SmartphoneMarket

As new CEO Tim Cook no doubt knows, Steve Jobs is the ultimate hard act to follow. But Cook might take a lesson from the experience of Sam Palmisano, another COO who took over a massive tech company -- in his case, IBM -- and who really delivered for shareholders. With that in mind, here's a game plan for Cook to keep Apple great.

Since debuting the product in 2007, Apple has released new versions of its signature smartphone to U.S. stores in June, with one exception (in 2008). Now, however, the iPhone 5 is set to go on sale in September, or even October. Investors should take great interest in what an autumn product launch might portend about Apple's underlying strategy.