Thoughts: iPhone 5, tsunami, and the Apple Paradigm

Less than 2 months ago, Apple's iPhone 4 was finally released on Verizon's network. Slight performance tweaks (both hardware and software) were included and many consumers were satisfied. There seem to be much reason to jump on the bandwagon, but there exist some issues regarding the corporate abilities that Apple has at it's disposal. Just as with the original iPod and all subsequent devices, Apple is believed to be releasing a new iPhone this coming June, since nearly all of their products are updated and released at a yearly rate, and the iPhone's update cycle happens to start in June. With an annual release calendar for many of their products, it would seem that many of Apple's critics have a credible argument. With only a year, each of their products gains only small updates, such as a 3mp to 5mp camera from the 3GS to 4 models, respectively. I would include the comparisons, but tables elude me (for now). Apple Paradigm: So, if the updating is so frequent and little, how is it that people are so satisfied with their products? The answer is fairly simple: loyalty. Apple's greatest strength, for as long of Steve Jobs has been a leader in the company, has been loyalty. The loyalty of the company to it's constituents. Apple listens to it's consumers and tries to appease to their wishes. With their appetites satiated, the consumer comes to form a trustful relationship with the company, and goes out of their way (financially) to continue that relationship. This is what I would call the Apple Paradigm. Back to the iPhone 5: With the recent earthquake/tsunami's that have devistated Japan and surrounding countries, many companies has suffered losses in production and capital. As a result, many are worried, including Apple, that they may not be able to produce enough to meet their release calendar. This problem weighs heavy, as the Apple Paradigm revolves around the company being able to meet the demands (in this case, expectations) of the customer. If a release date is missed, we can expect many bloggers, news reports, and other muck to come up to bash their former messiah. Time will tell how the problem resolves itself, and if other consumer-electronics companies experience similar issues.