Apple pulls out of 2008 NAB conference

[AppleInsider]

After days of speculation on the matter amongst industry-watchers, Apple Inc. confirmed Thursday that it will not have a booth at this year's National Association of Broadcasters conference.

The move comes just months after the company's longtime rival in the professional broadcast video sector, Avid Technology, said it too would forgo this year's show.

According to TvTechnology, Apple's pullout is part of a broader decision to cut down on its trade show participation overall.

"Apple is participating in fewer trade shows this year," said Apple spokesman Anuj Nayar. "Often there are better ways to reach our customers. The increasing popularity of our retail stores and Apple.com Web site allows us to directly reach more than 100 million customers around the world in innovative new ways."

Apple reportedly declined comment on whether it plans to return to NAB next year.

The conference is scheduled to take place April 11-17 in Las Vegas, Nevd, and may still feature some side partnerships with the Mac maker, according to NAB spokesman Dennis Wharton.

“We’re talking about some on-site business opportunities with Apple,” he said.

Apple in past years has used its presence at NAB to hold special events and take the wraps off new versions of its professional video offerings, such as high-end MacBook Pro notebooks and its Shake composition software. Last year's event gave way to Final Cut Studio 2.0.

[ View this article at AppleInsider.com ]

[noirdesir]

"Apple is participating in fewer trade shows this year,"

Indeed, after the PMA the second show they pull out. No new Aperture, no PMA. No new pro video and audio apps, no NAB.

[Guartho]

Arghh... I was really hoping for Blu-ray authoring announcements.

[wilco]

Why would Apple show up?

The NAB isn't the place for cell phones and music devices.

[addabox]

Originally Posted by wilco

Why would Apple show up?

The NAB isn't the place for cell phones and music devices.

Because Apple makes a suite of professional video tools that have been widely adopted throughout the industry?

[solipsism]

TUAW just blogged a rumour that Apple will host a special event at the end of February. Will it be an SDK, New Penryn MBPs or a notice of new 3G iPhones to comes? I think the rumour will pan out and it will be a demo of the SDK, available that day for developers.

• http://www.tuaw.com/2008/02/07/rumor...k-of-february/

Originally Posted by addabox

Because Apple makes a suite of professional video tools that have been widely adopted throughout the industry?

He knows that. It's just his usual negative comment to things. This time there was a hint of humour, though I can't tell if it was intended.

[GordonComstock]

Now all of the AVID folks can calm down about AVID announcing quite some time ago that they weren't attending NAB.

Look for the ever increasing cost of attending trade shows to slow or decline to woo back industry players. Companies are no longer buying "you can't afford not to be there" on faith. They're taking a hard look at the numbers. That's good.

gc

[mrjoec123]

All this means is that Apple doesn't have a new version of Final Cut to announce. So why bother showing up at the conference? It's rather expensive, if you're not going to at least get some free media coverage out of it.

[tjshank]

Hmmm. When I want a fully configured FCP suite with all the hardware needed to do HD editing and finishing, I REALLY want to go talk to the guys at my local Apple store. They're nice enough....but....


tjs

[frankrac]

Well,.... maybe they're doing less shows total. but they added one new trade show of significance. NATPE. (Nat'l Assoc. of TV Programming Execs) Which is basically a content show. BUT they were actively NOT looking at content, merely helping producers get registered with ITMS. ( they had an outside "facilitator" there) And there booth was SO tiny it looked like they were trying NOT to be noticed.

[JeffDM]

Originally Posted by AppleInsider

Apple reportedly declined comment on whether it plans to return to NAB next year.

I would think it's likely. This is an "off" year in Apple's biennial release pattern for Final Cut. Last year was FCP6/FCS2, this year you might find a minor update. Last year's was to cover what might have been the biggest update to Final Cut, which for them, justified their largest ever booth for NAB. FCS3 should be next year. But this year, being mid-cycle, may not be worth the expense of a booth.

I think it also means that they probably don't have Final Cut Server ready, it still looks like vaporware.

[a_greer]

Apple is special right now: a trade show announcement, other than macworld, makes no sense, Not when Jobs can send out cute little invites to the Apple Theater or the Moscone Center, for a big announcement.

At a show, apple is another vendor, at an apple announcement, they are the show, and they can have the whole collective media, both tech and mainstream pissing their iPants with anticipation to, like lemmings, take whatever is given.

[zanshin]

Originally Posted by a_greer

Apple is special right now: a trade show announcement, other than macworld, makes no sense, Not when Jobs can send out cute little invites to the Apple Theater or the Moscone Center, for a big announcement.

At a show, apple is another vendor, at an apple announcement, they are the show, and they can have the whole collective media, both tech and mainstream pissing their iPants with anticipation to, like lemmings, take whatever is given.

You've obviously never been to NAB and witnessed industry insiders' reactions to new Apple products first hand. Apple has a cult following to be sure, and plenty of lemming-esque behavior from gadgeteers, but they are taken very seriously in the film and broadcast industries as purveyors of first-rate, top shelf software toolsets and hardware.

To attempt to dismiss Apple as a media development force because they make iPod/iPhones to wow the common man on the street would be like dismissing Microsoft as a server operating system manufacturer because they make X-boxes and have a rabid fan-base for their consumer products.

[fearless]

I mean it's a bit embarrassing really, they announce Final Cut Server at last year's event for a fall 2007 delivery and it seems to have vanished in a cloud of vapour. Bit hard to book in for the next one after that... people might ask unauthorised questions...

I see "early 2008" is now the target, and there's not a lot of that left. Mind you, I'd rather they get it right than unleash a bugfest capable of bringing an entire post chain to its knees...

[ncee]

This could also have something too do, with the "Special Announcement" at the end of the month?

Of course, if they announce a new FCP or any other cool app., like this, it sure would seem smart to then be somewhere to show it off?

Maybe there will be another firm, "Users group", or media group, showing off the new features of FCP at the event???

Something is up, Apple CAN'T wait much longer before announcing something to stop the downward spiral of Apple stock

Skip

[zanshin]

Originally Posted by fearless

I see "early 2008" is now the target, and there's not a lot of that left. Mind you, I'd rather they get it right than unleash a bugfest capable of bringing an entire post chain to its knees...

"Early 2008" officially ends at midnight June 30th of this year...

[John.B]

The NAB have been screwing musicians out of royalty payments for decades (albeit, with Congress's blessing). They are IMO evil as a group and for that reason I'm glad to see Apple not associated with their conference, even if its only one year.

[ecking]

It's obvious there was not gonna a new fcp studio this year. Next year they'll probably be back, colour will finally feel like a real part of the suite and maybe a new shake.

[melgross]

[QUOTE=solipsism;1211979]TUAW just blogged a rumour that Apple will host a special event at the end of February. Will it be an SDK, New Penryn MBPs or a notice of new 3G iPhones to comes? I think the rumour will pan out and it will be a demo of the SDK, available that day for developers.

• http://www.tuaw.com/2008/02/07/rumor...k-of-february/

[/quoter]

Now it lkooks as though we won't see new pro mon itors there either.

I don't like this retrenching. Apple can now affort to go to these trade shows more than ever before. It bothers me.

Some trade shows are losing their importance, but the NAB show is not.


I would imaginr the SDK is the main focus of any late Feb event, as we know it's coming out then.

I'm keeping my fingers crossed that it's to too restrictive.

Unfortunately, I have to go now. I'd like to discuss this later.

[JeffDM]

The word (speculation?) on the Digital Production Buzz is that Apple will rent out their own space near the LVCC while the show is in session. It sounds like Avid is doing the same thing. This sort of thing has happened at other trade shows, such as this year's CES where several of the "big guys" rented their own hotel spaces. It probably costs them less to put on the same event, which is good. It also isolates them, which can be good and bad. I don't know if the trade-off is worth it.

[solipsism]

Originally Posted by melgross

Now it lkooks as though we won't see new pro mon itors there either.

I don't like this retrenching. Apple can now affort to go to these trade shows more than ever before. It bothers me.

Some trade shows are losing their importance, but the NAB show is not.


I would imaginr the SDK is the main focus of any late Feb event, as we know it's coming out then.

I'm keeping my fingers crossed that it's to too restrictive.

Unfortunately, I have to go now. I'd like to discuss this later.

I think that is the most likely, too, but it doesn't need to be an exclusive event to one new thing. new monitors are long overdue.

[nvidia2008]

Originally Posted by a_greer

Apple is special right now: a trade show announcement, other than macworld, makes no sense, Not when Jobs can send out cute little invites to the Apple Theater or the Moscone Center, for a big announcement.

At a show, apple is another vendor, at an apple announcement, they are the show, and they can have the whole collective media, both tech and mainstream pissing their iPants with anticipation to, like lemmings, take whatever is given.

Agreed (no pun intended).

Originally Posted by solipsism

I think that is the most likely, too, but it doesn't need to be an exclusive event to one new thing. new monitors are long overdue.

Final Cut Server. Phenomenon (new Shake). MacBookPro Penryn. LED Cinema Displays.
?? If it is just iPhone SDK I will be very very sad.

[melgross]

Originally Posted by JeffDM

The word (speculation?) on the Digital Production Buzz is that Apple will rent out their own space near the LVCC while the show is in session. It sounds like Avid is doing the same thing. This sort of thing has happened at other trade shows, such as this year's CES where several of the "big guys" rented their own hotel spaces. It probably costs them less to put on the same event, which is good. It also isolates them, which can be good and bad. I don't know if the trade-off is worth it.

I can tell you from experience with many of these shows that if you are off in another building, you won't get the traffic you want. Even many of your customers won't bother.

These shows are oppressing in their size and footwork that is required, and depressing, in that despite their size, there is less and less purpose to them.

Nevertheless, I think it's bad not to show on the main floor.

[fearless]

Originally Posted by zanshin

"Early 2008" officially ends at midnight June 30th of this year...

So when's "mid-2008"?

[Guybrush Threepwood]

Well, at least we won't have to witness a "My speakers are louder than yours" competition between AVID and Apple anymore...

[melgross]

Originally Posted by fearless

So when's "mid-2008"?

I always thought that early was from January through April, mid was May through August, and late was September through December.

But, other's milage may vary.

[Guartho]

Originally Posted by John.B

The NAB have been screwing musicians out of royalty payments for decades (albeit, with Congress's blessing). They are IMO evil as a group and for that reason I'm glad to see Apple not associated with their conference, even if its only one year.

I'll not ask you to derail the thread, but is there a link to a nice summary if just what the heck you're talking about? I've heard nothing of this dispute either way.

[John.B]

There are two basic types of royalties paid for music broadcasts, songwriter royalties and performance royalties. Terrestrial radio is unique amongst all broadcasters in that they don't pay performance royalties, in their case only the songwriter gets paid.

Back on topic, for all intents and purposes (i.e. lobbying, legal representation, political action committees, etc.) the NAB == terrestrial radio == evil.

Unbiased backgrounder stories from our good friends at Ars:
http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post...to-pay-up.html
http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post...contracts.html

Originally Posted by Nate Anderson story from ars

Interesting as it is, though, it's unlikely to distract Congressional attention from the fact that radio, alone of the broadcasters, doesn't pay a performance royalty. Basic fairness would seem to dictate either that webcasters also get a reprieve from the royalty or that radio cough up too, but webcasters don't have the incredible lobbying clout that the NAB has wielded in DC for decades.