In Case You Missed It

Enshittification, Spaghetti Legs & Apple Vision Pro

Need To Know

Welcome to ICYMI, In case you missed it,* our weekly debrief of the trends we spotted first making it to the mainstream and the thought-provoking insights you need to know, curated by our in-house experts.

Everything is becoming a bit shit.

Last year Cory Doctorow coined the term “enshittification”. So, what is it? This is when digital platforms continually decay their offer - and our ability to enjoy or use them.

Highlighted in the FT last week, we saw this service phenomenon creeping further into entertainment offers last year, when our Director of Foresight Fiona Harkin touched on it in her LS:N Global 'Foresight Friday' column: "I had never really paid much attention to the ‘enshittification’ label until I had a run-in with Sky customer service this week. If you’re not familiar, it refers to when an online platform becomes more monetised and less user-orientated the longer it lasts. I now think it applies to any service'. For those brands and businesses keen to re-asses new codes of value and what value now means to consumers, be sure you're not slapped with a similar label.

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15 February 2024

Author: The Future Laboratory

Image: NRF 2024: Retail’s Big Show, US

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Left: Walmart, US. Right: Spaghetti Legs by Les Mills, New Zealand

#WeSawItComing

Over a decade ago we coined the term 'Phygital', this is a combination of the physical and digital to heighten someone's overall experience of a product or place. Now, Apple Vision Pro has captivated attention nationwide since its release on the 2nd of February, marking a significant leap into augmented and virtual reality consumer tech. Celebrated for its seamless transition from AR to full VR with a simple dial turn, the device has been going viral with clips of users exploring the headset’s capabilities in the driving seat of their Tesla, at the gym, in public transport or even in the kitchen.

On LS:N Global, we have highlighted how brands leverage this technology, particularly in the retail sector. Elf Cosmetics and Mytheresa have pioneered immersive shopping experiences, utilising the Apple Vision Pro app to transform how consumers interact with beauty and luxury products. As we discussed in Home States Futures: Residential Retail, innovative brands are already crafting immersive experiences that allow consumers to enjoy shopping from the comfort of their sofas, showcasing the potential of AR/VR technology in reshaping the phygital retail landscape.

‘Apple Vision Pro opens doors for retail evolution, creating a seamless phygital shopping experiences from the comfort of your home. Welcome to the era of immersive convenience.’

Gabriela Białkowska, Creative Foresight Analyst

Little Garlic by Apple. Directed by Marc Webb, China

Our top 5 Need to Knows of the week – curated by creative foresight analyst Gabriela Białkowska :

: Roblox unveils seamless multilingual chat translation AI

: Apple’s new Shot on iPhone film celebrates Chinese Gen Z’s resilience

: Walmart and Unity revolutionise in-game transactions for physical products

: Fitness brand Les Mills launches Spaghetti Legs pasta

: Pluri wants you to drink lab-grown Arabica coffee

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In Case You Missed It

Enshittification, Spaghetti Legs & Apple Vision Pro

Welcome to ICYMI*, In case you missed it, our weekly debrief of the trends we spotted first making it to the mainstream and the thought-provoking insights you need to know, curated by our in-house experts.

Everything is becoming a bit shit.

#WeSawItComing

‘Apple Vision Pro opens doors for retail evolution, creating a seamless phygital shopping experiences from the comfort of your home. Welcome to the era of immersive convenience.’

Our top 5 Need to Knows of the week – curated by creative foresight analyst Gabriela Białkowska :

Want to read more?Become a member today!

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