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Fifteen years after Apple launched the first iPhone, it’s hard to imagine a world without it. It wasn’t just the invention of the device; it was the birth of an entirely new concept: the smartphone. Fast forward a decade and a half, and the smallest screen in our pockets has replaced the big screen in our living rooms. The iPhone has proven to be much more than an accessory – for many consumers, it is a part of their identity and as crucial to their daily existence as their own limbs.

So, what brand lessons can be learned from the astronomical rise of the iPhone, and what might subscriptions look like in 15 years from now? Let’s see.

Not just tech, but experiences

The genius of the iPhone goes way beyond its technology. Sure, the smartphone was a new type of device in its time, but it wasn’t just new tech, it was all about creating experiences.

The iPhone took something consumers already knew (the mobile phone) and brought it to an entirely new level. The first Nokia phones were all about “connecting people.” But the iPhone? That was connecting people in a new and far better way, beyond mere phone calls and texting, with cameras, photos, email, chat, gaming, apps, video and much more. All of these were a world of experiences in the palm of the hand, and that – not the technology – was what the iPhone revolution was all about.

For subscriptions too, SaaS tech like Vindicia is what supports advanced subscription offerings. But the magic is not really just in the tech; it’s in the experiences that the technology allows.

Putting e-commerce in our pockets

With the iPhone, e-commerce became possible at every moment, wherever you happen to be. Consumers today can shop anywhere, at 2 a.m. in bed, sitting on a bus, soaking in the bath, flying on a plane. The iPhone paved the way to put e-commerce in our pockets, making all the products and services we desire within reach, instantly. That’s what subscription tech does too. By providing comforting, accessible, frictionless experiences of products and services, always at the ready whenever the user wants or needs them, subscription technology today is the loyalty engine brands need in order to build stronger e-commerce connections and long-lasting customer relationships.

Tech breaks down the barriers

The genius of the iPhone was the way it used technology to break down barriers. Consumers no longer need their portable music player or PC to do all the things they want to do. In just 15 years, the world has moved from traditional comms, to a complex, rich world of instant communication, entertainment, education and shopping, beyond any barriers.

When it’s projected that by 2023, up to 75% of DTC brands will offer subscriptions to their customers, the age has begun in which SaaS technology can do the same for subscriptions. Subscription tech platforms enable companies to completely reinvent their approach and offering, supporting data driven, personalized, value added experiences that make consumers feel safe and empowered, constantly connected to the services they love. With advanced subscription tech, like iPhone tech, the traditional barriers are broken down.

Fifteen years ago, Apple made the momentous decision to invest in a revolutionary, potentially life-changing technology and product, designed to be consumed beyond the regular bounds of consumerism. With the advances in subscription tech, our industry is standing at the cusp of a similar revolution, with the ability to offer stronger customer relationships and a new future of subscription offerings beyond the barriers in the next decade.

Will you make the investment in the right subscription tech?