Nice article by Josh Lowensohn and Jim Kerstetter over at c|net: How Apple keeps them lining up.

What’s Apple’s secret for turning these launches into a cultural event? It’s consistency, and it’s surprise. You believe that Apple product you’re about to buy will be like the last one, but how will it be better?

Cheng and ch’i, a subject I treat in Chapter 6 of Certain to Win. Sun Tzu suggested that we engage with the cheng, win with the ch’i. Or, in business, something like “bring’em in with the cheng, lock’em in with the ch’i.”