Apple keynote: The show, the products, the prices

There are rumours but we want no part of it. Not because we have a non-disclosure agreement with Apple or the like. But because, as an editorial team, we unanimously decided to inform you about facts. Nothing else. Sure, we know about the news on 9to5mac and other portals. That’s part of our jobs.

But there’s more to our jobs and I’d like to give you an insight with this background article. We, that’s Dario, Andrea, Anadi, Roberto and yours truly, will be closely watching Apple’s keynote this Wednesday. The five of us are all doing it for different reasons.

«The keynote is a matter of honour»

I would like to point out that absolutely nobody at digitec knows which new Apple products will be presented and how big or small their price tags will be. We’re on good terms with Apple. Nonetheless, they’re just as stingy with their information to us as they are to you.

«I’m pretty sure the phones have already been produced and are currently on a container ship in the middle of the ocean,» Dario says with a grin.

Dario is a planner. He’s the guy in product management who decides how many phones we’re going to purchase. His job is to predict how many devices and which models will be bought. And that’s why he’ll be watching the show in real-time and taking a very close look. After all, he needs to quickly decide which products are interesting for our customers.

He then forwards his prediction regarding the number of devices we’ll sell to Apple. Dario is hoping for a first come, first served scenario. The first load for Switzerland is split up between the retailers, which are end dealers like digitec. Obviously, everyone wants the biggest slice of the pie.

The first flagship products to hit the market will sell like hotcakes, that’s for sure. I ask Dario what else he’s banking on. «New colours often sell better,» he says. Take gold, for example. An absolute winner in the Far East.

Colours are not just a thing in the Far East but also in Switzerland. However, new colours don’t always prevail. «When the iPhone 7 came out, it was also available in Diamond Black. It looked amazing on the product photos. I was lucky enough to see and hold it for real early on. That was when I realised that the piano lacquer effect acts like a magnet for fingerprints and smudges. The effect still looks amazing but having to polish your phone all the time is just not practical. «I managed to cancel a large order at the last minute and was proved right.»

I’m impressed by Dario. He has skills I don’t. He places bets on the future and large amounts of money depend on his gut feeling. I ask him if he knows how many devices we will sell. «It’s like looking into a crystal ball,» Dario says. «The Apple keynote is the Champions League of marketing.»

Preparing for early bestsellers

Andrea and Anadi will also be watching the keynote live. They’re both marketing managers on the mobiles and computing team and want to know everything about the latest products. Both are expecting new smartphones and wearables. But will there be a new Mabook Air?

After the keynote kickoff, they will both start working on the product pages and start adding the new prices as soon as they’re announced. What’s more, they will get to work on new stories that show the latest devices and their specs. My tip to you: Click on Andreas’ or Anadi’s profile to follow them. That way you’ll receive an e-mail as soon as they activate an article.

I ask Andrea what early birds can do to be amongst the first to get their hands on a new iPhone. «We put the new devices as up soon as possible. If you really want one, I recommend dropping by on the morning after the keynote. Then click on order, even if there’s no green «deliverable» button. From experience, I can tell you that our first delivery is usually sold out quickly. First come, first served.»

My word, now that's what I call marketing!

And when will the products be delivered? «On Friday, 21.9. at the earliest,» she replies. «But it could also be a week later,» Dario adds after looking at his calendar. Andrea has one more piece of advice: We’re happy to serve you at one of our stores, but the postal service is generally just as fast.

On stage at the keynote

During the keynote, Roberto will be seeing you through the event live on Twitter. We look forward to you joining us!

Right after the keynote, I’ll be providing you with a summary and first estimate from the editorial team.