1st August 2017
Alan Dunton gets to the core of the issue...
News began hitting early Monday that Apple had suffered yet-another-leak of seemingly classified product information. This time, upcoming designs of its iPhone 8 could be viewed across the internet. Spolier alert: the upcoming – most bestest and amazing iPhone! – will have a slimmer bezel and no physical home button. Apple will proclaim this design revolutionary, never mind that Samsung and Google have already been shipping phones like this for a while.
It’s a given that Apple’s products will be covered when announced. They could push out a release on Christmas and still dominate the headlines. Over the years the company has groomed a media army to market their products for them. In return, the press get invited to events that feature notable pop acts and plenty of fodder to fill their Twitter feeds for a few days.
So the question is: When Apple knows it can command this army to do its bidding at a time and place of its choosing, why does it resort to leaking information before ‘official’ announcement days?
Hold on, you say … Apple isn’t intentionally leaking this information! Yes. Yes, they are. What do you think all those ex-clandestine staffers are doing for them anyway? Its iPhone 8 designs were found INSIDE firmware of its also yet-to-launch HomePod speaker. That’s cold-war genius, not to mention awesome.
Here’s a few reasons why Apple leaks its stuff early:
I recall looking forward to Apple press days before the leaks had become so egregious. Unfortunately, the spectacle of most of the recent ones on memory have been diluted because all the big-ticket items have been covered ad nauseam in the days, weeks, and months leading up to the main event.
For the record, I’ve never worked for Apple in any capacity, but the Apple II was my first computer and despite a weird Android experiment I went on a few years ago I’ve always been a loyal follower. And as soon as that iPhone drops, I’m getting it. Because Apple says I should.
Alan Dunton is managing director of Grayling San Francisco.
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