Apple has announced that 2009 will be the last year that Apple will attend MacWorld in San Francisco and Steve Jobs will not be delivering the keynote at Apple's last MacWorld.

Apple Announces Its Last Year at Macworld

CUPERTINO, Calif., Dec. 16 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ Apple today announced that this year is the last year the company will exhibit at Macworld Expo. Philip Schiller, Apple's senior vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing, will deliver the opening keynote for this year's Macworld Conference & Expo, and it will be Apple's last keynote at the show. The keynote address will be held at Moscone West on Tuesday, January 6, 2009 at 9:00 a.m. Macworld will be held at San Francisco's Moscone Center January 5-9, 2009.

Apple is reaching more people in more ways than ever before, so like many companies, trade shows have become a very minor part of how Apple reaches its customers. The increasing popularity of Apple's Retail Stores, which more than 3.5 million people visit every week, and the Apple.com website enable Apple to directly reach more than a hundred million customers around the world in innovative new ways.

Apple has been steadily scaling back on trade shows in recent years, including NAB, Macworld New York, Macworld Tokyo and Apple Expo in Paris.

Gizmodo Article

What do you think about Apple's transition? Is this an end of an era, the beginning of something new, or just the passing of the torch?

Personally, I think Apple will be just fine. After all, Apple has still got Jonathan Ive.

AceT

Portland, OR

April 2004

DEC 17, 2008 02:35 AM

You seem to be implying that Steve Jobs is stepping down as CEO of Apple. I'm not saying this won't happen at some point, but I've seen nothing to show that this is happening now.

Also, this line made me chuckle.

After all, Apple has still got Jonathan Ive.

Indeed, Apple will still have the world's most influential industrial designer on board; which means exactly jack when talking about running a company.

_kungfoo_

Los Angeles, CA

April 2005

DEC 17, 2008 10:46 AM

<< Moron.

I broke my own rule -- I wasn't exactly sober when I posted this (also, I thought I posted this in the Mac Users forum... ).

Anyways, I didn't mean to imply that Steve Jobs was or wasn't stepping down, because I agree, the end of Apple at MacWorld or the lack of a "Steve-note" doesn't imply anything like that. I just wanted to start a discussion about the speculation around this announcement. And yeah, there's a lot more to Apple than Steve Jobs which was something I wanted to get into before I fucked it up with my superior drunk posting skills.

mydogfarted

Oakland, NJ

June 2003

DEC 17, 2008 10:52 AM

Someone on another board suggested that perhaps he's not feeling well, possibly heading into another bout of cancer and trying to keep it quiet again.

TAFKASP

Oakland, CA

June 2003

DEC 17, 2008 11:29 AM

i have nothing useful to add to this conversation.

Cassiel

Aurora, CO

September 2004

DEC 17, 2008 11:52 AM

OHGODTHEEMPIREISCRUMBLING!!!!

BOARDS:

TOPICS:

The End of the Steve Jobs Era at Apple?

_kungfoo_

Los Angeles, CA

April 2005

DEC 17, 2008 02:23 AM

AceT

Portland, OR

April 2004

DEC 17, 2008 02:35 AM

_kungfoo_

Los Angeles, CA

April 2005

DEC 17, 2008 10:46 AM

mydogfarted

Oakland, NJ

June 2003

DEC 17, 2008 10:52 AM

TAFKASP

Oakland, CA

June 2003

DEC 17, 2008 11:29 AM

Cassiel

Aurora, CO

September 2004

DEC 17, 2008 11:52 AM