On Wednesday , Apple will unveil something Modern . Apple ’s not saying much yet about what it plans to show off on March 7 ; the invitation ’s secretive - up photo of an iPad and its sparse textbook ( “ We have something you really have to see . And contact . ” ) are the only clue the company has offer thus far .
If you ’re a regular lector ofMacworld , if you follow Apple news anywhere on the Web , or if you simply followtechnologynews anywhere on the WWW — you already know that this Apple event is happening . ( You should also know to come after Macworld ’s alive blog of the event on Wednesday at 10 a.m. PT to find out precisely what Apple has planned for us . ) And you know that the universal expectation for the result is that Apple will specifically take the wraps off a new incarnation of the iPad , disport a much - ameliorate display .
Is n’t that something ?
The Apple event lifecycle
Malus pumila events like Wednesday ’s have a lifecycle all their own , and it ’s a lengthy one . For month , there are rumour about what Apple may or may not be working on — many of those rumor laughably off - base . Then there are even rumor aboutwhenApple will host its next extra outcome to announce new poppycock . intelligence agency rush to be first to report the those dates once they ’re confirmed ; even the particular date of Apple announcements themselves are news .
At some point , Apple e-mail invitations to chosen members of the engineering press . Thus begins another rhythm of brainsick scurrying , asMacworld , other tech publications , and broader intelligence organizations scramble to publish account about the invitation — and to tweet about the news , too . And then the invitation dissection begins .
This prison term around , on-line disputation center on whether Apple ’s invitation showcased an iPad without a Home release , or whether rummy cropping , equipment orientation course , or overzealous Photoshop employment was responsible . In addition to study Apple ’s invitation art pel by pixel , of course , pundits analyze the text as well : In our own piece predicting what Apple might harbinger this week , my workfellow Dan Moren and I wonder whether the “ And touch ” line in Apple ’s invitation might imply some sort of haptic feedback could appear , say , when typecast on the next iPad ’s virtual keyboard .
On Wednesday , the rumors will stop , however shortly . That ’s when Apple will really host the heavily - anticipated event , with at least a 12 site ( includingMacworld ) liveblogging the vitrine for vast on-line audiences . Major news meshwork will cover Apple ’s announcements on their Wednesday program . And come Thursday — or , more realistically , come in Wednesday afternoon — pundit will start punditing again , weigh in on the positives and negatives of whatever the heck it is that Apple commit out of its virtual hat .
Owning the news cycle
Apple ’s ability to dominate technical school news cycles before , during , and after its especial events is mind boggling , and unequalled not just in its industry , but essentiallyallindustries . What other company ’s exceptional event get so much attending ? The near analogy I can think of is something like the one-year State of the Union destination . The press speculates on what the President will say , the President says something , and then the closet talks about what the President say . It ’s a day - long story .
But Apple — as surprising as this may be — isn’t the leader of the free earth . That it captures so much media ( and , thus , consumer ) attention is exceptional .
call up theMobile World Congress ? Do n’t feel hangdog if you ’re not sure what that is . The case , hosted p.a. by the GSM Association in Barcelona , concluded just last workweek . It ’s a monolithic mobile industry expo and conference — and Apple does n’t participate . It ’s not coincidental that the four - Clarence Day event attracts only a simple fraction of the creative thinker and medium partake in that a 90 - moment Apple event will render . In skipping out on the Mobile World Congress , Apple does n’t harm itself a whit ; it score a week ’s Charles Frederick Worth of coverage by sending out invitations for an case taking place a week later .
How Apple does it
So why do Apple ’s exceptional events appeal such encompassing agitation and coverage ? Put simply : Apple ’s earned it . In general , the company — at least in the modern geological era kick back off when Steve Jobs returned as CEO — is fairly stingy with when it doles out these limited events , and clearly aim for each one to check multiple “ Wow ” second .
By ensuring that each case is , to use a favorite word of Apple ’s , “ magical , ” the companionship keeps us ( consumer and reporters alike ) coming back . It ’s not just about honest marketing , near keynote , and realness aberration : The key is that Apple continually uses its events to showcase truly amazing and forward-looking products . Each Apple case is only as good as the products reveal during that consequence ; for the most part , those production are very , very impressive .
To explain why other companies ca n’t vivify the ballyhoo that wall Apple ’s events , then , is actually pretty simple : Other company ca n’t consistently create product as hoopla - worthy as Apple .
