Apple Secrecy...Back To The Basics

[ghsDUDE]

I think we all want to have another surprise from Apple, but we'll never get it with the iPhone, iPad, iPod, etc.

The reason those products were able to wow us and there weren't any leaks is because they didn't have them available a week after the announcement. They announced them and had us wait months to get it.

Obviously Apple is a massive company so we're going to see leaks on the new iPhones and iPads until the end of time since some sneaky worker manufacturing these things will steal one and post leak pictures.

I think Apple can surprise us again if they do what they did with the Mac Pro. They need to work on their new "product" in secrecy and surprise us at a keynote. Make us wait months so they can manufacture it and then sell it.

This way no sneaky workers can leak anything. I'm hopeful we'll eventually have an iWatch announcement and no one should see it coming, but that's only if they do what I stated above.

If they start manufacturing it beforehand then we'll obviously see leaks.

I guess that's all I have to say, your opinion?

 

[emseven]

I am not expecting to be surprised again. I missed the days of pure, unadulterated surprise but Apple has lost it's grip at the production level.

We know what the iPad, iPad mini, Mac Pro and MBP will be and look like.

I expect a substantial amount of information on iWatch, iPhone 6 and Apple TV 2014-2016.

 

[zbarvian]

Good idea, yeah. But also, it seems the Mac line is naturally more impervious to premature disclosure for some reason. I didn't remember the Retina MBP getting any leaks or coverage beforehand.

 

[springsup]

I disagree. Watch the iPhone introduction video again.

Steve Jobs: Today we're announcing 3 new products.
Steve Jobs: The first: A widescreen iPod with touch controls.

Crowd goes wild; there have been rumours of this for ages.

Steve Jobs: The second: A revolutionary new mobile phone.

Crowd goes even more wild; there have been hazier rumours of this.

Steve Jobs: The third: A breakthrough internet communications device.

Crowd is silent. You can feel the collective 'huh?'

Nowadays, I'd be generous and say the phone + music features make up about 10% of what we do on our iPhones. Nobody foresaw Safari on the iPhone, yet it was probably the most important breakthrough Apple ever made. It raised the bar for what you expected from a mobile phone by miles.

Here's the video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ftf4riVJyqw

Skip to 1:25. It's hilarious looking back at it.

 

[ghsDUDE]

I disagree. Watch the iPhone introduction video again.



Nowadays, I'd be generous and say the phone + music features make up about 10% of what we do on our iPhones. Nobody foresaw Safari on the iPhone, yet it was probably the most important breakthrough Apple ever made. It raised the bar for what you expected from a mobile phone by miles.

Here's the video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ftf4riVJyqw

Skip to 1:25. It's hilarious looking back at it.

Yeah, but no one knew what the phone looked like or what it did. Even touch screen.

I'm saying that we know there's an iWatch or something, but no leaks. If they go into production beforehand we'll end up seeing pictures. I want the surprise and secrecy to be what the actual product looks like and what it can do. And they can only achieve that if they just create them in secrecy at Apple.

 

[LondonGooner]

To be fair the Gold and (i think) Space Grey colours were leaked very very late in the day. Which is surprising but makes sense considering the shortages on the gold

 

[TM WAZZA]

This will affect sales.

 

[DucMike]

Yeah, but no one knew what the phone looked like or what it did. Even touch screen.

I'm saying that we know there's an iWatch or something, but no leaks. If they go into production beforehand we'll end up seeing pictures. I want the surprise and secrecy to be what the actual product looks like and what it can do. And they can only achieve that if they just create them in secrecy at Apple.

I watched that the other night. I love it; "...a widescreen iPod with touch controls... a revolutionary mobile phone... and a breakthrough internet communicator."

 

[springsup]

Yeah, but no one knew what the phone looked like or what it did. Even touch screen.

I'm saying that we know there's an iWatch or something, but no leaks. If they go into production beforehand we'll end up seeing pictures. I want the surprise and secrecy to be what the actual product looks like and what it can do. And they can only achieve that if they just create them in secrecy at Apple.

Yes they did. The rumours were of a touchscreen iPod.

Here are some of the fakes. Be prepared to laugh your face off at how they all seem to think Apple would use a virtual click-wheel

Apple make loads of prototypes that we never see (except when they turn up in court). Once they hit mass production, it's much harder to keep a lid on the hardware and accessories because they have to be made in such high volume (you know there are people who ordered an iPhone 5S on launch day and still haven't received them - a month later!)

With the iPhone, Apple announced the product months before release, and before it actually hit mass production. They could afford to do that, because they weren't cannibalising any existing sales. They did the same with the iPad. I'd expect them to do the same with any iWatch or iTV.

You hear about new iPhone/iPad releases before launch because they have to be available in huge quantities very soon after announcement. How do you think iPhone 5 sales are doing in all those countries where the 5C/5S hasn't launched yet?

 

[Spacial]

Apple seems to be spent. Luckily they have their hype machine well tuned up & running better than ever. Their customers are still buying so Apples just fine.

 

[Xerotech]

It is true that the amount of leaks have grown, however, people should only be mad if they can easily predict product releases without rumor sites. Would any of you expect a finger print sensor without knowing Apple secretly bought Authentec?

Apple may be playing it smart with the Mac Pro. Announce->Build->Create Anticipation.

 

[Small White Car]

If they go into production beforehand we'll end up seeing pictures.

They won't.

Apple can't surprise us with any product that has to go on sale the following week. So you'll never be surprised by an iPhone again.

But entirely new products...the TV, the watch...they'll get us good with those. They won't go on sale until 4 or 5 months after the announcement, of course. But the announcement will be a total surprise.

Remember the new Mac Pro? They got us then. And that was just a few months ago. Apple's still got "it" when it comes to secrecy. It just can't be something that's been sent to the factory yet.

 

[djtech42]

What about iOS 7? We knew some hazy details about the new flat design, but never saw it until the announcement. There was a rough leak of the icons the night before, but up until that point, there were no actual leaks of details about the OS.

This shows that software can remain in secrecy because it is all internal. Hardware is made in mass quantities at factories, so unfortunately, if it is announced a week before release, it will be leaked.

 

[aluren]

I actually prefer leaks, it keeps things interesting and something to read about throughout the year.

 

[Merkie]

I disagree. Watch the iPhone introduction video again.



Nowadays, I'd be generous and say the phone + music features make up about 10% of what we do on our iPhones. Nobody foresaw Safari on the iPhone, yet it was probably the most important breakthrough Apple ever made. It raised the bar for what you expected from a mobile phone by miles.

Here's the video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ftf4riVJyqw

Skip to 1:25. It's hilarious looking back at it.

It's not hilarious, it's monumental. Truly the most amazing Apple keynote ever. I still rewatch this part a few times a year.

"Today we are introducing three revolutionary products. The first one: a widescreen iPod with touchscreen controls. *audience cheers* The second one: a revolutionary mobile phone. *huge cheer* The third: a breakthrough internet communications device. *'I don't know what it is but it's probably great' cheer*

So, three things: a widescreen iPod with touch controls, a revolutionary mobile phone and a breakthrough internet communications device. An iPod, a phone, and an internet communicator. An iPod, a phone... Are you getting it? These are not three seperate devices. This is one device. And we are calling it iPhone. Today Apple is going to reinvent the phone."

Epic!

 

[moargolems]

I watched that the other night. I love it; "...a widescreen iPod with touch controls... a revolutionary mobile phone... and a breakthrough internet communicator."

An iPod. A phone. An internet communicator.

An iPod! A phone! Are you getting it?

 

[PinkyMacGodess]

It is true that the amount of leaks have grown, however, people should only be mad if they can easily predict product releases without rumor sites. Would any of you expect a finger print sensor without knowing Apple secretly bought Authentec?

Apple may be playing it smart with the Mac Pro. Announce->Build->Create Anticipation.

But the new Mac Pro announcement also showed its limitations, and I think there is a rather high degree of negative impression that was created. I personally will not be buying a new Mac Pro anytime soon, and hope my current one keeps running for a few years.

The problem with pre-announcing a product is can the product once shipping, deliver on the hype and anticipation...

There was an old joke about the IBM salesperson who was just married sitting on the end of the bed telling his new wife how absolutely awesome the sex they were eventually going to have will be...

Pre-announcing new products is a double edged sword, but perhaps the sharpest edge is facing inwards.

Here is a version of the IBM joke:

Three women sat discussing their husbands and their sex lives.

"My husband's a wrestler," said the first. "He's really strong and aggressive in bed."

"My husband's an artist," said the second. "He's really gentle and sensitive."

"My husband's an IBM salesman," said the third. "He sits on the edge of the bed and tells me how good it's going to be when I finally get it."​