Unlike Alphabet and Amazon, (A-names seem to be trending as well) Apple’s innovations appear to be a lot more low-key than the other tech giants. For one, they’ve only recently made a debut into the world of social media via Instagram and they have a history of leaving it to netizens to build hype for them (#iPhoneonly, anyone?). As it’s nearly fall, the product we’re all waiting for – unless you’re an Android fan – is the elusive iPhone 8. But until then, Foresight Factory takes a look at five of the Apple consumer trends driving their innovations, as part three of our four-part series on tech giants and the trends behind them.
1. Death of Risk: Do Not Disturb While Driving:
In June 2017, Apple released a preview of its iOS 11 update, which included the Do Not Disturb While Driving feature. The opt-in safety measure allows the iPhone to sense when the owner is driving and can block notifications. It also automatically alerts anyone trying to reach the driver that the individual is unavailable. 63% of the globe agree that people should think about safety before fun/adventure, suggesting that consumers are looking for the Death of Risk. And governments are responding – in the UK last last year, a new policy announced that drivers that caused deaths as a result of a mobile phone would face life sentence. Then there’s those whispers of ‘peak iPhone’ floating about, which is indicative of how widespread iPhone ownership actually is. Through the introduction of this new feature, Apple demonstrates its responsibility to its consumers and encourages customers to act appropriately with their devices while driving.
2. Casual Connectivity: Apple X Cochlear
Apple has broken into a new market for their products by partnering with Cochlear, the hearing assistance company, producing an implant sound processor that is compatible with the iPhone. Our trend Casual Connectivity reports on how brands are helping us stay passively connected for our convenience. In response to the tirade of notifications and constant launches of new (and not always useful) technology innovations, brands will be looking to step up and provide something truly useful without any inconvenience. Apple’s technology is widening its reach and becoming more inclusive with this partnership, appealing to the 40% of consumers that strongly believe that investing money in new technology is important.
3. Peer Power: P2P Payments via Apple Pay
At the Apple Developer Conference this June, the brand announced a new feature of iOS 11: peer-to-peer payments made available through its contactless payment system, Apple Pay, allowing users to send and receive money directly from their contacts via iMessage. They will also be able to choose from any of the debit and credit cards saved to their Wallet, authenticate payments with TouchID and their contact will receive the money in their Apple Pay Cash account. They can then transfer the money to their bank, send it to others or use it to make purchases. Peer Power is a trend that looks at communities and networks not just as a credible source of information but part of the foundation that gives rise to alternative banking. Nearly 40% of consumers worldwide have used a P2P lending website or are interested in this in the future. According to Pyments.com, a specialist site focused on payment methods, 42% say that they use Apple Pay ‘whenever they remember that they can’. The step towards seamless payment between contacts will be an active encouragement to use the service and another step towards a cashless society.
4. Casual Connectivity: Home Pod
Apple’s response to Amazon Echo and Google Home is a familiar name we’ve heard before. The voice of Siri is part of a new smart assistant, the HomePod. From controlling IoT devices, to playing music, providing updates on your calendar and answering questions, the device also contains high-spec speakers. While we haven’t seen much hype around this innovation, it does have some impressive qualities like spatial awareness to optimize sound and possible future integration with iMessage. However, that’s where its integration possibilities stops a little short. There have been no promises of third-party ‘skills’, which is a huge win for Amazon as it encourages constant customer engagement and hype (if you are a subscriber, here’s a great piece on Amazon onboarding consumers). Homepod is another innovation driven by the Casual Connectivity trend and it seems that it’s those who are already best friends with Siri and loyal to Apple’s own apps who will get the most out of this.
5. Immerse Me: ARKit
Apple has unveiled and released parts of the new iOS 11 software to app developers in preparation of iPhone 8’s release. The new software holds the key to integrating augmented reality across devices and creating immersive content for shopping, gaming, and design. Our trend Immerse Me recognized that the leisure industry, specifically gaming, would be heavily invested in AR and VR capabilities. Foresight Factory predicts that the number of people using AR apps will more than double from 2016 by 2025, specifically in the USA (18% to 42%). ARKit is an incentive for developers to create practical and user-friendly applications, bringing AR to the mainstream and to our mobiles.
This post is part three of our focus on tech giant innovations. Read Part Two on Alphabet here.
