Did Apple Blindside us?

A brand that has thrived on its fanboy culture, a “me first” sensation and never before known media frenzy of camping day and night outside it stores, suddenly decides to break the queue. Now there is an online appointment system which will save us some leg muscle so that you can come in peace and pick up your Apple watch. In its history of tick-tock version releases, the tick version is here.

A compelling use of technology to extend the best in the class “Customer Experience” to its fan club.

I must say, I was taken by it - but wait!

30 secs into that feeling and it dawns on me; what would an Apple Store look like with a new product release and no queue. Doesn’t sound like “Apple day” right?

Or what if there was 'no' online appointment system and there was 'no' queue at all. None! nada ! Zero.No queue, no camping.

What does that say to the thousands of financial and media analysts banking their books and blogs on a public display of popularity outside the Apple Stores?

Do you recall the bakery, cake shop, deli or new restaurant across the block from where you live  that before it opened hangs a sign announcing “coming soon” and slowly builds anticipation as part of your morning walk to the subway or evening walk with your pooch.In the opening week and the month that follows consciously or subconsciously the footfall  clearly tells you the place is a hit or miss - you judge a place by the traffic it generates.

How do you decide to try out this place if you don’t get a peek? May be a sticker “sold out”  on the website (or ecomm store) sounds convincing but maybe not.

With a winning streak and proven phone up its sleeve,someone in the board room should have asked a question : how do you make sure your non-mainstream* radical piece of technology that is still catching up with its peers doesn’t impact the existing state of success of the company as well the share price? Investors may be judging Apple differently due to the lack of this type of information. Or is the Apple watch simply a tiny aspect of the Apple brand that will have little impact on investor’s confidence given the popularity of its phones?*(smart watches are yet not proven to be habit forming products)

*(smart watches are yet not proven to be habit forming products)

The views expressed here are my own and do not represent that of my current employer or any organisation that I am associated with.