Apple product presentations are just like blockbusters cinematographic. AND blockbusters are not successful without an essential element: trailers.
Trailers are short videos that summarize the plot of the film. through the trailer that the necessary euphoria is generated around his work. But electronic devices are not films. Apple cannot make a trailer for the “iPhone 8”. At the very least, it would be pathetic. More interesting than summarizing the product making it look like it leaked. On purpose or not, the Cupertino company benefits as no one from the leakage of specific functions of its products. The counterintuitive reasoning: the word "pour" already comes with a negative connotation, even more so in our country, in which it is usually accompanied by "award winning delight".
Credit: Saif AslamThe subject came at a good time. The "iPhone 8", which if everything goes as it should be presented next month, is already considered the most leaked device in history. So many are the leaks that we need to number the articles about them (1, 2, 3, 4; to link just a few) and we are already running out of ideas on how to start the first paragraph of these posts without seeming repetitive.
When a photo of the “iPhone 8” leaks, in theory, it destroys the big surprise of the event. But in practice, it is different: it only increases public anxiety. Ma benefits from the leakage of its products in a few ways: free media, euphoria creation and expectation management.
Let's start with the free media. The rumors about gadgets from Apple are a machine that feeds back. Whenever a mysterious photo appears, an analyst gives a tip, or a firmware reveals something, thousands of blogs specializing in the subject instantly reproduce the news. Then, larger portals “copy” the materials, usually in a sensational way (ex: "You won't believe this feature on the next iPhone!"). The result: millions of people hear about the device's release with incessant curiosity. This is a very effective way to reach the public and is completely free.
All this spontaneous media creates a mental narrative in the population, generating an effect ofcollective euphoria the famous hype. Think of rumors and leaks as drops that fall into a pot. As new news emerges, the public becomes more anxious for the event. The vessel overflows on the day of the keynote. And make no mistake: no one will stop watching Tim Cook onstage because some images of the device have surfaced in the confines of the internet. how to stop watching "Star Wars" s because you saw the trailer on YouTube.
Apple leaks also have the effect of manage expectation of the public. Surely you already received it via WhatsApp or saw a video on Facebook mockup “iPhone 13”, with a giant screen that opens an overhead projector and laser beams. Imagine if the population thought that a device of this magnitude would appear every year, but they came face to face with a relatively warm iPhone (which was the 7, for example). If products did not leak, high expectations would have a negative effect on sales. As people already expected an iPhone 7 with a design similar to that of the 6, sales went according to plan.
Mockup iPhone 7 left; iPhone 7 right, as expected
But does Apple really leak its products on purpose? A former Apple executive said yes and told how it works:
A senior executive arrives and says, “We need to release this specific information. John, do you have any trusted friends? If so, call him and have a conversation. Release the information and suggest that if it were published it would be legal. No emails. ” Communication is always in person or by phone, but never by email. This is because, if there is any discussion about how the leak happened, there will be no tracks to contradict any version of the story. Both parties can deny and claim that it was a misunderstanding ().
I decided to write this article after seeing the amount of information about the "iPhone 8" that the HomePod firmware brought us. In my opinion, unlikely that a company the size of Apple will do the hassle of releasing software full of tips on how to be the next iPhone unintentionally. I think there is a chance it was purposeful. And if it was, it worked perfectly.
Credit: Saif AslamThe Brazilian developer Guilherme Rambo, who was one of those responsible for finding all those references inside, told me that he has a different opinion. He thinks it was more likely to have been a mess by Cupertino's people than a deliberate leak.
According to him, the intention of Apple was to put the firmware on the air in a public way, but when it was released they confused the build (compilation / version) of the software and ended up releasing a lot of secret references. According to Rambo, it is quite complex even for a company the size of Apple to remove all devices future within a firmware.
On purpose or not, we now know a number of things about the device while not knowing anything. What a trailer!
