Apple owns the press event, and today’s new iPhone unveiling was no exception.

In front of a crowd of reporters and Apple enthusiasts, Apple CEO Tim Cook and marketing chief Phil Schiller revealed the faster, lighter, thinner iPhone 5.

“It is an absolute jewel—the most beautiful product we’ve made, bar none,” Schiller said as the new device rose from the stage mounted on a pedestal.

The announcement sparked an explosion of activity on Twitter. During the event, which ran from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. ET, Twitter mentions about the iPhone 5 surged to more than 180,000, according toSocialBakers. In the hour leading up to the event, mentions topped 150,000.

Besides selling a wildly popular product, here are five things marketing and PR pros can learn from today’s event:

1. Make sure your executives are well trained—even if the product is killer. When Apple released the iPhone 4S, reactions were tempered, in part due to the newly anointed Tim Cook. This time around he was prepared and delivered a performance that impressed reporters. “Cook seems more confident and effusive in his speaking style,” Mashable’s Chris Taylor remarked during his live blog of the event. “Figure he’s been taking lessons.” The New York Times added: “Mr. Cook, normally Mr. Nice Guy, is being funny and sarcastic.”

2. Numbers remain powerful. Facts, not platitudes speak volumes—just ask Cook. Early in the presentation, Cook highlighted the impressive sales figures for the iPad and Mac computers. Among the numbers: 17 million iPads sold last quarter, making a total of 84 million iPads sold through June 2012; the iPad’s market share is 68 percent, a boost from 62 percent one year ago; and more than 90 percent of Web traffic from tablets comes from iPads. The last statistic sparked this quip from Cook: “I don’t know what these other tablets are doing. They must be in warehouses, or store shelves, or maybe in someone’s bottom drawer.” The audience reportedly roared with laughter.

3. Pay attention to sound bites. Schiller’s “most beautiful product” remark will be echoed throughout the media this week, as will Cook’s statement early in the event that “We are in a post-PC world.”

4. Show, don’t tell. The iPhone 5’s front facing camera is getting an upgrade. Instead of simply telling the audience about it, Schiller showed off a variety of pictures snapped using the new device. Several media outlets covering the event swooned over the camera technology—which you wouldn’t get that by simply saying: “And it’s got a 28 megapixels.” (Unless, maybe Ashton Kutcher is saying it.)

5. Maintain realistic expectations. Apple’s stock soared in the lead-up to the event, but traded lower in the wake of the announcement—despite the hype and social media frenzy. That’s nothing new in terms of Apple’s product unveiling, according to a tweet from Rebecca Jarvis, co-host of CBS’s “This Morning.”

Preorders for the iPhone 5 begin Friday. The pricing is the same as the iPhone 4S.

This article was written by Michael Sebastian and originally appeared on PRdaily. 

Image via Macstories

I’m no longer a Mac virgin. I got my first MacBook Pro a couple months back, and have been aggressively using it daily. When I was making my decision to purchase my new computer, I did a lot of online research to try and find out exactly what the benefits were to buying Apple merchandise. Having grown up using a PC, and having conducted most of my work on one, I entered into this market with a pretty keen eye for what was important to me.

The Non-Negotiables

There were a few things I needed to make sure of before buying, and here’s some of what made the list:

-       Full Compatibility with MS Office

-       Easy transfer of old hard drive data

-       Calendar synchronization

-       Easily adaptable operating software

Not a long list, but a list nonetheless. Here’s a list of some the pros and cons I’ve noticed within my first few months:

Pros

• Twitter is integrated into EVERYTHING on the new Mountain Lion OS. It’s so easy to share content (which is huge for me).
• MS Office is not only the same, but slightly prettier.
• Files are so easy to find with the SPOTLIGHT tool.
• The new ‘MESSAGES’ feature allows incoming SMS messages to be delivered to both my phone and desktop.
• Multiple desktops: I can now have several different programs open on the go, and simply swipe my finger to toggle between them.
• Intuitive mouse pad: Much like using an iPhone or iPad – it’s easier to navigate through your computer than on a traditional PC model.
• It’s really darn pretty.

Cons

• Icon hovering preview: I became accustomed to hovering over my taskbar’s open programs on windows, and seeing what was in them. There’s an app called Hyperdock that does this upon installing on Macs, but I can’t bring myself to spend the $19.99.
• Adapting: I still do the control+alt+delete a lot, but I know I’ll unlearn eventually. There’s a laundry list of Windows shortcuts that I have to re-learn for Mac – but I’m willing.
• Minor difficulty with Mac Mail: Setting up new accounts can get a bit challenging, but nothing too horrible.
• MacKeeper Ads: I stream a lot of video – and as many I’m sure are aware, pop ups are inevitable. The issue I have with the Mac Keeper ads is the annoying sales pitch voice that starts talking upon loading.
• Only 2 USB ports: You can buy an expansion plug in, but I was a bit bummed.

I’m sure there’s more to share as my usage continues, but as a starting point – these were some real standouts. I definitely recommend making the switch, because the benefits surely outweigh the downsides.

What are your thoughts? Do you prefer Mac or PC? Why?

1. Helvetica - A documentary about typography, graphic design, and global visual culture. This doc was incredibly insightful and told a great story about the history of the world’s most famous font. You won’t believe how many logos, and iconic parts of our culture are translated through this popular typeface. (Available on Netflix)

2. Welcome To Macintosh - Filmmakers Robert Baca and John Rizzo offer an entertaining look into the world and history of Apple, Inc. This doc educates the viewer on some of the little known facts about Mac, and the struggles they faced up until today’s time. (Watch Here)

3. Bill Cunningham New York - A cinematic profile of the noted veteran New York City fashion photographer. An absolutely fascinating look at the life of the ‘On The Street’ columnist from the New York Times. Watching the elderly man ride his bide through the city, spotting trends and identifying upcoming street fashion was riveting. Definitely watch this, fashion fan or not! (Watch Here)

4. Objectified - A feature-length documentary about our complex relationship with manufactured objects and, by extension, the people who design them. Having not really put thought into why toothbrushes look the way the do, and why we must have rectangular shaped cameras – this doc was incredibly enlightening. If you want to further educate yourself on product design, this is a must see. (Watch Here)

Do you have any documentaries that you think are MUST SEES? Share them in the comments!

(Images via.)