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In recent months, there has been a proliferation of stories surrounding various features of the iPhone. For example, one university revamped its entire curriculum to take advantage of the phone’s streaming abilities and its capacity to store and deliver information in a timely and personalized fashion and enhance participation. Another article highlighted the phone’s use in a real-time psychological study wherein participants recorded answers as they were feeling them. And others have explored how the phone has already been used in third world countries for greater access to pathology experts, in U.S. medical schools and hospitals for radiology, accessing patient records, and educating both physicians and residents/students; see some uses here. It was even reported that one survivor in Haiti used the phone to learn how to survive until someone rescued him. These examples are all happening, now. The iPad will not only accelerate this shift but also enhance it in many ways.

Amazon is noted to have changed the way individuals read books through the creation of its Kindle. But its form is still static and 2-dimensional with limited offerings other than the book itself. Few would argue that in today’s dynamic environment, reading in and of itself has dwindled. However, the iPad will change that. By linking the book with the author him/herself, photos of where the story takes place, and perhaps even videos of scenes from the book or other relevant information, reading will become an experience. And that’s how the iPad will begin to change the game in these industries: it will take our standard approaches and flip them, providing a multidimensional experience for us to be part of and live in, and do it seamlessly.

Of course right now we do not know what the iPad will do (or again, if it will even be called the iPad), but from all accounts, it seems highly likely that it will provide a new means of communication, a new form of interaction, and a new level of experience that we have not been exposed to before. Apple did it with the iPod and the iPhone, today we will learn if they can do it once more.

The timing and sequence of events in this scenario are astounding and clearly convey the power of effective strategy and brand building. Heading into the Christmas holiday, a “leak” prompted a flurry of articles surrounding a product Apple might introduce. Not has introduced mind you, or even will introduce, but might. Apple itself has not commented on the potential product release. Nonetheless, the initial hype was enough to send the stock price soaring and more to the point, to get Apple’s name in everyone’s ear over the holiday season. That couldn’t have hurt their Christmas sales. Additionally, the news effectively squashed any momentum competitors had of their big announcements. And there were some big announcements. Google for instance released its new Smartphone, the Nexus One, which is the company’s first foray into the handheld business (excluding of course its prominent positioning with the Android). Microsoft and others have already or are also expected to release their version of tablets at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) this week.

Articles have appeared on Apple in basically every major news network imaginable, all discussing the potential of a product no one even knows for sure exists. The fact is, if it does exist, and if it is in line with what Apple is capable of and has produced to this point, it will most assuredly change the game, both of Smartphones and computers. And possibly really change it. Regardless of the product’s impact (or if there is even a product!), the lessons from this whole set of events seem clear. They are twofold: 1) that building a brand is essential to long-term success, and 2) that focusing on a communications strategy is critical to achieving market penetration. In this instance, what has not been said is as important as what has, reminding us of the power and art of subtlety. It also conveys the power of social communications. News of the pending release of Apple’s product spread quickly and efficiently through venues like Twitter, Facebook, and many others. A few key spokespeople “close to the company” fueled the fire, and the reticence of the company (other than reserving a huge conference space for their meeting) added finishing touches.

In this day and age, glaring advertisements are often the norm. Apple itself has become extremely well-known for its iPod and iPhone commercials. But sometimes a minimalist approach is warranted and can be highly effective. Not all companies can harness the power to gain free advertising like Apple has perfected, but they can learn to manage the power of consumer desires. In his book Tribes, Seth Godin explores this concept by pointing out how consumers crave this very sort of anticipation and how leaders can wield this characteristic to promote products or services.

With the emergence of the Internet and now Smartphones and all the technology advancements that come along with them, communications has taken an abrupt turn. For companies to maximize their return on investment and to understand how to use these resources most effectively, it is important to be cognizant of all the options and how social media outlets can influence decisions. As with this case, it is also worthwhile to plan a strategy that accounts for consumer desires. Finally, as the old saying going, sometimes saying less is in fact more.