Filed under: Macworld, Apple Corporate, Steve Jobs
Apple announces 2009 will be its last Macworld Expo, Schiller to deliver keynote
In a surprise announcement, Apple said that next month's Macworld Expo will be its last. The company doesn't plan on exhibiting at the event after 2009.
Also, Steve Jobs will not be giving the keynote address, handing that honor to Phil Schiller, senior VP of worldwide product marketing. It will be Apple's final keynote address at the event.
In a press release, Apple said it has scaled back its presence at other trade shows, including NAB, Macworld New York, Macworld Tokyo, and Apple Expo in Paris.
This will be the 25th Macworld Expo. Steve Jobs had given the keynote address since 1997, when he returned to the company as interim CEO.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 4)
Brian said 5:16PM on 12-16-2008
While I think we will all miss Steve and his charisma but I think Phil can do an adequate job at making the keynote. As for MacWorld '09 being Apple's last... WHY!!!!!! WE LOVE YOU APPLE!!! PLEASE DONT GO!!! STAY FOR ANOTHER FEW YEARS!!! WERE NOT READY FOR YOU TO LEAVE YET!!! :'[
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Craig said 5:19PM on 12-16-2008
All this really means is probably more September "Let's Rock" events and October "Notebook" events. Not to mention WWDC. Sad to see the end of Macworld, but far from the end of Apple.
Alex Paris said 9:33PM on 12-16-2008
I have to dissaagree. Phil is no where nearly as interesting as steve is. Phill just sounds like hes full of hot air, no offense to him personaly but his presentation style just dosent fit what we the audience are used to.
Im am saddend by this announcement.
Clark said 5:20PM on 12-16-2008
So are MacWorld's days numbered?
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Pumapayam said 5:24PM on 12-16-2008
I'd bet on it. Everyone else will start pulling out.
Tony Bowman said 5:31PM on 12-16-2008
i would be hugely surprised if there was another Macworld Expo, after this one. Without Apple there officially, it's nothing more than a glorified Mac User's Group meeting.
south said 8:22PM on 12-16-2008
you mean the show, or the magazine?
actually the answer to both questions is... yep.
motech said 5:20PM on 12-16-2008
how does this make sense?!
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Rob said 5:27PM on 12-16-2008
1) Apple will no longer be expected to announce new products in January. No matter what they have to announce, it almost never lives up to the hype. Also announcing in January is not the best. Much better usually to announce in June (back to school) and in September/October (for Holiday shopping).
2) Related to #1, they can announce when they are ready, not some arbitrary date.
3) Tradeshows are very very expensive to exhibit at. I would not be shocked if this saved them millions of dollars when you count everything.
D tang said 6:26PM on 12-16-2008
Additionally, it makes so much more sense to be at CES considering the date conflicts every year.
Kevin Gass said 8:34PM on 12-16-2008
yea cause that iPhone they announced a few years back was a let down.....
m said 10:50PM on 12-16-2008
it makes perfect sense, especially now that apple uses intel chips. why should they wait up to 6 months to introduce new processors into their computers, when their competitors can do so instantly? risk market share, just to announce at some trade show? i'll take the update now, thank you.
Enzo said 4:03AM on 12-17-2008
lol....saving money? They have $24billion in cash. They're good with the money part.
Sorry, but Schiller is lame, as in completely lame. Apple needs to find someone interesting to replace Jobs and do it soon. Maybe Jonathan Ives?
K said 5:21PM on 12-16-2008
Is like the introduction of 'new coke' and they'll start up 'apple expo' later in 2009? Will they just announce at WWDC's?
gheesh, how will Apple introduce its products w/o MacWorlds...
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Techslacker said 5:21PM on 12-16-2008
CES just called to say thanks.
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Joe Russell said 5:23PM on 12-16-2008
Y'all, this is no big surprise. As far as other such shows go, others have been dwindling big-time.
Companies are just using more effective means to break product announcements. Apple keeps themselves in more control by focusing on their "Mystery Tuesday" announcements, etc. whenever they want.
Relying on a trade show in a specific location at a specific time... it counters all that we know in the modern world of control (ie. Tivo, SMS, etc).
However, not having Sir Jobs roll the last show is heartbreaking and concerning to say the least...
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Ccaajj said 11:28PM on 12-16-2008
Good point, joe. The fact that SJ won't be delivering the final keynote is both sad and a downer. A bit of a graceless exit, but I guess it's also in keeping with His Jobsian "FU" style. That aside, it's clear that tradeshows are SO 1993 given the Internet and other things like apple stores, but this seemed to me like going out with a whimper. So enquiring minds wonder why the whimper given that apple could have manufactured a bang?
Tom said 5:24PM on 12-16-2008
I think Apple is tired of their stock taking a quick dive every time they disappoint the crowd with a lackluster showing. With fewer events, they can release products at their own pace, avoiding the expectations of a new product at every expo.
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Pumapayam said 5:26PM on 12-16-2008
Well said, it puts the timeline back on Apple's terms.
Lucien said 5:32PM on 12-16-2008
Tom, I'd agree... it's like an enforced yearly release schedule, with the push time around Christmas.. never a good thing.. plus for sure it costs Apple millions and millions that they'd never see in resulting sales upticks...