Life

Apple could once again fail to manage expectations

The iPhone 4S left many tech fans crestfallen partly because Apple allowed the hype whirlwind around the phone to blow up to Katrina proportions. That was in contrast to the iPad 2. When a slew of rumours appeared suggesting the second-gen tablet would have a high density retina screen, Apple got in touch with select tech sites and leaked info to put them right about it. The result? Punters adjusted their expectations accordingly were grateful for what they got, not what they didn't. We've not heard of anything similar happening with the iPhone 5, with Apple seemingly happy once again to let iPhone 5-related rumours get giddier and more fantastical by the day. That could mean that it really is going to be all we've been led to believe and that the quad-core processor, 4G support and the kitchen sink are present and correct. Or it could mean that Apple hasn't learned its lesson and is allowing the rumour mill to stir up expectations that the phone won't fulfil. If it's the latter, it's the kind of PR mistake that might not hurt sales in the short term but could do real damage to the company's reputation in the long run.