Everyone (but Apple’s) Wearable Problem

Mark Miller writes an astute piece on why no other company has the resources, knowledge and expertise to pull of a wearable like Apple. Whether it be from a technical standpoint, luxury standpoint, or even retail standpoint, the chances another company can come in and pull off what Apple has done is slim to none.

I found his final point very compelling:

Apple is not a fitness company, a luxury company, or a technology company. That’s why they, unlike these others, have a unique shot at the wearable market. Apple, living at the intersection of technology and the liberal arts, is uniquely positioned to bring a human touch to computing, a human touch that is increasingly important for wearable technology that does touch humans.

I think that’s what a lot of people are truly missing when it comes to Apple. Ask most people on the street or even in the tech press who Apple is and I think a lot of them would call them a technology company. Sure, they do make various types of computers such as the iPhone and the iPad, but there’s a real reason why Apple took out the name “computer” from Apple Computer back in 2007.

The truth is, Apple is more of a lifestyle company that just so happens to make products related to technology. As Steve Jobs would repeat over and over:

“You‘ve got to start with the customer experience and work back toward the technology – not the other way around.”

The key for Apple to succeed with the Watch won’t be by adding more RAM or making it faster. Instead, its success will hinge on how much Apple is able to bring joy and reason to wearing it. The more they can give someone a reason to wear it, the better chance it has to succeed. Remember, the iPhone didn’t take off because it finally became fast enough. It took off because people finally understood its reason for existence.

As Miller point outs, Apple is great at bringing the “human touch to computing.” Can you honestly name another company that embodies that mission?