Apple Watch as MagicBand for the real world

That feature — the same killer feature the Apple Watch promises — is what makes it so compelling. Like the MagicBand, in many ways the Apple Watch won't just offer an easier experience, it will offer a better one. Yet where the Apple Watch has faced fear-mongering and sensationalism in the mainstream media for mostly made-up concerns, the MagicBand, despite its tracking and personal information projection, has been almost universally praised. M.G. Siegler points out the cognitive dissonance on his, 500 Words, but this is the part that caught my attention:

Here's the other thing: the Apple Watch, if successful, will be the MagicBand for the real world. It will offer up everything the MagicBand can inside Disney World, but in many other places in the real world. And so much more.

The Apple Watch could, with better privacy and security protections, turn any venue that implements it into a more convenient, more compelling experience. (Siegler also points out the long history of close ties between Disney and Apple and wonders out loud at the potential of a MagicBand app for the Apple Watch — perhaps post-NFC API?).

I'm sure mainstream media will come around just as soon as their metrics tell them positive Apple Watch headlines will get more clicks. I'm not sure how many of us will notice or care, though. We'll be too busy enjoying our Apple Watches. Maybe even at Disney.

Rene Ritchie
Contributor

Rene Ritchie is one of the most respected Apple analysts in the business, reaching a combined audience of over 40 million readers a month. His YouTube channel, Vector, has over 90 thousand subscribers and 14 million views and his podcasts, including Debug, have been downloaded over 20 million times. He also regularly co-hosts MacBreak Weekly for the TWiT network and co-hosted CES Live! and Talk Mobile. Based in Montreal, Rene is a former director of product marketing, web developer, and graphic designer. He's authored several books and appeared on numerous television and radio segments to discuss Apple and the technology industry. When not working, he likes to cook, grapple, and spend time with his friends and family.