Apple Had Long Planned to Leave Macworld
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DMann
macrumors 601
I'm not implying a contractual obligation to appear. Steve's intent to appear would have been expressed in advance so that they could plan their Expo accordingly. If all of this "he pulled out of giving the keynote" hype is IDG's plan to keep their participants from canceling their travel plans at the last minute, then shame on IDG for stringing people along.
DMann
macrumors 601
Well then, by your logic, anyone who cites a credible news source is equally a fool.
MacTraveller
macrumors regular
The thing I miss about Macworld Expos were those after-parties. Lots of booze, lots of great (free) food. And you're surrounded by hot babes, and lots of fellow Macintosh nerds. It was heaven.
It was always tradition that you HAD to beg for passes into those exclusive after-parties (usually sponsored by bigwig companies like ATI, nVidia, Corel, Microsoft, Adobe, etc). And of course, that was in the good old days when Apple had enlisted the support of Mac-using Hollywood celebrities like Sinbad or Sandra Bullock. Those celebrities could sometimes be spotted at the better after-parties.
The end of an era.
It was always tradition that you HAD to beg for passes into those exclusive after-parties (usually sponsored by bigwig companies like ATI, nVidia, Corel, Microsoft, Adobe, etc). And of course, that was in the good old days when Apple had enlisted the support of Mac-using Hollywood celebrities like Sinbad or Sandra Bullock. Those celebrities could sometimes be spotted at the better after-parties.
The end of an era.
Fast Shadow
macrumors 6502a
I might believe that Apple had long planned to leave Macworld, but I don't believe that Steve planned to skip this year's keynote. People spend a lot of money to attend this conference. Admission with seats to the keynote costs thousands of dollars. Plus there is the cost of travel, hotel, etc. People attending MW 09 had to pay for this almost a full year in advance. For Steve to announce he's not doing the keynote less than a month before the event, it's a slap in the face to the people who have long since committed their time and money to attending.
MacTraveller
macrumors regular
Why is it a slap in the face? A slap in the face against Worshippers who prioritize The Show.... The Stevenote .... over the products (the thing that matters most)? This is exactly one of the reasons (possibly not the only reason) why Steve Jobs is bowing out of the expo.
Because he realizes that his "cult of personality" could be damaging the future of the company he so loves. He finally realizes that The Show needs to die. The cult of personality needs to end. People need to start looking at Apple as a company with thousands of great employees that make great products. People need to stop carrying the stereotype that Apple is only about one man.
Peace
Cancelled
Stocks will continue to drop until there's a Stevenote of some kind. And the longer Apple refrains from announcing that the stock will continue to fall even more than it's "depression" levels.
If Jobs is so arrogant to basically tell people ( the ones that spend thousands of dollars for MWSF ) to eff off he doesn't care about the stock price due to his last minute decision not to do a keynote then he should be replaced as CEO. That attitude con be equated to the CEO's of the US automakers.
Then Apple will get to shut down it's production after wasting away the lost value.
Or something else is up.
And I'm not sorry for implying anything. I will publicly apologize if I'm proven wrong by Apple,Inc.
For me this is a little upsetting because now Apple holds ALL the cards when it comes to product releases. Sure, things have been creeping this way for some time, but until this week, we could count on MWSF to be a launchpad for some new products.
Now Apple is free to update and release at their whim. Good for them, but sucks for the consumers who now have to guess that the product they buy won't be upstaged by something at some unkown date.
Yeah, yeah, updates and obsolescence are all part of the deal, I know. But in my case, I just came back from living abroad for 2 years and decided to wait on buying my iPhone because MAYBE there will be an update in January. If this was the year Apple pulled out of MW, I would be left guessing.
That may be fine. A 16GB iPhone is probably sufficient. However, today, I have some power to buy or wait, becase MW is a reliable place to expect new things. After this, the customers are at the mercy to Apple product refreshes.
Now Apple is free to update and release at their whim. Good for them, but sucks for the consumers who now have to guess that the product they buy won't be upstaged by something at some unkown date.
Yeah, yeah, updates and obsolescence are all part of the deal, I know. But in my case, I just came back from living abroad for 2 years and decided to wait on buying my iPhone because MAYBE there will be an update in January. If this was the year Apple pulled out of MW, I would be left guessing.
That may be fine. A 16GB iPhone is probably sufficient. However, today, I have some power to buy or wait, becase MW is a reliable place to expect new things. After this, the customers are at the mercy to Apple product refreshes.
CWallace
macrumors G5
It's probably better for Apple down the road. Rather then have to wait once a year for Apple to announce new product, they can do it whenever they want.
Of course, many of you will note, Apple has been doing just that with the iPod event and the MacBook (Pro) event. So this makes MacWorld even less important as a "launch vehicle". I mean Apple didn't even bother to announce the new Mac Pro, even though they could have waited the week or so until MacWorld and announce it then.
Let MacWorld be about the Mac community outside of Apple. Let all the third-party hardware and software folks gather and announce all their goodies and WWDC can be for the core OS and system technology announcements. And Apple can do three or four events a year highlighting new and updated hardware.
Of course, many of you will note, Apple has been doing just that with the iPod event and the MacBook (Pro) event. So this makes MacWorld even less important as a "launch vehicle". I mean Apple didn't even bother to announce the new Mac Pro, even though they could have waited the week or so until MacWorld and announce it then.
Let MacWorld be about the Mac community outside of Apple. Let all the third-party hardware and software folks gather and announce all their goodies and WWDC can be for the core OS and system technology announcements. And Apple can do three or four events a year highlighting new and updated hardware.
jaw04005
macrumors 601
The latest MacBreak Weekly is worth a listen to for its sheer awkwardness.
Alex Lindsay interviewed Paul Kent (IDG Macworld GM) and mentioned something about Steve's usual keynote. Kent immediately cut him off and said they hadn't made any announcement regarding the keynote.
MacBreak Weekly was recorded Tuesday morning before Apple's announcement.
http://www.twit.tv/mbw119
Alex Lindsay interviewed Paul Kent (IDG Macworld GM) and mentioned something about Steve's usual keynote. Kent immediately cut him off and said they hadn't made any announcement regarding the keynote.
MacBreak Weekly was recorded Tuesday morning before Apple's announcement.
http://www.twit.tv/mbw119
thejadedmonkey
macrumors G3
I don't think this is good news.
Apple likes to control its image. If they were planning on pulling out, they wouldn't have let the cat out of the bag like this. Instead they would have announced a year in advance that the next year's would be their last.
I think something happened where steve jobs can't give the keynote anymore (health?). I also think that he was the one who pushed MacWorld, and since he can't give keynotes anymore there's no reason for Apple to be at MacWorld.
If you put it the other way around, and Apple pulled out first, steve jobs should still be giving the keynote, AND Apple should have given more notice.
Personally, I think it's the end of an era. I expect this will be the last keynote, and also either spectacular, or a major letdown.
Apple likes to control its image. If they were planning on pulling out, they wouldn't have let the cat out of the bag like this. Instead they would have announced a year in advance that the next year's would be their last.
I think something happened where steve jobs can't give the keynote anymore (health?). I also think that he was the one who pushed MacWorld, and since he can't give keynotes anymore there's no reason for Apple to be at MacWorld.
If you put it the other way around, and Apple pulled out first, steve jobs should still be giving the keynote, AND Apple should have given more notice.
Personally, I think it's the end of an era. I expect this will be the last keynote, and also either spectacular, or a major letdown.
I like Apple but I am always agains it
Leaving the trade shows I believe is a big mistake and is even selfish.
I believe they are trying to adapt earlier to the "Apple without Steve Jobs" age and focus the attention directly to the products as the face of the company.
That is what I would do and this is the way I would be preparing on doing. There is just one Walt Disney.
On the other hand you can have a million apple stores but the personality and presence that give you a key note is what makes the difference (among others) between Apple and the rest of the manofacturers.
I can see the influence of the one after Jobs who is thinking only in the husiness side. The economy is going down and is time to cut the corners.
Leaving the trade shows I believe is a big mistake and is even selfish.
I believe they are trying to adapt earlier to the "Apple without Steve Jobs" age and focus the attention directly to the products as the face of the company.
That is what I would do and this is the way I would be preparing on doing. There is just one Walt Disney.
On the other hand you can have a million apple stores but the personality and presence that give you a key note is what makes the difference (among others) between Apple and the rest of the manofacturers.
I can see the influence of the one after Jobs who is thinking only in the husiness side. The economy is going down and is time to cut the corners.
DMann
macrumors 601
Perhaps having the rumors be so accurate really got to Steve.
All in all, the MR website seems to offer a pretty accurate account as to when to expect an event, what to expect, and of the details of upcoming product and software releases. At least we still have WWDC, and, of course, reliable leaks which inevitably make it here.
DMann
macrumors 601
Many thanks!
hiimamac
macrumors 6502a
You mean the Mac Specialist right, wait, check that, MAC is no longer in the name, it's specialist. LOL. Had a friend who worked there and was #3 in sales all year, 1.3 million. You know what she got? NOTHING. Not even a piece of paper that others got. You know what the PAPER was for? Those that sold a high percentage of Apple Care with the Apple products. If not mistaken, they make a tiny bit more than minimum wage, in fact, I think Starbucks pays a bit better and you have a better chance of moving up as Apple retail staff is 80% part time to 20% fill time.
Just heard that many stores (RETAIL IN GENERAL, not Apple), will be closing in the next several years. Huge commercial, retail collapse.
Can't believe that Apple pays that low and that once upon a time, they used to have a pooled commission, this is no longer the case, obviously.
bailorg
macrumors member
If so, why are we still waiting until this MacWorld for updates and/or overhauls to current products?
The timing of this just reeks of either incompetence or desperation. If this has been the plan all along then there are two options for a competent, non-panic inducing strategy change:
1. Cancel months in advance and openly announce the new strategy
2. Do the full Stevenote as expected and then announce the next day that this was the last one while we still have a buzz from the Stevenote and new/updated products. And on the plus side, no fans/developers would have wasted money on a deflated conference.
The other option, desperation, would imply that something is wrong, either in terms of Jobs' health or internal Apple politics.
Neither explanation really reflects well on Apple.
Oh yeah, just to reminder people of what Apple was like sans Jobs and the extent to which Jobs and friends helped save Apple, here's a link to the full Jobs presentation to MacWorld Boston in 1997:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PEHNrqPkefI
I thought they had the largest presence in all of the expos the attend?
As I pointed out in another thread, Jobs has never been a big fan of trade shows. Back at NeXT, he killed NeXTWORLD. After returning to Apple, he killed MacWorld/East. And now he's killing MacWorldSF.
And can you really blame him? These trade shows impose a release schedule on Apple that is, at the very least, outside the company's control. Who is IDG to tell Apple when to announce new products? Before the Internet, it made better sense. But now, between the net and a chain of stores coast to coast, Apple really doesn't need trade shows at all.
Then there's the hype/expectation factor, all the rumors (many absurd) leading up to the event, the post-event "let down", etc. That has to get old. And now his personal life and health is under a microscope, something a notoriously private guy must find very irritating.
Bottom line is this...we, techies who spend our time debating these matters on sites like MR, represent a TINY percentage of Apple's overall customer base. The majority of customers couldn't care less about MacWorld. Many probably have never even heard of it, much less attended. They know Apple from the TV ads and their local Apple Store. That's what matters. Apple should be able to announce products when it pleases and shouldn't be held hostage by the expectations of a few, arguably very loyal customers.
And can you really blame him? These trade shows impose a release schedule on Apple that is, at the very least, outside the company's control. Who is IDG to tell Apple when to announce new products? Before the Internet, it made better sense. But now, between the net and a chain of stores coast to coast, Apple really doesn't need trade shows at all.
Then there's the hype/expectation factor, all the rumors (many absurd) leading up to the event, the post-event "let down", etc. That has to get old. And now his personal life and health is under a microscope, something a notoriously private guy must find very irritating.
Bottom line is this...we, techies who spend our time debating these matters on sites like MR, represent a TINY percentage of Apple's overall customer base. The majority of customers couldn't care less about MacWorld. Many probably have never even heard of it, much less attended. They know Apple from the TV ads and their local Apple Store. That's what matters. Apple should be able to announce products when it pleases and shouldn't be held hostage by the expectations of a few, arguably very loyal customers.
Eric S.
macrumors 68040
But not many of those with whom it is newly popular go to Macworld.
Phil's "Oh, and one more thing"?
Winni
macrumors 68040
"You have been living in a dream world, Neo."
Apple has been an impersonal, greedy corporation locked inside their own ivory tower - and reality distortion field - for more than 30 years now.
kas23
macrumors 603
This whole situation is very of fishy. It's kind of interesting to see how Apple's trying to scramble around in a half-assed attempt to control the damage. If it is true they always wanted to pull out for a long time, why didn't they announce it the end of last year's show? Why wait until less than 2 months before the show to announce this? No, this certainly wasn't planned. Or, as someone else pointed out, it wasn't planned to have Phil step in to do the keynote. Something is deifinitely going on that we don't know about. Apple is not a bunch of stupid people, they knew that if they pulled a stunt like this, the stock would fall. I certainly don't think they would "plan" such a stunt.
And where's Jobs right now. People are losing a lot of money right now and Apple is very well aware of it. Steve can't be so stubborn to just pop his head out and say "I'm all right. Everyone calm down," is he? What a jerk if he's just going to sitting comfortably on the sidelines as AAPL diminishes in price. But, I really don't think that's the case though.
And where's Jobs right now. People are losing a lot of money right now and Apple is very well aware of it. Steve can't be so stubborn to just pop his head out and say "I'm all right. Everyone calm down," is he? What a jerk if he's just going to sitting comfortably on the sidelines as AAPL diminishes in price. But, I really don't think that's the case though.