Apple often talks about how its ability to meld hardware and software means there are some experiences it alone can create. I know from over a decade’s experience for this to be true, from large technological leaps to small everyday delights.
In Tim Cook’s Apple, hardware and software also meld with services.
I recently bought my parents the iPad Air (2020) from the Apple India online store, which opened in September 2020. It was delivered by a national Indian courier company, and I received an SMS from the courier when my parents accepted the delivery. But minutes later, I also received this email:
This wasn’t a paper slip inside the box with a URL (or QR code) that I’d have to scan on my phone or type on my computer or iPad. This is Apple syncing its online store, third-party delivery and customer service into a single experience that unfolded by itself.
This is true delight.