[tophat02]

I won't speak to Jobs' health issues, but with respect to the insane amount of secrecy involving product launches, I really hope Apple keeps it this way...

...just makes it a whole lot more fun. We all need some intrigue in our lives, even if it's just from a company that sells plastic gizmos.

[wheels]

It's also what, for better or worse, keeps Apple playing as a niche luxury item rather than being able to tackle the corporate world. You can't tell a global IT department that they don't get to know when your next updates will ship or if you'll be able to fulfill orders on time.

[quizbiz]

When a publicly traded company is in question (in this case one of the most widely held and actively traded public companies), "fun" is not the proper justification. But I do agree with your wider point.

[mishmash]

Right, but millions in marketing hype is.