Is it Groundhog's Day Again for Apple?

Today, Apple launches a $3,499 headset that CEO Tim Cook hopes will herald in the "spatial computing" era and redefine humanity's relationship with machines. It's a Steve Jobs-ian feat that has kept the tech industry abuzz and competitors off-balance since Apple announced its first extended reality (XR) device last June.

Of course, Vision Pro has already drawn criticism from Mark Zuckerberg, whose metaverse ambitions remain unfulfilled. CNBC quotes a "top analyst" (are there any?middling analysts?) who sees Vision Pro orders slowing down after a blistering first day of pre-orders.

The question that intrigues me is whether healthcare brands should pay attention. I don't think?it's hard to envision a future when XR devices become?indispensable?to the diagnosis, management, and even treatment of a variety of diseases. Is Vision Pro a disruptive force for pharma and biotech marketers right now, though?

To answer the question, you need to look at Vision Pro's launch date. It's not a coincidence Vision Pro is launching on Groundhog's Day. I think it's a deliberate (and nerdy) reference for all the haters: We've been here before.?Remember the iPad? Bill Gates called it "a nice reader" before professionals, physicians, and sales teams began buying it like gumdrops, crushing Microsoft's tablet aspirations. (To be fair, Surface Pro did catch up about a decade later.) And what about Apple Watch? When it launched, ZDNet,?one of the leading tech pubs, questioned, "Why do I need one?" and said Apple Watch "makes Android smartwatches look better." Six years later, active users crossed the 100-million mark and Apple has legitimized the smartwatch category as a force in healthcare.

So, yes, pharma and biotech brands should pay attention to Vision Pro -- along with the dozens of other VR headsets and mixed-reality glasses that are slowly (and then suddenly)?making their way into our rec rooms, corporate suites, warehouses, and, wait for it, doctor's offices. Are all the use cases there? No, but they're coming.

Surgery optimization. An Apple executive shared the company is already looking at surgery optimization as an initial application. Which makes sense, because the literature shows surgeons are already using XR to improve surgical outcomes; for example, by overlaying MRI and CT scans in their field of view as they conduct procedures.

XR medical education. Again, this is already happening at medical schools across the globe. A systemic review published in Medical Science Educator concluded AR and VR "are as effective, if not better in some respects, in generating more positive learning outcomes when compared to traditional teaching methods." Imagine equipping a pharma MSL with a Vision Pro that's packed with XR disease and MOA content. Or launching a booth at ASCO that offers Vision Pro-enabled interactions with virtual KOLs from around the globe.

Mental and brain health.?Every brand that touches the CNS category needs to prepare for a future of XR-assisted therapy. To me, this is the greatest opportunity for Vision Pro and its competitors to disrupt healthcare. Study after study shows VR interventions provide clinical benefit in diseases as diverse as chronic pain, anxiety disorders, migraines, PTSD ... and Alzheimer's disease, pharma's holy grail. One small study in the UK, for example, found VR helped restore the memories of dementia patients. The Vision Pro's spatial video feature is so realistic, early device testers got emotional as they experienced their own, recorded memories. I think every in-market?CNS treatment needs to be exploring XR partnerships and beyond-the-pill initiatives, today. By tomorrow, those XR partners may?become the treatments.

Back in Punxsutawney, Pa., America's favorite groundhog failed to see his?shadow this morning. If he's right, it means we'll enjoy an early spring. More than 2,700 miles west, Tim Cook is contemplating a different change of seasons. His company has been here before. For healthcare marketers, it's time to come out of their safe and cozy burrows and embrace the XR opportunity. Tomorrow is coming faster than you think!

About Jeff

Company: EVERSANA Intouch

Role: SVP, Strategic Planning

Keywords: Marketing, Strategic Planning, Multichannel/Digital Strategy, Healthcare. Inspiring Change and Innovation.

Book: Speaking on the Side

Teams: Mets, Devils, Rutgers Scarlet Knights

Place: Jersey Shore

Views in this article are my own. Make sure you also check out Apple Vision Pro in Healthcare, a blog from my very smart colleagues!