Apple is actively leaking stories about the forthcoming Apple Tablet, according to John Martellaro, a former senior marketing manager at Apple. And remember those rumours in the Wall Street Journal on Monday? Martellaro says Apple put them there…
Martellaro’s article at Mac Observer claims that Apple engages in “controlled leaks” and that he himself was instructed to orchestrate them during his time at the company.
He explains Apple’s approach: “A senior exec [would] come in and say, ‘We need to release this specific information. Do you have a trusted friend at a major outlet? …idly mention this information and suggest that if it were published, that would be nice. No emails!”
Apple apparently ensures that controlled leaks occur in person or by phone, never via email. Martellaro says that’s so there’s no paper trail and both sides can retain deniability and simply claim the article came from a “misunderstanding”.
Martellaro says Apple was almost certainly behind the Wall Street Journal’s Apple Tablet story, which explains why the publication has such a good history of getting it’s Apple predictions right. He also says Apple will have pushed for the story to be posted late in the day to prevent suggestions of attempting to manipulate the stock market.
He also speculates about what might have motivated Apple to leak information about the Apple Tablet. He believes it may have done so to speed up a slow partner, test the reaction to a $1000, panic a competitor (perhaps Microsoft and HP with the HP Slate) or stir up analysts and stoke expectations.
If Martellaro is true and Apple is leaking details of the Tablet which rumours do you believe? The Wall Street Journal seems like a credible source but what about all the other tales whirling around the web? Take a look at our previous round out of plausible Apple Tablet rumours.
Due TBA | £TBA | Apple (via Mac Observer)
