“It's our most personal device yet.” That was Apple'stagline around the announcement of the Apple Watch, a brand-newcategory of device in the Apple ecosystem that was announced latelast year. Many have received the news with excitement, as thistends to happen with most big Apple announcements, but thatexcitement was followed by a little bit of skepticism. A watch?Does anyone wear watches anymore? A majority of the populationalready carries a portable device in their pocket every day, sowhat use does a slightly more portable device have?

Credit Union Involvement

Credit unions are looking for opportunities to provide theirmembers with the immediate data they need, while being viewed as atrusted advisor by keeping their brand consistently in front ofaccount holders. Mobile technology has enabled that like noother technology by allowing the credit union to extend itsservices into users' daily lives, without them being tethered to acomputer at a desk. People want access to their data and answers totheir questions, and they look to their financial institutions toprovide that service regardless of where they are or what they aredoing.

Glanceable Data

Typically, a user has their mobile phone available at a moment'snotice. Forgetting a smartphone has become seemingly moredisastrous than forgetting a wallet. To have a glanceable versionof payment and financial information on one's wrist at all times isan interesting proposition; users would no longer need to fumblethrough pockets or head back to the house or office where thedevice was left.

Will members require that kind of immediate attention todata? The same question could have been asked about mobile vs.desktop. Based on mobilegrowth, that question has been answered already. The mainadvantage to a mobile-only experience is that it forces the focusof data and functionality to be on precisely what users want andneed – nothing more. A wearable device like the Apple Watch onlyamplifies what a true mobile-only experience should deliver:Glanceable data that is relevant and important to the user, andarguably even more ubiquitous than a mobile phone or tablet.

Watch Usage

Some might wonder whether or not watches are used anymore. It iscertainly true that many of us don't wear a watch on a regularbasis, mainly due to the timekeeping of a smartphone. Thefunctionality that an Apple Watch offers is certainly much morecompelling, and more useful than a simple timekeeping device. Thatcould be why more than one million of the devices were pre-orderedprior to the official launch. Some models still haven't beendelivered. The reality is that the vast majority of individualsstill wear watches, and credit unions cannot dismiss such a largepopulation of members.

Time Will Tell

We can only anticipate how watch usage and functionality willcontinue to grow. Will it be a game changer or will it simply beanother device that ends up on a failed technology idea list? Thetruth remains to be seen. Whether it succeeds or not, the conceptsthat it has helped to create have far-reaching and fundamentalquestions for credit unions that want to continue to look foropportunities to deliver relevant and useful information to theirmembers while maintaining a ubiquitous brand presence. The AppleWatch is a most personal device, indeed.

Danny Piangerelli is chief technology officer of MalauzaiSoftware. He can be reached at 512-961-5699 or [email protected].