How much rides on whether a brand uses AI tools to offer personalized communication services? A lot, actually. Companies, brands, and services are starting to collect data on clients’ shopping habits to curate automated texts and messages, known as “AI-assisted hyper-personalization,” that include offers and markdowns to encourage and increase customer loyalty and spending, BBC reports.

AI-driven personalization is already being used by 92% of companies around the world, according to a Twilio segment report. Despite some customers’ concerns about privacy and the use of data, this method seems to be the “future of shopping,” according to VentureBeat.

How does it work? This tactic starts from the moment you click “Accept Cookies.” For the uninitiated, accepting cookies grants a website or app to access your browsing behavior, and, more importantly, your purchases. This data is the information needed to create tailored messages that speak to you — not as a segment, but as a person: Your preference of citrusy colognes, your keto diet, and your interest in trying boxing as a sport. They’ll also tap into the weather where you are, your gender, and body type and hey, presto, personalized communication is ready to launch.

We may hate telemarketers, but we jive with personalized communication: Research shows 71% of consumers expect personalized interactions, and 76% make a little pout when it doesn’t happen — and brands are happy to oblige. The personalized communication AI tools gave a 40% revenue surge to the companies who have focused on it, as opposed to their peers who did not use it, according to a McKinsey report. Shoppers particularly enjoy little things, like receiving an email (preferably with a markdown) after abandoning your online shopping cart to ask where you’ve gone and nudge you towards closing your purchase.

This “customer intimacy” has made 78% of customers surveyed in the report keen to come back and repurchase — to the extent that they will even recommend it to family and friends. There is a downside, though, in the risk of misreading a customer’s behavior. For instance, sending a collection of Father’s Day options for someone who is grieving a parent or has had a difficult relationship with the holiday might not be as palatable.

Move over iPhone — it’s time for the wearables to shine. Apple is putting more effort into developing its wearable products in 2024 while giving less attention to its golden goose, the iPhone.

All of Apple’s significant product categories, including the iPhone, Mac, iPad, and wearables, saw revenues dip in 2023, according to Bloomberg, and Apple intends to prove that 2024 is the year of the wearables.

WHAT’S IN STORE + SOME INTERESTING HIGHLIGHTS FOR THE ISHEEP IN 2024:

#1- Vision Pro is going to be the next big thing — but the first model will probably suck.Like the first Apple Watch, the tech giant sees the headset following its trajectory, probably the fourth model will actually be the bomb.

#2- Apple wants to tap into the hearing aid industry. The company is looking into software-based development into hearing aids, which it feels will flood in a multi-mn USD industry, the article shares.

#3- Of course, the iPhone will receive its upgrade next year — it will likely look the same. The Pro version is slated for a larger screen size, and the lower-end models will be equipped with an action button (previously implemented in iPhone 15 versions) and another dedicated button for capturing videos.

#4- Fourth-generation AirPods are on the way. Apple will introduce “two new fourth-generation non-Pro models” with updated designs, redesigned cases, and USB-C charging. The higher-end version of these models will include active noise-cancellation, making this sought-after feature available at a more affordable price point. This comes after the unremarkable third generation AirPods that had customers nabbing the pre-pandemic, second generation model.

AirPods Max headphones won’t be making headlines. Stumped for ideas, the iSheep HQ willslap on a USB-C charger port and phase out the lighting port.

#5- Apple Watch wants to be your GP. Apple is working on adding two noteworthy healthfeatures including hypertension and sleep apnea detection. We only wish it would come sooner, given the state of affairs and the holiday season. Nevertheless, Apple does not see many people queuing up to get one quite yet.

#6- Aside from the wearable products, Apple is planning to overhaul its iPad lineup. The Pro version will be completely redesigned, and the Air model will offer a larger screen option. Moreover, both the iPad mini and the entry-level model will be equipped with faster chips to enhance their performance.

#7- And then there’s the Stolen Device Protection feature. Going live with the iOS 17.3 software update, it ensures that your data such as your Apple ID settings, passwords, iCloud Keychain and financial information don’t land in someone else’s hands. Another cool addition is that if the phone is moved to an unfamiliar location it will require both Face ID and Touch ID. So unless you’ve been kidnapped, the phone won’t lead to your ruin.

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