Apple has a reputation for creating game-changing products. It’s done this in a variety of categories spanning its history of hardware, software, and services. But it’s natural to always seek out the next big thing. Apple’s CEO Tim Cook though, interestingly enough, has already told us what it is—and now it’s starting to take shape.
In search of the ‘next big thing’ that’s already here
Every year, Wall Street and tech followers like to pose the question: what will be Apple’s next big thing?
A product with an iPhone-sized impact, whether that’s a new car, AI, or something else radically different and game-changing.
While it’s probably unfair to expect such a huge new innovation from Apple every few years, the company has sort of earned the pressure with its history of success.
But what is Apple’s next big thing is already here?
Repeatedly over multiple years, Tim Cook has commented on what he believes Apple’s biggest world-changer will be. The area Apple will make its greatest contribution to society.
His answer? Health.
Here’s Cook in a recent WIRED interview:
It’s clear to me that if you zoom out way into the future, and you look back and ask what Apple’s biggest contribution was, it will be in the health area. That’s what I really believe.
‘Health’ is a seemingly abstract concept, but at Apple, it primarily means wearables.
Health and wearables: two inseparable bets for Apple’s future
Health for Apple can’t be separated from its product companion: wearables.
Apple currently offers three main categories of wearables:
- Apple Watch
- AirPods
- Vision
Apple Watch has been wildly successful, and so have AirPods.
Vision Pro is just getting started, but it has a bright future ahead.
Yet in all three cases, there’s still tremendous potential for growth.
That’s true for various reasons. But health is an especially key part of the story.
Health, in many ways, can turn Apple’s wearables from ‘nice-to-haves’ into something approaching indispensable.
Health will make Apple’s biggest impact yet…through wearables
Up until recently, most of us likely assumed Tim Cook’s health comments were referencing the Apple Watch and its health features.
As such, they perhaps seemed a bit hyperbolic.
Then just two months ago, Apple added major new health features to AirPods Pro 2. And even more are reportedly on the way.
You have to think Vision Pro and its successors will be next. There’s already:
- an excellent Mindfulness app in visionOS
- powerful Live Captions for the deaf and more
- and future headsets that aren’t as heavy will no doubt offer compelling Apple Fitness+ experiences.
With three wearable products all branching out into health in the future, it becomes much easier to see things from Tim Cook’s point of view.
Top comment by cubbuc
I am excited for eye tracking and dictation to help us rely less on mice and keyboards, try getting carpal tunnel on both hands and get every treatment for them and still struggle with typing and constant mouse clicking. Glad to see the tech making it to the iPhone (in a very rough state currently but I expect improvements)
If wearables can save your life, improve your hearing, and otherwise improve your health in significant ways—you won’t ever want to go without them.
Tim Cook on Apple’s next big thing: Wrap-up
We’re still in the early days of Apple’s ambitions for both health and wearables. But the pieces from this past decade help set the stage for an especially exciting decade ahead.
They also prove that we should perhaps take Tim Cook’s words more seriously.
Do you think health and wearables will be Apple’s next big thing? Why or why not? Let us know in the comments.
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