Apple Watch - what Tim Cook’s first product launch tells us about the future of Vision Pro

Apple Core

These days, Cupertino describes Apple Watch as “the ultimate device for a healthy life.” But it didn’t start out that way. When Tim Cook originally launched the product in 2014, he positioned it as an “intimate way to connect and communicate.”

Over its ten year history, Apple Watch has pivoted more radically than any previous Apple product. The user interface has transformed to such an extent that even the Digital Crown and side button no longer perform their original functions.

The story of how and why this happened reveals a deeper truth about Apple’s evolution. Under Steve Jobs, the company toiled for years in secret to develop perfectly conceived products. Whereas, under Tim Cook, Apple has released products earlier and learned from consumer reaction. This approach could have profound implications for the future of Vision Pro.

Featuring special guest D. Griffin Jones from The CultCast and Cult of Mac. Sound engineering by Martin Algesten.

LINKS

Griffin mentioned this book - The Apple II Age: How the Computer Became Personal by Laine Nooney:
https://press.uchicago.edu/ucp/books/book/chicago/A/bo195231688.html

Jony Ive and the battle of the big tent:
https://www.macworld.com/article/696590/apple-expose-jony-ive-departure-apple-watch-tent.html

Apple Event September 2014 “Wish we could say more”:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=38IqQpwPe7s

Apple Event March 2015 “Spring forward”:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z2dVrpUxUhM

Graham wrote an article about the evolution of watchOS:
https://www.cultofmac.com/news/radical-evolution-of-watchos

Griffin’s YouTube video about how he uses Vision Pro:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=im3_yq-LxMQ

Chapters

1. Introductions (00:00:00)

2. Teasers Questions (00:03:12)

3. The world's first fitness tracker (00:04:22)

4. Fitbit, Jawbone Up, and Nike Fuelband (00:05:49)

5. iPod nano 6th generation (00:06:41)

6. Samsung Galaxy Gear, Google WearOS, and Pebble (00:07:53)

7. "Wish we could say more" Apple event September 2014 (00:09:30)

8. Three things in one (00:15:01)

9. Jony Ive (00:16:47)

10. Charlie does his Jony Ive (00:19:39)

11. Digital Crown (00:22:59)

12. Intimate ways to communicate (00:28:37)

13. Glances (00:29:58)

14. Force Touch (00:32:02)

15. Time Travel (00:32:29)

16. Fitness (00:34:00)

17. Collections and price (00:35:04)

18. Gold Apple Watch Edition (00:35:39)

19. Bands (00:39:17)

20. How Apple Watch pivoted to health and fitness (00:40:29)

21. Release early, release often (00:41:13)

22. Comparisons with Vision Pro (00:42:57)

23. Jeff Williams on Series 3 (00:55:52)

24. Wrap Up (00:59:44)