with music streaming continues to be a work in progress, but from what we know, curation and discovery will be two main tenets of a service that uses music exclusives as a carrot to entice users. In what could be a major negative, Jimmy Iovine reportedly was unable to get the cost for this music streaming service down to $5/month, with record labels demanding Apple remain steady at the "me-too" $9.99/month price. The primary problem with this chain of events is that music executives are hardly in a position to be dictating pricing and business strategy in an industry that may be fundamentally broken, yet again, by technology.

Music streaming is split into free and paid and there is risk that without a free offering, Apple may not reach enough scale to force consolidation among streaming services. A $5/monthly price was thought to alleviate some of this risk, but with Apple possibly needing to ship at $9.99/month, one has to wonder if management is pleased with how the product is shaping up.

One theme that permeates this discussion is Apple's forced hand. With iTunes Radio, a seemingly "me-too" product compared to Pandora, Apple has seen moderate levels of success, but nothing that would jump out to an observer as ground-breaking. Apple risks a very similar fate with a paid music streaming service: garnering enough success to warrant respect with the endeavor (mostly because the bar is set so low), yet unable to capture the music industry like it was 2005 again. In essence, Apple would be stuck in catch-up mode. 

At $9.99/month, Apple will still likely be able to sign up millions of iOS users (and a few Android users) to its music streaming service. However, the elephant in the room would remain untouched: YouTube. What are the longer-term implications if Apple is unable to fundamentally change the music industry with its paid streaming offering? Is additional M&A for streaming mindshare the answer?  Using less than 0.1% of Apple's cash to force extra long music exclusives? Does any of this resemble the "Apple way" of putting the product first? 

Being forced into something presents problems as one is not able to skate to where the puck will be, but instead focus resources and attention in trying to simply make sure it is indeed a puck that is being chased. Set in this backdrop is Jay Z's recently purchased Tidal music streaming service, which is relying on his publicity to boost membership numbers. The venture is actually based on a few solid ideas, despite not having a viable business model. Jay Z spoke to Billboard about Tidal and his thought process towards artist exclusives:

“You know, there’s a thing now, it’s called the album cycle. You put your single out, promote it, then another single — I think that now for an artist an album cycle doesn’t have to end. They’re on Instagram and Twitter and all these things, so we’re talking about ways of extending that album cycle, and it could be anything. What if it’s a video offering tickets to the next concert, or what if it’s audio or video of the recording process? If could be anything. It could be them at home listening to songs that inspire them. Anything they want to offer, you know; just be as creative as possible, that’s the only charge, really. Make it look really good and make everyone that consumes it think, ‘Man, I got something really great.’ Treat the people with respect; make it memorable.”

I continue to see Apple wanting to get to a point that takes some of what Jay Z described (and which has been talked about for years by others, including at Above Avalon) and then build a viable and sustainable business model around it. Such a place may very well include paid and free streaming, in which case Apple's rumored paid music streaming is considered more of a stepping stone to a bigger initiative where music is mostly free, but listeners obtain value from a breakthrough user interface (think: App Store, but for music).

Over the next few months, many will position the music streaming battle between Apple and Spotify. Instead, Apple will be going up against free music streaming. The irony in this whole saga is that Apple's longer-term initiative may very well embrace free music streaming, but only when music artists and fans will be able to use software to monetize content beyond music sales. Apple is being forced into music streaming and the question remains if Apple can once again harness the music industry in a such way as to form a strong enough stepping stone to begin mapping where the music puck is headed. 

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