IDG "Completely Blindsided" by Apple's Withdrawal from Macworld

[MacRumors]

CNet reports that Apple's announcement that Steve Jobs would not be hosting the keynote for Macworld San Francisco 2009 came as a complete surprise to IDG, the organizers of the show.

The announcement "completely blindsided" IDG, according to a source familiar with the negotiations, coming just weeks before the event was scheduled to take place. IDG World Expo, a division of tech publishing giant IDG, had no reason not to expect Jobs would make his customary appearance at Macworld. Then came the word from Cupertino.

Article Link: IDG "Completely Blindsided" by Apple's Withdrawal from Macworld

[gazfocus]

Well Apple suprised everyone with that one...if they'd told IDG before, it would have been announced by IDG straight away.

[rockdog]

Blindside. Sorry IDG, the Apple tribe has spoken.

[samh004]

Jobs will probably still be there though.

[Tallest Skil]

Originally Posted by samh004

Jobs will probably still be there though.

Schiller: Thank you all for coming! *walks off*

*Steve Jobs walks on to thunderous applause*

Steve: Oh, and one more thing...

[Rojo]

The title of this is slightly inaccurate, no? Apple hasn't withdrawn from Macworld (well this year, anyway). Jobs just isn't doing the keynote, that's all. And you can't even say "Jobs' withdrawal," as it was never officially announced he was doing it (just assumed).

[dr_lha]

Originally Posted by Rojo

The title of this is slightly inaccurate, no? Apple hasn't withdrawn from Macworld (well this year, anyway). Jobs just isn't doing the keynote, that's all. And you can't even say "Jobs' withdrawal," as it was never officially announced he was doing it (just assumed).

Apple have announced they're withdrawing from Macworld post 2009. I fail to see how the title of this story is inaccurate.

[quinney]

Originally Posted by Rojo

The title of this is slightly inaccurate, no? Apple hasn't withdrawn from Macworld (well this year, anyway). Jobs just isn't doing the keynote, that's all. And you can't even say "Jobs' withdrawal," as it was never officially announced he was doing it (just assumed).

Right you are. That is the penalty IDG gets for assuming. (also
maybe the penalty they get for announcing earlier that SJ
would be there, before Apple announced anything about it)

[lazyrighteye]

Originally Posted by Rojo

The title of this is slightly inaccurate, no? Apple hasn't withdrawn from Macworld (well this year, anyway). Jobs just isn't doing the keynote, that's all. And you can't even say "Jobs' withdrawal," as it was never officially announced he was doing it (just assumed).

Semantics. Apple is withdrawing from the conference after this one.
But your point about Steve's participation is accurate - he was never officially slated to keynote.

And I looked forward to Stevenotes and MWSF as much as the next. But I care less about MW and more about new products & innovation. As long as they don't bail on those last two, I'm good.

[HyperZboy]

STEVE JOBS = GRINCH THAT STOLE CHRISTMAS

Seriously, why couldn't Apple wait until AFTER MacWorld to announce the bad news that they wanted to cut down on trade show costs and abandon these legacy era shows, etc. ???

Steve Jobs is turning into one serious out of touch arrogant idiot in troubling economic times.

I used to think Apple was in far better shape than the junk WinPeeCee manufacturers, but now that Windows desktop sales are outpacing Mac desktop sales again, I'm starting to think the exact opposite.

Canceling MACWORLD was more than just cost cutting, it is ENORMOUS BAD PR to the MAC FAITHFUL like me and incredibly bad timing.

I just hope Jobs is sick or makes a surprise appearance via iPhone video or something, because otherwise he's clearly stupid and arrogant. No, I don't hope Jobs is sick, but you get my point.

[.:R2theT]

Originally Posted by HyperZboy

I just hope Jobs is sick or makes a surprise appearance via iPhone video or something, because otherwise he's clearly stupid and arrogant. No, I don't hope Jobs is sick, but you get my point.

So you hope Steve Jobs is sick? Nice.

I think Apple probably knows what's best for its business. But I am sure Steve Jobs appreciates your warm sentiments this holiday season!

[fabian9]

Originally Posted by HyperZboy

STEVE JOBS = GRINCH THAT STOLE CHRISTMAS

Seriously, why couldn't Apple wait until AFTER MacWorld to announce the bad news that they wanted to cut down on trade show costs and abandon these legacy era shows, etc. ???

Steve Jobs is turning into one serious out of touch arrogant idiot in troubling economic times.

I used to think Apple was in far better shape than the junk WinPeeCee manufacturers, but now that Windows desktop sales are outpacing Mac desktop sales again, I'm starting to think the exact opposite.

Canceling MACWORLD was more than just cost cutting, it is ENORMOUS BAD PR to the MAC FAITHFUL like me and incredibly bad timing.

I just hope Jobs is sick or makes a surprise appearance via iPhone video or something, because otherwise he's clearly stupid and arrogant. No, I don't hope Jobs is sick, but you get my point.

From my point of view, apple is using the economic downturn to restructure itself. When times are bad, making things just a little worse isn't necessarily a bad thing as it can lead to a lot of positive change in the future when the economy is in better shape again.

Nobody lives forever and Steve Jobs won't do either so he'll have to take a step back at some point just like everybody else. So it's better for them to introduce this change slowly rather than it being a massive and unexpected change a few years down the road. They'll need to start putting other people on stage so that apples stakeholders, the media and the stock markets can get to know and trust them. That's my interpretation of the whole story anyways, we'll see what happens....

[ninjadex]

I just don't buy it. How can they say they were blindsided when they weren't even able to officially confirm Steve's presence like they normally would. With all of the questions regarding Steve's health, pulling out of NAB, etc., they probaly new there was a pretty good chance of Apple changing it up this year.

Chances are they had a pretty good inclination this was going down as such. I am pretty sure they are just trying to save face.

[passedpast]

I think it's "Special Events" webcasts from here on out for Apple. Most trade shows are downsized these days--even big auto trade shows are being hit. Maybe it's the economy, but I think it's the way to go for bigger companies. It'll be interesting to see how CES does this year.

[albusseverus]

IDG were briefing the media (and the media were publishing) only hours before that Steve will definitely appear, they just couldn't make the announcement yet. I'm thinking they were blind sided. Apple were stringing them along and only made the announcement after the media published.

Chances are the other exhibitors and even the expo attendees are making a (relatively) bigger financial commitment to attend Macworld than Apple is - what with its half-billion dollar a year advertising budget. This is a huge betrayal of Apple's business partners and user community.

There's talk about the Apple Store being as good as a trade show. Certainly they might be something like Apple's booth at a trade show, but neither the trade nor the show of such an event.

There's talk of Apple wanting to make product announcements on their own timetable. They've been happy to piggy back on IDGs efforts for their last 2 big product launches (iPhone & MacBook Air).

Apple announced the half-arsed MacBooks on their own schedule and look how they stuffed that up - no firewire 1600 or 3200 for the Pros (not available yet, despite the published timetable), cocked up firewire on MacBooks and numerous build quality issues (not least of which being the much vaunted graphics chips).

Nobody pushed Apple to release iPhone 3G and Mobile Me when they did, and Apple are still trying to fix the bugs in those products 5 months later.

Steve's been turning down the charisma at all his recent appearances (Apple and Macworld). I thought this was to lower the standard, so he could hand the job off to someone else.

I think we're going to have to look a lot further than the currently floated possibilities to find out why Apple bailed on supporters (who've outlaid real money), just when they needed Apple the most.

[Maxington]

They probably aren't reading the "news" if they got blind sided? Do people still read those paper news thingies?

[dual64bit]

Originally Posted by Maxington

They probably aren't reading the "news" if they got blind sided? Do people still read those paper news thingies?

Perhaps they just read the funnies...

[DaftUnion]

One word to IDG coming from Apple: "BOOM!"

[twoodcc]

well they surprised everyone i guess. i just hope this doesn't mean a new apple ceo anytime soon

[tingly]

I don't care if Apple is at MacWorld or not, as long as the new products come out. grinch sminch

[Sun Baked]

Apple finally going back to their not making announcements at these events, though the pullout is unusual.

Funny how Apple used to be in this same habit of not making these big shows keynote worthy as far as new products, and then fell back into this rut of doing again after they had spanked themselves soundly and broke themselves of that nasty habit several years ago.

[richard4339]

The CNet article appears to have been pulled. I found it on their main page too, but it gives a 404 now.

[NT1440]

blindsided, yea right.

They run the expo, they are the ones that make the negotiations. Just because theres a tradition doesnt mean things are set in stone, ESPECIALLY in the cold heartless business world