On Friday night, the “Gold Master” release of iOS 11 leaked online. As nerds have waded through the code, secrets about Apple’s soon-to-be-announced devices have come to light. This is the second time this summer that prerelease software has escaped into the wild and tipped Apple’s hand.
There are still some details about the new devices that we don’t know.[1] But enough cats have slipped out of Apple’s bag that the event has lost some luster. We’ve peeked into the presents before Christmas morning. Or, to put it another way, the leaks have “spoiled” the new iPhone announcement.
Using “spoiler” language may seem odd. That’s a term from the entertainment world, not the tech sphere. Does an iPhone announcement event really compare to, say, the upcoming Star Wars sequel or an episode of Game of Thrones?
lol are we seriously complaining about “spoilers” for a trillion-dollar company’s two-hour commercial
— Andrew Cunningham (@AndrewWrites) September 9, 2017
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Sure, maybe it’s silly (or even a bit sad). But these product announcements are high holidays for tech enthusiasts. I’ve had September 12th circled on my calendar for over a month. I’ve followed the online speculation since the first “tenth anniversary iPhone” rumors surfaced over a year ago. And I’ve been saving to buy a new phone since the day I bought my last one.
So… yeah, I do look forward to iPhone events as if they were blockbuster movies. That anticipation is a testament to Apple’s crack PR team and how carefully they design these announcements. A well-crafted product event is a roller coaster worth riding, and it’s more fun when I don’t know that hairpin left turn is coming. As both a gadget fan and as a communications professional, I’d rather be surprised.[2] ■
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For example, while most pundits agree that the base model “iPhone X” (which is apparently the official name) will start around $999, any price from $899 to $1199 remains in play. The top-end phone’s release date also remain unclear. We haven’t yet seen legit final versions of the phone hardware (although we have seen an image of the LTE Apple Watch). Finally, while we may know the names of many new features, we don’t know exactly how they work. ↩
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I only have myself to blame. After all, I’ve managed to avoid major Episode VIII spoilers so far by steering clear of sites like Making Star Wars. In the same way, if I had simply ignored the Apple rumor mill, Tuesday’s event would still be a mystery to me. Unfortunately, I don’t have that sort of willpower. And the pre-event speculation is part of the fun. ↩
Matt Hauger 