It is interesting to me that Apple is being forced by market (and stockmarket) pressures into making new product announcements well before they are ready - Apple TV (iTV) was spun months ago, and the iPhone is being trailed a full 6 months before it is available. Versions tested by journalists do not even have full functionality.
The time was, when products would be immediately available after Jobs' annoucements.
In effect, due to a paucity of products today, Apple is having to reach further and further into the future to make a splash in the here and now. A bit like the US budget deficit.
They are leaving themselves a problem with what to announce in 6 or 12 months time. Now, they have either got to have a bumper year for product development, or they are going to have to continue to borrow against future developments to maintain the hype. Which of course leaves the door open for aggressive and nimble footed competitors to steal a product's thunder before it even gets to the shops.
For my part, I am completely seduced by the iPhone. But if, in (minimum) 9 months I have to wait for it to get to Europe (and hopefully 3G), my service provider waves a new sexy number under my nose, well I could easily be turned, such a slut am I.
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