Mac industry gathers to discuss future of Macworld Expo

[AppleInsider]

Macworld Expo organizers hosted a Town Hall meeting last night, featuring an open discussion with Macworld Conference & Expo vice president and general manager Paul Kent.

Rumors have spread that Macworld could go the way of Apple Expo Paris, which folded without Apple's participation. *Instead, Kent insists Macworld will go on.

"We come to Macworld to be inspired," said Kent.**"This show is going to evolve and you need to know that we are embracing this evolution."

Kent suggested future Macworld Expos could connect with film festivals, music**festivals, and digital photography.

"We want Apple to go build more great products, and then we'll be here to show you how to use them," he said.

Apple vice president Phil Schiller said in Tuesday's keynote that Apple reaches millions every month through its network of Apple Store retail outlets, far more than the reach of a week-long Macworld.**Kent countered by saying only 10 percent of the products being exhibited are actually available in the Cupertino-based company's stores.

Others suggestions during the Town Hall meeting included a return to Boston or New York for future events, or rotating between cities.

According to Kent, 60 companies have already registered for the 2010 Macworld Expo, including Hewlett-Packard, Microsoft, and Other World Computing.



Free registration is already underway for*Macworld Expo 2010.

IDG World Expo invites ideas for the future of Macworld at*suggestionbox@macworld2010.com.

[ View this article at AppleInsider.com ]

[Ireland]

If I had to bet my life savings I'd say there will be no Macworld 2011.

Though Macworld 2010 may fall through yet, I wouldn't be surprised. Though, there's a large sentimental group here also.

[lightstriker]

what am i gonna do about one night stands with out tradeshows. i'd have to go back to boinking my wife once a year.

[SpamSandwich]

My only suggestion is that they scale it down and turn MacWorld into a "traveling circus" of sorts (have it held in three locations: in Los Angeles, New York and Denver) and focus more on developers. This way, they could increase the face to face meetings that are important to developers and the community and decrease the costs to attend and hold this behemoth event.

[davebarnes]

"Cowards die many times before their deaths,
The valiant never taste of death but once."

[Dickprinter]

Bill Gates will be giving the keynote

[nvidia2008]

Originally Posted by Dickprinter

Bill Gates will be giving the keynote

I'm sorry, you probably get this a lot, but... your username is DickPrinter???

[Ireland]

Originally Posted by SpamSandwich

My only suggestion is that they scale it down and turn MacWorld into a "traveling circus" of sorts (have it held in three locations: in Los Angeles, New York and Denver) and focus more on developers. This way, they could increase the face to face meetings that are important to developers and the community and decrease the costs to attend and hold this behemoth event.

Actually that would work. Sort of like an organic/casual WWDC? Sounds good.

[Shaun, UK]

Originally Posted by AppleInsider

According to Kent, 60 companies have already registered for the 2010 Macworld Expo, including Hewlett-Packard, Microsoft, and Other World Computing.

MacWorld 2010 - Microsoft will be exhibiting but Apple will not.

[nvidia2008]

You know a MacWorld 2010 Dubai, or Macworld 2010 Singapore, or Macworld 2010 Shanghai ... would not be too crazy. Someplace that caters to the International, US, Euro and Australia-Asia-Pacific crowd.

Rather than one big US thing, why not have something not too outlandish in the US, and then have something "International" as well? You do know that a significant portion of Apple revenue, profits, something-or-other (I haven't done the research, just making a point) probably comes from outside the US, right?

[Abster2core]

Originally Posted by AppleInsider

Macworld Expo organizers hosted a Town Hall meeting last night, featuring an open discussion with Macworld Conference & Expo vice president and general manager Paul Kent.…"We want Apple to go build more great products, and then we'll be here to show you how to use them," he said.

Why did it take so long for Macworld to acknowledge that Apple has built great products?

For a long time now Macworld has acted like a nagging wife. Never an accolade without a dig. Never supporting those who dared to stand up to the trolls that dominated its forums. Never setting the record straight. Continually 'demanding' or an 'or else'.

Well, as far as I am concerned, Macworld built a showcase out of somebody else's bricks. But with bad mortar, and now the supervising inspector has refused to extend their building permit.

As evidenced, most of the attendees other than those handling the booths and representing the media are local. And when you divide the number of times that the average visitor tripped the turnstiles entering and re-entering the conference, the 40,000 or so total clicks represents a significantly lower number of actual attendees. Much like American Idol, whose advertisers now realize that 40 million votes a night really equalled less than 5 million viewers when you factored in the number of times most of its audience voted.

So how many of those who attended are true opportunities for a sale? Probably every one of them. However, certainly not as many that walk into all the Apple stores on a daily basis, i.e., 5 million a day.

But there is still one yearly conference that could easily replace Macworld's. That is the annual Apple Worldwide Developer Conferences (WWDC). And it fills in perfectly with Apple's marketing and communication strategies.

• Attendees are true Apple devotees
• Attendees are not lookie-loos
• Attendees are international, not regional
• The media is controlled
• The message is contained
• Non-disclosures are not contentious, in fact, looked upon 'in favor'
• New product announcements aren't necessarily expected
• New product announcement events are greatly appreciated by the attendees
• Attendees are less likely to disappear throughout the conference
• Third-party developers and manufacturers have virtually full-day opportunities to promote to a devoted and captured audience

So how well will the average consumer reacted to be being 'shut-out'?

Well I would suggest it won't matter a rat's ass. Because they won't be or they don't care.

Talk to the average Apple store visitor and they never heard of Macworld or AppleInsider. Check the current viewers at the bottom of the blogging screens: same handfull of registered names and even in the most discussed blog a smattering of visitors. And if you look at the postings, most of the registered users are just talking off the top of their heads. Why else haven't they taken the time to download a trial version of the product they are dissing? Most likely they don't have a Mac in the first place.

And, why couldn't Apple combine the developer conference and open the door to non-developers for a day or so to the display area, for where, low and behold there is a Macworld booth.

That, and Apple holding their own special product events/announcements like last year, (#40 http://forums.appleinsider.com/showt...=1#post1359895) , is like having Christmas and a birthday party every 3-4 weeks.

Works for me.

P.S. To nvidia2008: Better yet, an International WWDC scattered around the world throughout the year "would not be too crazy" either. Ah, Paris in the springtime. Hong Kong in the fall.

[teckstud]

Apple should just attend CES from now on, like SONY and Microsoft (of which it is a combination of both) and everyone else, since they are no longer a niche market and appeal to the masses.

[Abster2core]

Originally Posted by teckstud

Apple should just attend CES from now on, like SONY and Microsoft (of which it is a combination of both) and everyone else, since they are no longer a niche market and appeal to the masses.

Most of the Mac software, or for that matter, most software companies couldn't afford to display.

[Johnny Mozzarella]

Originally Posted by SpamSandwich

My only suggestion is that they scale it down and turn MacWorld into a "traveling circus" of sorts (have it held in three locations: in Los Angeles, New York and Denver) and focus more on developers. This way, they could increase the face to face meetings that are important to developers and the community and decrease the costs to attend and hold this behemoth event.

I agree but I think it should be almost monthly...

January - San Francisco
February - Los Angeles
March - San Diego
April - Austin
May - Orlando
June - Washington DC
July -New York
August - Chicago
Sept - Denver
Oct - Seattle

[Abster2core]

Originally Posted by Johnny Mozzarella

I agree but I think it should be almost monthly...

January - San Francisco
February - Los Angeles
March - San Diego
April - Austin
May - Orlando
June - Washington DC
July -New York
August - Chicago
Sept - Denver
Oct - Seattle

The cost would be horrendous and for sure a travelling circus.

[Johnny Mozzarella]

Originally Posted by Abster2core

The cost would be horrendous and for sure a travelling circus.

What is more cost effective?
Building a tradeshow booth and using it once a year.
Small regional shows could make more sense.
I'm also not suggesting MacWorld try to replicate the week long lovefest that is MWSF.
Rather 2 day shows in smaller, more affordable venues.

[Abster2core]

Originally Posted by Johnny Mozzarella

What is more cost effective?
Building a tradeshow booth and using it once a year.
Small regional shows could make more sense.
I'm also not suggesting MacWorld try to replicate the week long lovefest that is MWSF.
Rather 2 day shows in smaller, more affordable venues.

First of all, Apple is a no-participant. So what is Macworld highlighting that could possibly deliver an audience that the software and hardware developers (SHD) would want to participate in.

Keep in mind, that SHDs would have to have something new each time or their presence would entice nobody. Adobe, Microsoft, Quark, etc., launch a new Mac product, what, once every 2-3 years.

Many software developers are not equipped to send 2-3 of their top personnel and support people to man a booth for 2 days every month. Transportation, accommodations, preparation time, PR, advertising, print materials, show materials, gifts, gimmicks, signage, shipping, booth maintenance, space rental, meals, etc.. etc. Times 10.

[Dickprinter]

Originally Posted by nvidia2008

I'm sorry, you probably get this a lot, but... your username is DickPrinter???

What's the problem? If you need to know, my name is Richard and I own a printing company. Did you question "Booga" too or were you afraid of his answer?

[nvidia2008]

No offense, I was just being a clown as usual on these here forums.

[jowie74]

I may be known as Jowie74 on here, but my real name is PenisPlotter.