UPDATED 11:30 EDT / SEPTEMBER 10 2012

Will Apple Need Celebrities Instead of Tim Cook to Introduce the iPhone 5?

Once again, all eyes will be on Apple on the 12th of September.   We’re looking at two things at this week’s event: 1) the launch of the iPhone 5, and 2) Tim Cook.

The late Steve Jobs used to take center stage in all major Apple events, but that changed last year when Cook took over their iPhone 4S launch.  Jobs had been battling health issues and wasn’t fit to present at the event, plus it was Cook’s first time to take charge as Apple’s new CEO.  A day after the launch, Jobs passed away and it seemed like the whole world mourned the loss of a legend.

Now, it’s almost a year after Apple’s tragic loss and once again they are facing a major event.  Cook is of course going to take center stage but the thing is, unlike the iPhone 4S, what they would be unveiling is entirely something new.

The iPhone is Apple’s revolutionary device that took over the world.  When it launched, almost everyone wanted one.  The much talked about iPhone 5 is said to be a game changer, setting the bar even higher for smartphones, so we certainly expect the launch date to be an event to remember.  Will Cook be able to handle things?

Of course he will.  Cook trained under Jobs and there’s no doubt that he’ll be able to handle the pressure of the launch event.  After all, Cook is now the new face of Apple.  Cook is not out to replace Jobs and the magic he brings to Apple events, he already proved that last year and at WWDC.  He brings a different perspective to Apple’s events.

Curiously, some think Cook is not suitable for Apple events, and the should get a celebrity to introduce the new iPhone.  According  to Rob Enderle, founder and principal analyst for the Enderle Group, Apple is facing four problems: 1) they are not as secretive as they used to be, 2) Samsung’s market share is bigger than theirs, 3) their ads are hurting them, and 4) Cook is so boring that they might need to resort to bringing celebrities at their events.

“I don’t think Apple is going to have a flop, but it will have real difficulty creating the kind of magic that Jobs was able to summon up,” Enderle wrote on DigitalTrends.  “For instance, we’ll likely see a celebrity trotted out at the launch event to help create the kind of on-stage presence that Steve Jobs once had, and Tim Cook lacks.”

Some companies bring celebrities to their events to introduce new devices, but that takes the spotlight off of the device.  That may be a tactic for some, but Apple wants their devices to be fully represented  – no celebrities needed to outshine them.  As for Cook being dull, that’s not quite true either.

Though Cook doesn’t possess the same charisma that Jobs had, he is able to deliver presentations that are still captivating.  You also need to remember that Cook is not really a ‘social’ person in the sense that he started at Apple working behind the scenes, contrary to Jobs who was literally the face of Apple.  But boring or not, the iPhone 5 will be a sure hit.


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