Hearts & Minds: Rehearsed and relentless. Lessons from the latest apple launch

Nobody does a launch like Apple. It’s something they’ve perfected, ever since Steve Jobs walked on stage clutching an iPhone. He wasn’t just holding it, he was loving it, nursing it. The master seemed blown away by its (and by extension, his and his company’s), brilliance. They combine visuals with theatricality with words. Always there is the video, with gorgeous imagery, followed by the personal. Nothing, down to the clothes the staff endorsers wear (they look so clean and healthy, so pure), the beauty of the surroundings and the simple lines is left to chance. Ah the lines. They don’t do clutter; nothing is allowed to detract.

The company that calls its in-store customer support, the Genius Bar, was at it again, with the unveiling of the iPhone 17, iPhone Air, and iPhone 17 Pro, Apple Watch Series 11, Apple Watch SE 3, Apple Watch Ultra 3, AirPods Pro 3. It wasn’t a case of simply pulling back the curtain, this was an Apple Event, the build-up had been going on for days, weeks, with CEO Tim Cook posting on X to ‘Get ready for an awe dropping #AppleEvent…’ The press were there en masse - it’s a measure of how Apple has managed to cloak the showcasing in such mystique that journalists from all over are allowed by their bosses to run up travel and hotel bills to attend. But it’s not an Apple Event, it’s an event that must be covered, same as any other major set piece. “Awe dropping’ cropped up repeatedly, on screen and voiced by Cook himself.

Apple does comms well. It knows how to drill down, to pick the right descriptions, applying the same detail to the choice of language as to the device itself. Anyone in comms, in marketing, should watch and learn. There is no let-up; the presentation, the script, are not after thoughts. Everything is rehearsed and filleted, again and again. You don’t only see it in the product but also in the instructions and packaging, in customer service, right across. Care and thought are the watchwords. Naturally, the media and social media are picking over the heralded innovation: is it as good as they say, does it make a difference, is it worth buying? This headline stood out: ‘The iPhone Air’s stunning design has left me wondering if I can live with just one camera’. So 21st century. So Apple.

Chris Blackhurst is one of the UK’s foremost business journalists. He was previously Editor of The Independent and City Editor of the Evening Standard.