If you want to watch a master at work, observe Apple’s timing of product launches. It’s one of the underrated aspects of the American giant’s prodigious and prolonged success, but it’s been instrumental. Today’s long-awaited MacBook Pro redesign is just the latest example, coming swiftly on the heels of Apple reporting declining earnings and Microsoft announcing an eye-catching new PC — both of which are liable to be avalanched by excited chatter about Apple’s exciting new laptop.

In a previous article, I addressed the point that being first to launch a new product or technology is no guarantee of success. LG had the first phone with a capacitive touchscreen, but it was Apple’s iPhone that now stands as the iconic smartphone device…

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