“Apple has announced that Steve Jobs will not be doing the keynote at this year’s Macworld show, and that this will be the last year Apple attends the tradeshow that has been the venue for so many famous Steve Jobs keynotes,” Peter Burrows reports for BusinessWeek.
“Of course, the first thought goes to Jobs’ health. The company declined to comment directly as to whether this was the reason marketing chief Phil Schiller will be doing the keynote, instead of Jobs. Rather, spokesman Steve Dowling says that since ‘this will be our last year, it doesn’t make sense for us to make a major investment in a trade show that will we no longer be attending,'” Burrows reports.
“I pray that Jobs’ health is fine, but this reasoning isn’t very convincing. If there was ever a good trade show-related investment for a company, it’s Steve Jobs’ Macworld keynote. It pretty much guarantees headlines in major newspapers and business publication around the world, and has the added benefit of stealing the thunder from the throngs at the Consumer Electronics Show, often held the same week. Personally, I would think that Apple would have gone the other way: guarantee even more publicity by hyping the opportunity to see Jobs’ last Macworld performance,” Burrows reports.
“Of course, there could be a reason unrelated to cancer to explain why Jobs is leaving the keynote duties to Schiller: that it won’t be much of a show, in terms of product news… Either way, this is a very bad day for the tradeshow business,” Burrows reports. “I also wonder whether there is a far more practical reason for pulling out of Macworld. Rather than spend every December in a forced march to finish products and polish his presentation for the early January event, he and Apple’s employees may be able to actually enjoy the holiday season a bit. Let’s hope that’s the reason for Apple’s decision, and not anything to do with Jobs’ health.”
More in the full article here.
Jtc go to any Apple store in a mall. Then go to any retail store in the same mall. The Apple store will be the busiest store in the mall by far.
January 24, 2009
Mac 25th Anniversary
I bought a MacBook for my wife last Saturday morning. At 9AM, there was already a steady stream of people trickling into the Apple Store. I can’t imagine what it would have looked like in the afternoon.
You know, I can’t help but wonder if all these nasty health rumors would go away if we’d just regulate the crap out of short-selling. Make it harder to do. Get rid of “naked shorts”, where someone sells a stock they don’t even own with a promise to deliver it at a later date (promises that often go unkept). Make the seller actually borrow the stock like they used to. Once short-selling isn’t so damned simple and profitable, there will be less incentive to spread FUD to pull down a stock price.
——RM
This has nothing to do with Steve’s health and everything to do with Jobs wanting to de-emphasize a trade show that Apple doesn’t own/control AND to mess with the media who are constantly freaking out about his health and succession plans.
I hope Steve’s health is good.
I feel for him and his family if he is ill 🙁
If really hot products are announced at MacWorld, then Jobs is definitely degrading in health.
No way he would pass up a chance to make the devoted swoon at his every word and to say the one more thing line.
If no hot products are announced:
a) Apple has none (hard to believe)
b) because of the economic climate they see no reason to bring things out if people aren’t buying.
c) Steve has been sicker longer than people think and nothing could be done without him there.
1. I have been to the mall and I’d say the Apple Store was busier than everybody else.
2. I didn’t buy anything because I already bought all my Apple goodies when the BACK TO SCHOOL program was running…anybody that didn’t get the free iTouch missed a great deal.
3. I am sorry to hear about MacWorld, it was on my list of to do’s ….Steve Jobs is somebody I would love to see and hear in person…..(yeah I admit it, I want to have his children)
4. There should be a GATHERING OF THE CLAN…it is what made MAC fun to be part of.
5. Merry Christmas to all….enjoy all those new Apple treats…my 5 year old is scoring an iTouch…I wish I had one when I was 5. The Podcasts are too good to miss and he loves them. Esp the National Geographic ones…if you are missing the iTouch as an educational tool….you are missing probably one of the biggest advancements in educations in decades.
The reason he won’t be there is because they won’t be presenting anything earth shattering. They will introduce the new unibody 17″ MBP, maybe new desktops with their new display port, MAYBE a new mini. Also wouldn’t be too suprised if they put out a new 32GB iPhone, but still doubt it. My money is on 17″ MBP and display ports, nothing that Steve didn’t already promise.
@john
its usually smaller than most retail stores, but I have yet to see an apple store empty. just not shocking if a best buy was busier. By sheer volume.. there is almost always more people in a best buy or circuit city than an apple store. The world is filled with cheap people.
Apple doesn’t keep what analysts believe is the optimum amount of cash on hand.
Apple doesn’t buy back its stock when the analysts think they should.
Apple isn’t interested in analysts’ desire to enter the low-margin slugfest of bargain laptops or netbooks.
Apple retail outlets are slammed more often than any Sony Style store – unless maybe during some kind of $99 Blu-Ray promotion. Anyone claiming otherwise is a troll.
Apple lets its product development determine what is shown, when. Apple doesn’t let third parties determine the company’s priorities.
Apple does what’s best for the products it makes – despite how silly it makes a bunch of speculators look.
Steve Jobs wants to make the event about Apple exclusively.
Currently, at Macworld expo – Apple is giving its halo to Macworld.
Yes, Macworld supports Apple products but its not devoted to Apple.
Steve Jobs can have his own event and have all the Media and Press he wants.
I have a feeling either right before, durring or shortly after, Steve Jobs will announce another special event to introduce new products. And for this event Steve will personally deliver the keynote.
my two cents.
I’ll be interested in seeing how Phil does with MacWorld, but I have my doubts…
One of the things about Steve’s presentations is that when Steve says, “This is so cool,” you believe him. Even his detractors believe that he believes it (they may not agree, but they never doubt his sincerity).
Phil, on the other hand, has that “used car salesman” feel around him. When he says, “This is so cool,” it sounds more like he’s reading a line from a script than an actual expression of how he feels.
I agree with Tom. CES is a far better venue than Macworld if Apple still decides to do trade shows. It will signal that it’s products are no longer limited to a fringe client base.
But it will be even better and more economical to forgo trade shows altogether. Apple Events are a perfectly good stage to showcase new products and technologies and can be scheduled to suit the development process.
I think Apple employees and their families deserve to have a normal Christmas holiday after 10 years of relentless effort to resurrect the company to become an influential player in the computing, consumer electronics and wireless communications industries.
Apple is too healthy for this decision (to end participation at MacWorld) to be construed as a desperate move. On the contrary, I think Apple would not have done this had they not seen a benefit in it.
It was so very interesting to see macro here gets exposed by himself. Like many modern FUD generators, he started off by suggesting that he too is an Apple customers of sort followed quickly by a ‘however/but’ etc. modifiers. I’m sure it works great at CNET, ZDNet, InformationWeek whatnot. But a bit difficult to pass that on here on MDN or AppleInsider etc.
I’m top posting over this FUD, since I’m not going to point out the obvious in this garbage. But for those who are interested in keeping scores, the next FUD-artist usually comes in here with a ‘different handle’ and throws in his support behind this:
macro wrote: “I own Apple products. I am not bashing Apple. I am stating what I saw. Stop defending them or living in a bubble. One day when it burst, you will be saddened – I can picture it.
Apple needs to get the ball rolling if they want to survive. No one is immune to a recession. Some person in the forums at appleinsider said it best…
Apple is overcharging on the iMac and Mac mini and Mac pro and the hardware was used in 2007 in PCs… Apple needs to use cutting edge technology at the premium they charge if they want to remain competitive and increase market share. I plan to buy another iMac when released and holding off until the new one comes for the office…”
MDN MW: followed.
the benefit is that it diminishes the circus away from the rumormongering hacks in the media and the wall street slime hedge fund speculators
it’s about time
Pretty sure Apple is bringing out the biggest new product / new product category ever, and they want to have someone else’s name on it. If they’re ever going to transition the showmanship part of Steve Jobs’ job over to another person, would they do it during a new product dry spell, or do it for a world-changing new product. Which would give the “new guy” more credibility as the “new Steve Jobs”?
RE: Solid
Why it needs an update? Looks wise, yes its beautiful.
Inside the machine…. let’s take a closer look…
In USA its priced at $2199
3.06 GHz, 2 GB Ram, 500 GB HD, 512 mb nVidia card (outdated from 2007).
Want 4 GB RAM? NO problem… Add $150
Total price is $2349.
Now in all fairness you do get a metal vs plastic casing in most competitors.
Let’s take the OS out of the equation….
http://www.sonystyle.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10551&storeId=10151&langId;=-1&productId=8198552921665507563
I saw it yesterday it is a hot machine, except it was plastic not like the iMac… It has 256mb ram vs 512mb on the iMac, but its priced at $1900 with almost same specs…
now if you want to get better specs that blow the current iMac… have a look here…
http://www.sonystyle.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10551&storeId=10151&langId;=-1&productId=8198552921665507562
$2499 1TB HD, TV out, 3.16GHz processor plus newer motherboard, better graphics card (newer one), HDMI slot, Blu Ray too!
What does that mean? It means the iMac is good but it should be priced at $1999 with 4 GB ram, not $2350.
If Apple brought it down to compete with them, they would sell tons more – guaranteed!
People who see my Mac say “I won’t spend that… its too much…”
I agree but you pay for what you want… And I don’t regret it… It is just hard to sell a Mac at the price Apple charges. Plus you don’t even get tech support beyond 90 days… you need Applecare… Other companies give you 1 year tech support…
My two cents!
RE :: krquet
im not loyal to Mac or Windows.
I use both machines… hope that helps ya…
what would u like me to do to prove u that i got a Mac…
i can take one right now as we speak and email u it to hush you.
Tell me how u want me to take a pic… with my mac or iPhone or anything and I will do so cool?
Like I said… I know there are die hard Apple fans here who would die for the next new Apple product… All the power to them.. It doesn’t affect me. I do love Apple and Microsoft, both for different reasons.
Hope that’s okay with you…
“Why won’t Steve Jobs deliver Apple’s last Macworld Expo keynote?”
Cuz there ain’t nothin’ new to show off … and he doesn’t wanna.
And for the record, I got an iMac 24″ 3.06GHz, iPhone, iPhone 3G, Apple TV, Airport Extreme, and a G-Tech External HD, plus a 2nd, 3rd and 4th gen nano and iPod.
Probably more than you KRQUET!…
So I am an Apple fan… I just don’t agree with everything they do…
But I am hard to please… LOL
Brau….
new Mac mini is coming and hopefully a new iMac…
Damn Folks, knock it off
You all are gonna give Schiller a complex
As for me, will look forward to the Phil-Note
BC
lol @ BC
too funny
Yep i can see you in your white gown and cone pillow over your head saying that acusing black people of being equal to white is FUD!!!!! – WHAt a SICK DELUDED F**KWIT no wonder Mac market share has remained so stagnant (outside the US they don’t EVEN exist in mainstream culture conciousness) all these years ( they will and always shall the computer of choice for people with ZERO rationality crushed by insane obbsession or where the style or some secondry charcteristic has INFINATELY more importance than the substance/functionality of a machine itself). When you can’t see the truth and you maintain your false god despite any -ve critiscism progress has no chance – thus stagantion….think of this as being like DARK ages (scientific progress was killed off)…..you’d be drowning and burning on a stake “witches” left right and centre when if they ever changelled your comandments
sorry u feel that strongly… i respect your opinion. it still however does not affect my views. thanks for your inputs though… you should write a book… change the world if you can… i’m sure a few people would listen to you…