IDG cancels Macworld/iWorld 2015 conference, says show 'going on hiatus'

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  • Reply 41 of 62
    macxpressmacxpress Posts: 5,801member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by DaveN View Post

     

    And so things keep changing. When I was in the grocery store today I noticed that the magazine section was removed. It was replaced with toilet paper (literally) that was on sale. The last few times I browsed the magazine rack nobody else showed up. As a kid that used to be the hangout. I would go to the store with my parents and hang out at the magazine rack until they left. More often than not I would buy a magazine. Those days are gone.


     

    I remember subscribing to MacWorld (and MacAddict) back in the day. Eventually, I got tired of getting them so I canceled everything. I was also stuck with getting rid of every issue. I remember MacAddict used to give you a CD with little programs and/or trial versions of different Mac apps. Like everything, it fades away as usage goes down. Everything goes away eventually if you don't keep up. Sometimes, depending on what you're doing you can't keep up with the times (take book stores for example). 

     

    Imagine where Apple would be today if they didn't release any iOS device (including iPods) and just stuck with the Mac. As much as people like me hate to see Apple sorta leave the Mac in the background, times are changing and you have to move on to the next biggest thing to keep you going. 

  • Reply 42 of 62
    pazuzupazuzu Posts: 1,728member
    macxpress wrote: »
    I remember subscribing to MacWorld (and MacAddict) back in the day. Eventually, I got tired of getting them so I canceled everything. I was also stuck with getting rid of every issue. I remember MacAddict used to give you a CD with little programs and/or trial versions of different Mac apps. Like everything, it fades away as usage goes down. Everything goes away eventually if you don't keep up. Sometimes, depending on what you're doing you can't keep up with the times (take book stores for example). 

    Imagine where Apple would be today if they didn't release any iOS device (including iPods) and just stuck with the Mac. As much as people like me hate to see Apple sorta leave the Mac in the background, times are changing and you have to move on to the next biggest thing to keep you going. 

    The UK MacLife had killer CDs too.
  • Reply 43 of 62
    macxpressmacxpress Posts: 5,801member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by pazuzu View Post





    The UK MacLife had killer CDs too.

     

    Yeah, MacLife is what MacAddict turned into. I was trying to think what it was called when I was posting earlier. Same magazine I was talking about. :)

  • Reply 44 of 62
    stevehsteveh Posts: 480member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Tallest Skil View Post

     

    Well, yeah. What’s MacWorld without Apple? 


    Still better than most trade shows, if not quite as interesting. And I say that having attended every SF MacWorld show, beginning back when I was still in the Apple// division.

     

    I recently moved to Minnesota from the southern SF Bay area, and this means I don't have to consider whether or not to try to make the show... :}

  • Reply 45 of 62
    stevehsteveh Posts: 480member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by SpamSandwich View Post

     



    Expos are a massive waste of time and money. We have a thing called the Internet that is far more efficient about informing people of new products.




    Not as much chance to meet and talk with people face to face on the intartubes; expositions have that going for them.

  • Reply 46 of 62
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Slurpy View Post

     

    First GT Advanced, and now this. More evidence that Apple is doomed. Just waiting on them to cancel their Oct 16th event, and all future events before winding things down and calling it a day. 


     

     

    Indeed.

     

    It's unlike you to be quite so gloomy about Apple.

     

    Let's hope you're wrong.

  • Reply 47 of 62
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by wizard69 View Post



    Never been to MacWorld the show so can't say much about that. Unfortunately the Magazine, all Mac oriented magazines really, has gone down hill in the extreme. I'm actually surprised that anybody would buy the magazine. The writing style did not appeal to me at all and there was very little meaty content. Plus there seemed to be an intent to stress design in the publication at the expense of readability.



    As for meaty content I can pick up several "Linux" magazines and have articles to read that can easily be used in conjunction with a Mac. Want to learn Python no problem. Pick up some new BASH scripting features no problem.

     

     

    MacFormat is a good Mac magazine. I think it's UK only, but it's on the iPad. It's optimised for the iPad, too, not just a pdf.

  • Reply 48 of 62
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by SpamSandwich View Post

     
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Anome View Post



    Can't say I'm surprised, in light of recent events at IDG.



    With Apple pulling out in 2010, and other vendors reducing their presence, it's probably not making as much money as it did.



    The problem is that the people who are big enough to draw a crowd don't need to attend MacWorld, people will pay attention to them, anyway. The people who need MacWorld are the people trying to get attention - mostly small software developers. They're the ones who will suffer from this.



    Maybe someone will start a new show, not even necessarily platform specific, more oriented towards the consumer than the industry, and providing a platform for smaller developers and vendors to show their wares. Or maybe San Diego Comic Con will start a tech stream. Or maybe tech shows are dead.



    Expos are a massive waste of time and money. We have a thing called the Internet that is far more efficient about informing people of new products.


     

     

    Of course.

     

    And yet, I think there was value to be gained in the human contact and in seeing products in the flesh. Sometimes, the personal enthusiasm for a product can win you over in a way which isn't always possible by simply viewing something on a screen.

     

    I think it was more the success of the Apple retail stores that spelled the doom for the expos. Once Apple had a successful permanent 'expo', MacWorld became redundant for them.

  • Reply 49 of 62
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by DaveN View Post

     

    And so things keep changing. When I was in the grocery store today I noticed that the magazine section was removed. It was replaced with toilet paper (literally) that was on sale. The last few times I browsed the magazine rack nobody else showed up. As a kid that used to be the hangout. I would go to the store with my parents and hang out at the magazine rack until they left. More often than not I would buy a magazine. Those days are gone.


     

     

    I remember when grocery stores didn't sell magazines.

  • Reply 50 of 62
    MarvinMarvin Posts: 15,310moderator
    Expos are a massive waste of time and money. We have a thing called the Internet that is far more efficient about informing people of new products.

    I think that's probably the main reason along with a lack of compelling products to go to a trade show to see but also that MacWorld has a more limited audience. They'd show off things like Thunderbolt products but why do people really need to see them in person? CES is huge though:

    http://www.cesweb.org

    The companies that normally went to MacWorld can go there instead.

    http://www.cesweb.org/Why-attend-CES/2013-Attendee-Audit

    2000
  • Reply 51 of 62
    pazuzupazuzu Posts: 1,728member
    macxpress wrote: »
    Phil Schiller?

    How did you guess?
  • Reply 52 of 62
    pazuzupazuzu Posts: 1,728member
    slurpy wrote: »
    First GT Advanced, and now this. More evidence that Apple is doomed. Just waiting on them to cancel their Oct 16th event, and all future events before winding things down and calling it a day. 

    Sometimes these thing happen and you simply need to accept them.
  • Reply 53 of 62
    icoco3icoco3 Posts: 1,474member
    jkichline wrote: »
    ...
    GT Advanced is just a bunch of little guys trying to run with the big dogs and realized too late that they couldn't.
    ...

    Already got that covered....
    http://forums.appleinsider.com/t/182759/gt-advanced-says-oppressive-and-burdensome-sapphire-contracts-with-apple-led-to-bankruptcy/30#post_2616828
  • Reply 54 of 62
    satchmosatchmo Posts: 2,699member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by ThePixelDoc View Post



    IMO... the only thing worth reading of late at Macworld was John Gruber's... 

     

    Occasionally Gruber has some intelligent things to say about Apple/tech.  But I couldn't get through his 2 hour plus podcast of him blathering on about baseball and life. I honestly think he likes the sound of his own voice. Truly a legend in his own mind. 

  • Reply 55 of 62
    bluefire1bluefire1 Posts: 1,301member
    I still have the very first issue of MacWorld and have thoroughly enjoyed the magazine through the years. However, since the print version is now a thing of the past, I may, instead, switch to MacLife, another excellent magazine.
  • Reply 56 of 62

    MacWorld was ok to go to but horrible for Apple employees, as it almost always ensured that we had to work over the Christmas Holiday to get stuff done in time for the Jan show.

  • Reply 57 of 62

    A long time ago in a division of property my ex left with the Porsche and left me with the Mac and the LaserWriter. It wasn't so much the economics of the split as it was the apparent insult; all I used at work were PCs, and at home I ran my BBS from a CP/M machine. (I did say this was a long time ago.)

     

    The next spring I attended my first MacWorld show. As Chryssie Hynde sang, I was stunned and amazed. I came home with some software and a bunch of wild ideas.

     

    Two years later I quit was I was doing, stopped wearing a tie and became a Mac-centric support specialist.

     

    Three years after that I was a corporate ASC and the admin for 5,000 Mac users on a StarNine messaging system.

     

    I kept going to the shows until my job evolved into something else. I made many good friends at the San Francisco show, some of whom I only saw in person during the event. The gatherings, dinners and drinking I'll miss. The show was the catalyst for changing my career and my life. For that, I salute its passing.

  • Reply 58 of 62
    zoetmbzoetmb Posts: 2,654member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Anome View Post



    Can't say I'm surprised, in light of recent events at IDG.



    With Apple pulling out in 2010, and other vendors reducing their presence, it's probably not making as much money as it did.



    The problem is that the people who are big enough to draw a crowd don't need to attend MacWorld, people will pay attention to them, anyway. The people who need MacWorld are the people trying to get attention - mostly small software developers. They're the ones who will suffer from this.



    Maybe someone will start a new show, not even necessarily platform specific, more oriented towards the consumer than the industry, and providing a platform for smaller developers and vendors to show their wares. Or maybe San Diego Comic Con will start a tech stream. Or maybe tech shows are dead.



    While there are still some shows that attract crowds and seem to do pretty well, I think the exhibition industry is slowly dying, which is why I laugh when some politician proposes a new or expanded conference center.   The web, as well as changes to the retail industry in the U.S. (like huge consolidation and the dominance of national chains) has made many of these shows unnecessary (and unprofitable).    But it's not always logical which shows succeed and which don't.   And consumer shows will have a longer life than trade shows, although obviously not for MacWorld. 

     

    I think that Apple's abandonment of MacWorld combined with the advent of Apple retail locations and sites like this one have killed that show.   What does anyone need to know about the Mac that they're not going to be able to find out on the web or by visiting an Apple store?

     

    ComicCon obviously does spectacularly well (I think the NY edition, which was held last week sold out in advance in four hours).   But the genius strategy of that show is that you have to be there so you can show off your costume.    Or you have to be there so you can laugh at everyone in their costumes.   Or you go because you want autographs from stars or creators.   The exhibit booths are almost secondary in appeal. 

     

    CES still does really well (over 100,000 attendees), but I have to wonder why since the original purpose of the show was to display new wares to independent electronics retailers so they could make buying and inventory decisions and there simply aren't that many anymore.    I think it's really become more of a show for the press and for consumers who sneak in as pros.    My bet is that within a few years, at least some days of that show get opened to the public. 

     

    PhotoPlus Expo is a relatively small show in NYC that does pretty well, but I have to wonder why this show can survive and MacWorld can't.  Maybe it's because photographers feel they have to touch the equipment and "touching" a newer Mac isn't much different than touching an older one.   And how many years in a row are people going to look at the same versions of Microsoft Office or only slightly updated versions of Adobe's products?   I just don't think that the latest hard drive or the latest computer desktop sound system, no matter what new tech it uses, gets someone excited enough that they'll attend a trade show to see it. 

     

    Who here has attended MacWorld since Apple dropped out?

  • Reply 59 of 62

    Since i move around a lot, i requested a digital issue of Macworld in May.  I usually read the stories on my iPad, a lot of them have been published in whole or in part on the web anyway.  The monthly cycle of news was out of date by the time the mag was sent to me in paper, and it seems that the digital issue contains stories that are only slightly effected by time lag.  I like the authors and value their opinions.

    I first received my Macworld when my Appleinsider sent it to me to complete my subscription of it, Macaddic did the same thing the year before. Macaddic was my choice from the demise of the magazine Creative Computing which gave me the choice of two others that i never heard of and never saw published.  Goodbye to the last print publication of readable computer magazines. (Wired included)

  • Reply 60 of 62
    lukeilukei Posts: 379member
    Like every other show of this type unless it is very niche and B2B then it is dying or dead. Companies used to wait until such events to launch products/services but now they get them out there globally as soon as they can.
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