Let's play along... first off, they wouldn't produce the 41mp number in any part of their marketing. Instead, it would be marketed as "the world's first camera that works like your own eyes... captures the infinite detail of your surroundings and stores it on an innovative phone that allows it to record what you see... announced Retina Capture." or something.

Then the specs would come out, after the fact but it'll have some caveat like you need to pay for their Aperture software - which is like $89.99 via the iTunes App Store - to fully transfer all of that detail to your computer. Speaking of your computer, you will need their new Retina Display monitor or Retina Display iMac or Retina Display enabled Mac Book Pro to enjoy such detail from your Retina Capture enabled iPhone.

Having an interpolated 41mp camera on my phone - if the colors are true and it doesn't introduce a lot of noise to lower light situations; I wouldn't mind. But if it means that I have to lock myself to a OS that I particularly do not like (I dislike Symbian, personal choice) then I have a problem. WP7 and Android don't have drivers to support that level of camera - they're struggling with 8mp and higher, can't imagine scaling up to 41mp will be easier for them.

Long story made short... Apple is better at marketing than most.

Or "how I learned to hate the words that accompany the gadgets I love."