Apple’s newest products and features take aim at our biggest fears
Another example from the event focused on a 27-year-old high school teacher who went to the emergency room after her Apple Watch detected an abnormally high heart rate. According to the teacher, “my doctor said, ‘It was your watch that saved your life.̵[ads1]7;
Apple has long presented its products as tools for creativity, productivity and a positive, if ambitious, lifestyle filled with friends and family, healthy habits and outdoor activities. Some of it was still on display at this year’s event, but there was also a new message. The company positioned many of its products and features as safety nets in a shaky world.
Apple announced new car crash detection technology on both the Apple Watch and iPhone, which it says can determine the “exact moment of collision” using the device’s barometer, GPS and microphone. “We really hope you never have to, but feel a little safer every time you get into a car,” said Ron Huang, Apple’s vice president of sensing and connectivity, during the announcement.
While arguably a continuation of Apple’s focus on health features, particularly with its smartwatches, the emphasis on these dire use cases did raise some eyebrows among industry watchers. “It was a little surprising to see Apple go for the alarmist approach and position their devices as potential lifesavers,” said Ramon Llamas, research director at market research firm IDC.
“These emergency features are like the airbags in your car: you’re not going to need them all the time, but you’re thankful when you do,” Llamas said.
The shift in tone comes as Apple faces a new economic landscape that could make it harder to convince customers to pay three- and four-figure sums to upgrade their devices — especially when some of those products aren’t significantly different from the year before.
“Refinement over revolution is not a bad thing, but if purse strings tighten with the economy, these announcements are harder to sell without something groundbreaking,” said Eric Abbruzzese, director of research at market firm ABI Research.
The emphasis on health and safety could also help Apple bolster its subscription services business, Abbruzzese said, which has been one of its fastest-growing revenue lines in recent years. As he points out, the satellite connection is “only free for two years”. (Apple hasn’t specified how much it costs after that.) Also, “advanced health tools seem like just another way to sell Fitness+ more strongly.”
