Apple: We are attending fewer trade shows each year

Trade shows are a complete waste of money. They're dinosaurs. The only people that attend these shows are people that are already informed as to what's going on in their particular industry, in this case, Macs.

A TV spot, on the other hand, hits millions of potential customers right in their homes.

The cost of Apple's trade show attendance at Macworld France is probably into the million+ dollar range - and mostly hits existing customers who can read about it on the Web anyway.

I would rather Apple spend that money on R&D for OS and application enhancements.

Wow, this is rather lame. I miss the days of a Keynote in the Palais des Congres. That said even when they were happening a number of years had gone by since anything substantial was announced during a Paris keynote. One would think with the strength of the Euro currently Apple'd really be playing to the European market and giving the European press and consumers something to chew on to thereby capitalize on the purchasing power of the currently strong Euro.

-Scott

Like what guilt+1 said, it's an effective way to cut cost

When they did badly it came down to Apple having to show their face everywhere lest it be forgotten. Now they have people coming to them. Why step outside when you don't need to. Show sets cost a fortune for only a couple of days of hype and a diluted walkthrough audience. It's not worth doing every show and it maintains an air of anticipation amongst the fans.

Apple is becoming just like Nintendo.

Announce something a month before it comes out and it does amazing.

Unkie Stevie is getting old, can't hop into Gulfstreams like he used to.

I think it makes sense, as Apple becomes more of a mass-market player, attention paid to a trade show compared to their customer base overall makes attendance less important. It's a fact of the community being less tight-knit as a result, which I find kind of sad because I like the keynote frenzy. http://primitivemachine.net is my site, maybe I'll write something more about that there.


What do you guys think? Larger community good or bad?

When they were small and struggling, going to trade shows was a must. Now that they are big and successful, they can make people come to them. They don't need that kind of exposure those venues offer.