Metaverse Lessons By Looking at My Apple Watch
By Greg Kahn
Emerging Tech Exchange
Founder & CEO
Published on April 5, 2023
The “it’s dead/it’s not dead” commentary about the #metaverse in recent weeks made me think a lot about timing and #emergingtech
Specifically, I was thinking about the #AppleWatch
It’s not about early or late stage investing or market timing. It’s about the way hardware is embraced.
Here are a few of the learnings we can get from the Apple Watch’s “failure” and “success” that can apply to metaverse hardware.
1. Home in on a use case.
Initially, Apple envisioned a luxury fashion item that would be an extension of most iPhone applications. (Remember being told we could leave our phones at home — and look cool doing it?)
After consumers rejected that pitch, Apple took time —and many iterations — and saw the watch the way users did: by focusing on health/wellness/safety.
What’s the “killer use case” for the metaverse? My POV - it will be education and healthcare.
2. Start aspirational… and then move to mass adoption.
Apple was right to start marketing its watch as a luxury item. It’s much easier to begin with a niche and broaden out as the product and its uses evolve in ways that defy certain predictions.
A $17k model. A fitting appointment. A cover spread on Vogue. Remember when the watch was a luxury item?
3. Plan the Retail Experience
Apple Stores are destinations in and of themselves. Watches are clearly displayed with different color bands and materials. The store…and the devices…give the impression of personalized experiences. Retail sales staff are the guides — and they’re the frontline marketing that can both shape use cases and report back on the unexpected directions customers are taking the product
4. Own your own communication.
Have you seen Apple show up at CES or Mobile World Congress or any other tech show? The answer is likely no. The company creates its own “events” to build anticipation and curate the audience/attendees. If Apple doesn’t want to compete with share of voice, why should anyone else? The best way to stand out is to stand apart
5. Partnerships are key.
Take a look at how Apple approaches its watch partnerships with the healthcare community. They have a business team dedicated to this area with decades of experience
What’s your take? Contact me HERE.
Greg Kahn
Emerging Tech Exchange
Founder & CEO
