Lessons iPhone Should Teach Microsoft

Microsoft's channel, hardware, services and software partners could learn some lessons, too—and demand changes from Microsoft or go more on their own.

Less is more. Microsoft tends to disclose loads of information about products long before their release. Exactly how does that generate anticipation? If someone gives up the whole synopsis of a book or movie, what incentive is there to read or watch? Microsoft tells so much of the story, there's not enough discovery—or worse, people think they have enough information to make a purchase decision without really evaluating the product.

For Microsoft, which on the desktop is in the business of competing with itself, enterprises easily can stick with what they've got without ever looking. Too much disclosure really is too much.