The world was eagerly waiting for Apple to showcase iPhone5 on its product launch on Tuesday. (The reason why I keep Apple as the protagonist here, and not the new CEO Tim Cook, is fairly simple – Let’s face it, he is no Steve Jobs!) And then there was no iPhone5. Well, while most people would have been surprised at this ‘unlikely’ turn of events, it did not come much as a shock. It was certainly an unexpected outcome, but what else would you expect out of the guy who till few weeks back used to be in-charge of clearing the inventories at Apple. Not a mundane task, I agree; but then it is nowhere close to what a CEO is expected to do – meet up to the expectations of your consumers, and then do some more.

It was most imperative that Cook nail the Tuesday product launch for the simple fact that it was his first product launch as CEO, and with Jobs vacating the throne recently, the whole world has been questioning whether Tim is qualified enough to walk in the same shoes as the genius ‘bastard’ who recently took retirement. My take on the question – No, he isn’t. And Tim Cook certainly didn’t do anything to help his case. There was no iPhone5 (something everyone was waiting for), the iPhone 4S was announced (which with its overall same looks as its predecessor didn’t look like much of a new product), and the disappointment of no new product launch was such that it even overshadowed the one software release everyone has been waiting for as well – the intelligent assistance, Siri – king of all artificial intelligence today (certainly a most promising move at the end of Apple, but as I said the disappointment on the previous two points was so much that it slightly overshadowed everything else).

The announcement of iPhone 4S was more like a single, when he needed to hit it hard over the short mid-wicket over the ropes. It was an effort to give a nudge to all those 3GS owners whose two-year contracts would be expiring around now to go for an upgrade. But, where is the love man? You can’t tell me that the iPhone5 is not ready yet; even if it is not in a shape where it can be rolled out among the masses, Apple has been known for having its products ready months before they go public about it – and it hasn’t been that long since Jobs has left. So you can’t possibly make me believe that the iPhone5 is not post its ‘almost-ready’ stage already.

There were many reasons why the level of discontent was so huge – the buzz for a new nifty device, the iPhone5 has been floating around for close to a year now; and when Apple delayed its product launch until Fall 2011, it was seen more or less like an official acknowledgement that the iPhone5 will be coming out of Tim Cook’s pockets anytime while he was on-stage. And the disappointed was reflecting quite clearly as the stock prices fell over 5% immediately following the event. The only time Apple has seen a dip in their stock prices during/after a product launch was when the iPad was introduced. But it needs to be remembered that at that time, the stocks picked up almost as soon as they had dropped – once Jobs announced that the device will be sold at a price point lower than what was the expected price.

With Android gradually picking up in the smartphone market, and the new Ice Cream Sandwich platform for Android possibly leading way for the production of ever-more advanced 4G handsets, the timing did not ask for anything less than a product that will once again sweep everybody off their feet – if even for the sake of being a curious Apple fanboy. Apple and Tim Cook needed to flash in front of the users – just for display would have also done the trick – the new flashy toy. But what did we get instead? Nothing, nada, zilch! Not even a mild flavored joke about the expectations of users from the iPhone5, or some condescending remark about rivals – Oh wait! I forgot that is what Steve Jobs was known for!

Jobs, had he been dead, would surely be turning around in his grave post the disappointing product launch Tuesday.

[Note (October 6 - 11:45AM IST): I wrote this post late last night, and this last line on Steve Jobs was writen in a light sense of humor. Today, the first thing I got to know about when I logged onto my system was about the untimely demise of Jobs. I had to put in this note, because I couldn't shake off the unfortunate timing of this last sentence in the post. RIP Steve, you inspire us all.]