Steve Jobs asked to keynote CES 2010 in January [Updated]

Posted:
in General Discussion edited January 2014
Apple Chief Executive Steve Jobs, who was photographed leaving the company's Cupertino, Calif. headquarters Wednesday, has been asked to keynote next year's Consumer Electronics Show. But will Apple even attend?



As revealed by The Wall Street Journal, Jobs was asked by Gary Shapiro to give the centerpiece talk at CES 2010 in January. The Apple executive has not yet responded to Shapiro's request.



But the report did suggest once again that Apple will be attending CES next year -- something that was first revealed by AppleInsider. Sources said the move has as much to do about the electronics giant competing toe-to-toe with rivals for publicity as it does the freedom of announcing products on an independent schedule. That attempt to shift the spotlight has gained some unintentional outside support as a third-party group has secured a large Apple-focused booth area dedicated to third-party iPhone, iPod and Mac accessories.



After the Journal story broke, former Engadget editor Ryan Block -- who was at the dinner with Shapiro -- said the article's claims are "specious and flatly wrong."



"Bottom line, though is that if Gary had even gotten remotely close to implying Apple would be at CES, this shoddily sourced piece by Charny wouldn't have been the earliest story with the scoop nearly 24 hours after the fact -- laptops would been immediately out for reports filed from the dinner table," Block wrote.



Apple has usually avoided attending CES, considered the world's definitive home electronics event, as Macworld Expo has often been running at or near the same timeframe and given the firm little reason to attend two events while promoting the same message. With Apple pulling out of Macworld Expo 2010, though, the company is no longer tied to that specific show and would only feel compelled to attend events when they serve Apple interests.



Shapiro, at dinner with a group of journalists, was relieved to find out he's not the only one who can't get a phone call from Jobs.



"This isn?t the first time he?s contacted Jobs," the Journal writes, "and not gotten a response, he said. The journalists at the table took note of a fellow traveler in their midst ? Jobs provides very few interviews. 'I?m glad to hear I?m not the only one in that position,' Shapiro then said."



Block acknowledged that part of the conversation, but emphasized that Shapiro never even suggested Apple would attend CES.



"Shapiro went on to mention that Apple was a great and long-standing supporter of the efforts of the CEA," Block wrote, "but that their only direct involvement was sending a check each year to pay their membership dues."



Just how much of a presence Apple could have at CES is difficult to gauge: even for Macworld or its own special events, the company has rarely telegraphed its intentions very far in advance, including whether or not Jobs or another major Apple executive will deliver a keynote. The uncertainty leaves any possible product unveilings up in the air. However, any new Apple products are more likely to be available soon afterwards -- in contrast to the typical firms attending CES, many of which often reveal products that they don't intend to ship for several months.



Meanwhile, Jobs was photographed leaving Apple's Cupertino headquarters Wednesday afternoon by celebrity news Web site TMZ.com. It is the first time that the Apple founder has been photographed in public since January. Conveniently, the photograph was allegedly taken with an iPhone.



Jobs was photographed Wednesday around 3 p.m. Credit: TMZ.com
«134

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 78
    that would be a nice treat.
  • Reply 2 of 78
    bmar29bmar29 Posts: 2member
    well at least he managed to pick up a new outfit...
  • Reply 3 of 78
    sflocalsflocal Posts: 6,090member
    I keep my fingers crossed. I think I recalled hearing that SJ is a vegetarian. But even yet, please.. please... go to a Steakhouse a couple times per week and just chow down will ya?!
  • Reply 4 of 78
    Looks like he was about to fall.



    Also, are there many CEOs being tracked by the likes of TMZ.com???
  • Reply 5 of 78
    oc4theooc4theo Posts: 294member
    Leave the man alone. TMZ is a trashy outfit. I care not for their stalking.
  • Reply 6 of 78
    He actually looks better. Not great, but better.
  • Reply 7 of 78
    amac4meamac4me Posts: 282member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by cygnusrk727 View Post


    He actually looks better. Not great, but better.



    Agreed, here's hoping to a rapid return to good health.
  • Reply 8 of 78
    john.bjohn.b Posts: 2,742member
    Posting TMZ photos is at least five different shades of fail. Lame, AI. Really lame.
  • Reply 9 of 78
    mj webmj web Posts: 918member
    Ed: *** No spamming ***
  • Reply 10 of 78
    animaniacanimaniac Posts: 122member
    That looks suspiciously like the Abbey Road cover. Ha.
  • Reply 11 of 78
    damn_its_hotdamn_its_hot Posts: 1,209member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by cygnusrk727 View Post


    He actually looks better. Not great, but better.



    He actually looks great out walking on his own - for a man that had a liver transplant such a short period ago. It will be many years before he fills out his body after that - remember he is now taking anti-rejection drugs and all kinds of other stuff that can make you feel pretty crappy plus most liver transplants are only partial livers. One liver can go to two or even three people, it then will grow to fill out the needs of its host (generally speaking we can survive with a liver that is only about 20% functional if you give your body what it needs - it can re-gen the other 80%). Good for Steve - I say cheers to him and I hope his quality of life is what he has hoped for.



    Cheers all!
  • Reply 12 of 78
    wobegonwobegon Posts: 764member
    Better than preaching to the choir at Macworld.



    As for the spy shot of Jobs, I agree with others. How many CEOs have attained that kind of a draw to warrant TMZ stalking them?
  • Reply 13 of 78
    mactelmactel Posts: 1,275member
    I don't believe Jobs would want to be the key speaker at CES. He'd have to give his opion on the future of the industry which may tip Apple's hand. Microsoft isn't inventive so they could care less about what they reveal. Just look at Microsoft's copycat stores that they'll open right next to Apple stores (they'll fail).
  • Reply 14 of 78
    grlymgrlym Posts: 23member
    looks like Jonathan Ive
  • Reply 15 of 78
    bbwibbwi Posts: 812member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by MacTel View Post


    I don't believe Jobs would want to be the key speaker at CES. He'd have to give his opion on the future of the industry which may tip Apple's hand.



    I agree. I think its a long shot that he Keynotes. He wants to talk about Apple and not the industry. I really don't think he gives a rats @$$ about the industry but rather just cares that Apple continues to innovate and build the kind of products he can't find elsewhere.
  • Reply 16 of 78
    virgil-tb2virgil-tb2 Posts: 1,416member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by sflocal View Post


    I keep my fingers crossed. I think I recalled hearing that SJ is a vegetarian. But even yet, please.. please... go to a Steakhouse a couple times per week and just chow down will ya?!



    I know you mean well, but fish is better than steak protein-wise and a steak would actually make him very very ill with the condition he has. The man can't process fats, steak is the very worst thing he could eat.
  • Reply 17 of 78
    MarvinMarvin Posts: 15,301moderator
    It would be interesting if he opted to do a keynote presentation because Ballmer will share that stage:



    http://www.cesweb.org/sessions/keynotes.asp



    They likely won't keynote on the same day but you can bet audience members from both groups will be present at the keynotes.



    If they don't do a keynote, it will mean they have nothing new to show, which isn't a bad thing and it means they don't get locked into the same cycle of having to deliver products based on a 3rd party event.



    Snow Leopard will be out in September or something like that, so a tablet is really all they'd have to show that would be new. It could be a great demo of course and if it has the same impact as the iphone, it will be a good event to introduce it.
  • Reply 18 of 78
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Marvin View Post


    Snow Leopard will be out in September or something like that, so a tablet is really all they'd have to show that would be new.



    How can you make this assumption?
  • Reply 19 of 78
    feynmanfeynman Posts: 1,087member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by grlym View Post


    looks like Jonathan Ive



    I was thinking the same! I'm surprised no one else caught that!
  • Reply 20 of 78
    SpamSandwichSpamSandwich Posts: 33,407member
    Who are you guys kidding? Jobs looks terrible. Like he's disappearing before our very eyes. Man...
Sign In or Register to comment.