[jad]

> I also wonder how many of these startups have been killed. I have to think that keeping things secret means that the execs can halt projects without reporting this to investors.

The advantages Apple's secrecy provides can't really be understated. As you imply, it allows them to experiment with product ideas freely. They can release products only when they're ready, and not to meet some artificial deadline announced months in advance. They can (and apparently have) cut features and made changes at the last minute, again with complete freedom because they haven't told anyone what they're doing.

And, obviously, they get tons of free press from the rumor mill and from their eventual "big unveil" product announcements. Consider the difference if Tim Cook casually said at, say, CES that they're shipping the iPad 3 in a couple months and it's going to have a retina display. How underwhelming would the eventual announcement be? Would it get coverage on broadcast news when it's finally announced, like iPhone and iPad announcements do now? That alone is worth millions of dollars in free marketing.

[Drbble]

"overstated", that is.