Ten years ago, after announcing the iPhone 6, Tim Cook had one more thing to show the world. Cue the first-ever sizzle reel for the Apple Watch. It's funny watching that video today, especially when you zero in on the features Apple claimed would revolutionize the smartwatch category.
There was the Digital Crown — a so-called breakthrough in input technology that would let you scroll and zoom on what was essentially a mini wrist computer. It had a Taptic Engine that would discreetly buzz when a text or notification came in. Glances were supposed to be digestible tidbits of information, a sort of status update for your apps.
Also, remember Digital Touch? That weird feature where you press two fingers on the screen and send a friend an animation of your heartbeat? Let's not forget the 18K gold, $10,000 Apple Watch Edition. Fast forward a decade, and the sizzle reels for the Apple Watch are completely different. Now, they're full of people sharing stories about how the Apple Watch saved their lives.
Year after year, most of the new features focus on novel ways to close your rings. Whatever you think of the Apple Watch, it's now the most popular smartwatch in the world and has been for years. In 2020, it outsold the entirety of the Swiss watch industry.
It is an undeniable success. But 10 years in, where does the Apple Watch go next? The first Apple Watch arrived during the golden age of the fitness tracker. Fitbits and devices like the Jawbone Up reigned supreme with their lon.