Tomorrow marks the start of IDG’s Macworld Expo. While we won’t be attending the Moscone Center, the obvious absence is a company from Cupertino. Staring in 1997, the Macworld Expo has proved to be a vital part of Apple’s strategy with Steve (for the most part) delivering a keynote that was normally considered to be one of the most important for Apple in terms of its yearly structure. A lot of things have changed since 1985 (the first Macworld Expo) and many wonder is 2010 the last? We hope not, some more thoughts after the break.
Macworld has been a place of history and when you run down the list of innovations announced at the Moscone Center on an annual basis, it’s easy to see why it’d be hard to say goodbye. Even when you focus solely on the last decade (which means you ignore the iMac and Powerbook G3’s introduction in 1998 and the introduction of the iBook and AirPort in 1999) you begin to see why this is so important:
- 2000 – Aqua introduced
- 2001 – iTunes & Powerbook G4
- 2002 – iMac G4
- 2003 – Safari, AirPort Extreme, Final Cut Express and the beloved 12″ and 17″ Powerbooks
- 2004 – Garageband, iPod mini
- 2005 – iWork, iPod shuffle and Mac mini
- 2006 – Intel Macs (iMac and 15″ MacBook Pro)
- 2007 – iPhone
- 2008 – Time Capsule and MacBook Air (Steve’s last keynote)
- 2009 – Updates to a lot of things
Apple’s decision makes sense, financially speaking. Trade shows are expensive and like a lot of other things that have been cut in association with Apple’s famed keynotes (like live video streaming) – they don’t sell products. Apple has shifted towards in-house events and it makes a lot of sense. It allows Apple to control all of the variables, an obvious advantage for the company that is obsessed with control. Additionally, Apple’s own keynotes have proven to be just as hyped as Macworld, the last event proves. Still, it’s a little disappointing that Microsoft will be attending and Apple won’t.
It’s unclear what you are exactly going to get at Macworld, but it’s clear the hype has left. We thank IDG for moving Macworld to February (so that it is no longer occupying the same weekend at CES), but it’s clear that hasn’t filled the absence left by the lack of the man in the black turtleneck. The lack of Apple means the lack of the rumormill that follows Infinite Loop, but there are some that still believe Apple might announce something during Macworld.
We believe that Apple should be at Macworld. While trade expos may not financially make sense for Apple, they do for everyone else surrounding Apple. All the third-parties from the manufacturers, developers, media and bloggers (like us) deserve to have a Macworld that isn’t watered down. Macworld is the one place where the entire Apple family, not just the ones locked in the Cupertino campus, can come together and it’s a shame the patriarch’s selfishness and greed is destroying the fun. Even if Apple showed-up without comment on new products or a keynote the amount of coverage would double and that helps everyone. The people we deal with on a daily basis need Macworld to continue and so do the users. Apple is often times solely credited with the innovation, while developers are left behind and forgotten – Macworld is a building full of creativity and innovation and a no-show by the undisputed champion is quite frankly unacceptable.
(Timeline Source: MacLife)
(Image via TouchArcade)
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