Apple: Jobs Will Not Present at Apple's Final Macworld Keynote

[inkswamp]

I suspect Apple has been looking for the exit for some time, but I don't think they'd have handled it this way if something else wasn't involved. At the very least Steve would have done the keynote (or shared it with Phil) and announced after the show that this would be their last appearance.

Why? So we could all huddle together and feel all warm and nostalgic and have a moment of closure? What has Steve Jobs ever done to give you the idea he would step away from something like MacWorld with any nostalgia or ceremony? Was it when he slashed through Apple's product line-up when he returned to Apple? Was it the clearing out of the old Mac archival stuff from the Apple campus? Was it the jettisoning of all the beloved Mac-isms from the OS 9 era? Was it his complete lack of acknowledgement of any of Apple's supposedly significant anniversaries? The man clearly isn't as nostalgic about these things as some of his customers are.

Besides, I believe Steve has cut ties with other Mac-related events without any ceremony either so why would you expect him to behave any differently this time?

And frankly, I don't care either way and I don't understand why any of you would need some kind of closure for something so trivial.

 

[Rocketman]

The stock and the media coverage has a certain "Steve premium". That will evaporate, which is good for the corporation, and bad for the fanboys, zealots, rumor sites, and even for stock speculators.

What will emerge is a company with real products, real financial performance, and a legacy of ideas and direction imagineered by Steve that will live on for 10+ years or so after he fades away.

The guy deserves a comfortable retirement and Apple Emeritus status after the crapstorm he has been through and PREVAILED.

I wonder if he will switch to Ubuntu?

I wonder if he will miss his annual salary check?

Rocketman

 

[nickspohn]

Well, there is only 1 story worse than this one now...


The death of Steve Jobs. Hopefully, hopefully, he's Healthy...

 

[Yr Blues]

No, if anything this lets them get off the cycle of having to present every January.

Exactly. That created an expectation that could have ruined most companies already.

 

[drakeshipway]

i just can't get over..

last macworld, and steven isn't even going to end it all off.

and this also means: no more "one more thing.." 's

 

[Str8edgepunker]

Wow, I still remember going up to the Javits convention center for MacWorld 2001 and listening to the keynote. I'll miss the "One more thing" segments, especially the one where he introduced the PowerBook G4 Titanium. Man, those were the days.

I've still got a whole roll of Quicksilver posters from that event.

 

[JWH2]

While Apple would be wise to think more about their lack of transparency, knowing what rumors are around and what effect they have, this decision makes good sense for some of the reasons stated by others.

How many of you attend other trades shows put on by other industries? They’re becoming dinosaurs. The cost to Apple has been mentioned, but what about the attendees? The cost of airfare, lodging etc. makes people think twice about going to a show on the chance that there may something worth seeing. Couple that with the consolidation of Apple distribution and, as with many other shows, the benefit just isn’t there.

These days there are great ways to reach more people directly. What if Apple did live product introductions, maybe even with an occasional keynote by Steve, on the Apple website? And what if they pre-announced them in a few Mac/PC character television commercials? Can you imagine how many more customers they’d reach in real time? Think about the buzz around the water cooler, school cafeteria or…. the next day created by exciting the general public instead of just our cult. Remember 1984?

Comparisons have been made to Disney. When the TV show was on, Walt Disney was the figurehead, but he didn’t play all of the parts on the show. It wasn’t just about the man, but building the brand. When he was gone did Disney stop being a great company? I’ll bet even Walt would be amazed at the empire now.

If all Apple had going for it was Steve Jobs, he wouldn’t be a great leader, Apple wouldn’t be a great company with amazing products and I wouldn’t be holding on to (and buying on dips) Apple stock!

 

[paja]

Wow, what a major disappointment. This is a huge blow to the Mac community. MacWorld was a annual focus point and a gauge of the Mac's health.

My personal belief is that Steve will retire sometime this year for personal reasons. Apple will never be the same. The soul will have gone. I already feel the emptiness creeping in. So sad.... sniff.

 

[ibrainch]

i'm sure steve will be there for "one more last thing"

i really think steve will take the stage at the end to announce a final "one more thing" - it would be the perfect sendoff to macworld. question is whether that will be the netbooks or something around appletv (these are my hopes anyway)...

 

[poe diddley]

wow

not that i think it really means much to the future of Apple, but it does kinda make me sad. every January i'm looking forward to what they bring us next, and now that will be no more. it almost makes me feel like they've become the dell or gateway of alternative computing/gadgets. without this event it just won't feel the same. it's a minor thing but it made me feel like they cared about us macnerds. now it's as if they're one of the popular kids and they don't want to be seen talking to us in the hallway between classes....

 

[eseedo]

oh,no, I"m so sad to hear that, keynote of jobs has been part of my life...
is it the time to say goodbye to jobs?in this miserable year?

 

[drakeshipway]

Wow, what a major disappointment. This is a huge blow to the Mac community. MacWorld was a annual focus point and a gauge of the Mac's health.

My personal belief is that Steve will retire sometime this year for personal reasons. Apple will never be the same. The soul will have gone. I already feel the emptiness creeping in. So sad.... sniff.

i agree, it will never be the same.

i really think steve will take the stage at the end to announce a final "one more thing" - it would be the perfect sendoff to macworld. question is whether that will be the netbooks or something around appletv (these are my hopes anyway)...

i really hope so, that would make a pretty good goodbye to macworld.
and i sure hope it is something huge, that they've been working on for a very long time.

 

[zacman]

It makes sense for Jobs to step down from Apple by the end of 2008. The company currently is in great shape. When the economy really hits Apple in 2009 shareholders would probably force him to quit ("can't lead the company because of health issues" etc). Jobs already suggested in an interview that some big shareholders are starting to spread rumours about his health.

So when he leaves at the end of 2008 everything that happens afterwards is only the fault of his successor. Makes perfect sense.

 

[MBPro2009]

The announcement doesn't say steve will never introduce another new product in front of an audience. Only that it won't be at Macworld.

Something tells me Apple will come up with some alternative ways to generate excitement and buzz for new products. How about live streaming broadcasts online for new product intros.

 

[dwwd]

Help

I just read that Michael Dell has offered himself to present the macworld keynote in 2010.

 

[Eric S.]

These days there are great ways to reach more people directly. What if Apple did live product introductions, maybe even with an occasional keynote by Steve, on the Apple website? And what if they pre-announced them in a few Mac/PC character television commercials? Can you imagine how many more customers they’d reach in real time? Think about the buzz around the water cooler, school cafeteria or…. the next day created by exciting the general public instead of just our cult. Remember 1984?

Well sure, you're right, but Apple is a company that has always fostered a kind of mythos around its business practices, where certain actions take on an aspect of anticipated ritual. Steve Jobs has played this up and used it for Apple's benefit a lot more than he's backed away from it. And people never abandon comfortable ritual without a sense of regret. But eventually those things get added to the realm of the myth too, so that in future years there will always be stories of "back in the old days, when Apple made big announcements every year at MWSF."

 

[Eduardo1971]

Awww.. man, this is such bad news.... I still can't believe it.
En era gone. The hype of MacWorlds...

Yeah, I know. I am still trying to process this. A lot of the Macworld hype was built and spread through boards like macrumors.com.

Man, this really hurts.

 

[Santa Rosa]

This news is a major downer. Properly gutted now. It will be interesting to see what they have to say about it at the keynote though as I'm sure they will have to say something.

 

[Bubba Satori]

Well, there is only 1 story worse than this one now...


The death of Steve Jobs. Hopefully, hopefully, he's Healthy...

Only thing worse than not having an expo is death ? I'm sorry, but that just ain't right.

Expositions, like the circus, are an anachronism of a bygone era. They don't make any sense with internet.

 

[jackjason]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JgHtKFuY3bE

 

[Michael CM1]

Some of you people are REALLY jumping to conclusions with zero facts. It's especially sickening to see people merely speculating on Steve Jobs' health because Apple pulled out of an expo. Seriously, get some proof of stuff like that before you start claiming he died in 1805.

 

[andiwm2003]

Only thing worse than not having an expo is death ? I'm sorry, but that just ain't right.

Expositions, like the circus, are an anachronism of a bygone era. They don't make any sense with internet.

but like circus they are still fun. circ de soleil is still a huge success.

i think giving up a focal point for media attention like macworld is a big mistake. they should have one event in usa, one in europe and one in asia. they giving up something that other companies would pay lots of money for.

 

[MattInOz]

Wow, what a major disappointment. This is a huge blow to the Mac community. MacWorld was a annual focus point and a gauge of the Mac's health.

My personal belief is that Steve will retire sometime this year for personal reasons. Apple will never be the same. The soul will have gone. I already feel the emptiness creeping in. So sad.... sniff.

Look at ti the other way. Mac's and Apple generally are now so healthy we don't need an annual focus point or gauge.

Any day any place any time Apple can drop news about stuff and 50% of the current customer base will know in half a day. 50% of those considering being customers will know in half a week. And by the end of the week even people who don't care will know.

I can see this Macworld being All Mac.
and a drop of the hat stevenote a couple of weeks after.


I can't see WWDC going anywhere. That is when there is still real value to both the company and customers to get that group in one place or focused on one place.

 

[Wie Gehts]

How many times can you face an audience and extol on what great new colors your overpriced iCrap comes in as insanely great?

License off your OS and sell of your 'pro' *cough* apps to another company that actually cares about content providers and artists. You know, the ones that built your company up in the first place.

 

[MattInOz]

The announcement doesn't say steve will never introduce another new product in front of an audience. Only that it won't be at Macworld.

Something tells me Apple will come up with some alternative ways to generate excitement and buzz for new products. How about live streaming broadcasts online for new product intros.

iTunes Keynote podcasts they could do them when ever they liked and still have full market awareness in 24hours