PR Week Echo Columns

The saying that a lie, or in this case hype, gets half way round the world before the truth has had time to put its trousers on was highly relevant in last week's speculative frenzy over which UK network operator would distribute the iconic Apple iPhone later this year. National and IT trade press seized on stories in the FT and The Times, apparently sourced from "people familiar with the matter" (FT, 5/7), that O2, rather than Vodafone, would announce a deal with Apple, and replicated the speculation many times over. But the fizz and pop of the headlines faded as O2 denied that a deal had been done, and a formal announcement remained unforthcoming.

Comment turned to the reasons behind the media's false start. Some believed the speculation had been whipped up to focus attention on iPhone's successful US launch; analysts believed distributors' cageyness was due to Apple's tough non-disclosure agreements, which made them reluctant to talk to the press; others wearily concluded it was simply "another day, another iPhone rumour" (The Register, 6/7). "Where does the insanity of the iPhone coverage go now?" groaned digital-lifestyles (4/7). With such hype and fantasy surrounding iPhone's European launch, it seems the truth will have a lot of catching up to do.