Steve Jobs snubs Macworld

Steve Jobs' keynotes are the highlight of the Apple fanboy calendar but this January he won't be taking to the stage at Macworld. The Apple god has snubbed the expo and pencilled in Phil Schiller, senior vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing, in his place.

Tech journalists have got used to ringing Macworld in the January diary for a major announcement from el Jobs - think MacBook Air, iPhone, Mac Mini, iTunes and even the iMac itself. Now it's a real doubt whether Apple will unveil anything of significance to fill the laptops of the hoards of tech press that traditionally turn up, let alone an " iPhone nano". And that's not all - so read on.

In an even more shocking move, Apple has also announced that from 2010 it'll be pulling out of MacWorld altogether. It's issued a press release stating: "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."

It goes on to explain: "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."

New ways that don't involve the expense and effort that goes into large expos. And it's not just Macworld, several other events will have a scaled down Apple presence. Seems the credit crunch has hit the annual round of tech fests - but surely all the shop displays in the world can't replace the glitz of a Macworld keynote. Come on Apple, say it 'aint so.

Press Release:

Apple Announces Its Last Year at Macworld

CUPERTINO, California—December 16, 2008—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.

Apple ignited the personal computer revolution in the 1970s with the Apple II and reinvented the personal computer in the 1980s with the Macintosh. Today, Apple continues to lead the industry in innovation with its award-winning computers, OS X operating system and iLife and professional applications. Apple is also spearheading the digital media revolution with its iPod portable music and video players and iTunes online store, and has entered the mobile phone market with its revolutionary iPhone.