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The Difference Between A Leak And A Confirmed Feature
By Nigel Guy · 2 min read
A screenshot of an unreleased menu, a string found in an app's code, an
"insider" post about what's coming next week — leaks spread fast in this
space, and they're fun. The trouble starts when a leak quietly turns into
a fact in people's heads. Plans get delayed "because the new version is
coming," purchases get made on features that never ship, and nobody goes
back to check whether the leak was right.
The rule: a leak is a claim about the future from an unaccountable
source — treat it as a maybe, give it a confidence grade, and don't let it
change any decision until the company confirms it and you can use it.
The Leak Confidence Grade
Grade any leak you come across before you repeat it or act on it:
| Grade |
What it looks like |
How to treat it |
| D — Rumour |
Anonymous claim, no evidence, "I'm hearing that..." |
Entertainment. Don't repeat as fact. |
| C — Artefact |
Screenshot, code string, or config file |
Something may exist internally. Features in code often never ship. |
| B — Pattern |
Several independent artefacts pointing the same way |
Something is likely being worked on. Timing and form unknown. |
| A — Confirmed |
Official announcement with detail |
Real intent. Still not usable. |
| Available |
You can use it on your plan, with documentation |
This is the only grade to build on. |
Most leaks sit at C or D. Note that "confirmed" and "available" are
separate grades — confirmed features can still slip, change shape, or be
limited to some users.
Questions that move a leak up or down
- Can the source be wrong without consequence? Anonymous accounts can
post many guesses and be remembered only for the hits.
- Is the evidence an artefact or an assertion? A screenshot is better
than a claim, but screenshots can be edited, and internal tests are not
plans.
- Is it specific? A leak with a name, a behaviour, and a limit is at
least checkable. "Something big is coming" isn't.
- Has anyone independent corroborated it? One source repeated by many
accounts is still one source.
What to skip
- Skip delaying decisions for a leaked feature. If your current tool
does the job, keep using it. If the feature ships and matters, adjust
then.
- Skip repeating leaks as fact to colleagues or clients. It feels
informed; it's how misinformation spreads through a team.
- Skip the "they deleted it, so it's real" reasoning. A removed post
proves only that it was removed.
Guardrails
- Some leaks do turn out to be accurate. The point isn't to dismiss them,
it's to hold them at the right confidence until they're confirmed.
- Be cautious about sharing material that appears to come from internal
company sources. It may be confidential, fabricated, or both.
- When a leaked feature does launch, check the real version against what
was claimed. The shipped version often differs, and that's the one that
counts.
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