Apple Store“Apple has long been notoriously secretive about its unreleased products,” Daniel Eran writes for RoughlyDrafted. “Critics compare Apple’s secrecy against the transparent development efforts of open source projects, and even with other commercial developers. Microsoft, for example, has a history of providing detailed roadmaps of future plans. Why does Apple keep its future plans under wraps?”

“If Apple is doing so well in delivering new features, why were some features left under wraps at WWDC? After all, Microsoft has long used early announcements of future plans to overshadow and divert attention from competitors’ existing products. Why isn’t Apple doing this with Leopard? There are multiple reasons,” Eran writes.

Eran’s reasons for Apple’s secrecy:
• It avoids setting up the company for failure (see: Vista)
• It’s how Apple generates the biggest media splash
• It’s how Apple makes the “tech journalist” monkeys dance
• Apple’s unique role as a fixture of national headlines

Erna writes, “While Apple’s secrecy works to its advantage in creating excitement for consumer products, the same secrecy can work against Apple’s efforts to working with partners, particularly in Open Source projects, and in dealing with corporate customers. An upcoming article will look at Apple’s recent efforts to adapt and provide more open information about their future plans.”

Full article with much more here.

[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader "Dan The Man" for the heads up.]