A Macworld without Apple is like...
fill in the rest yourselves.
um, i'm no big publishing guru, but i would think either macworld or idg publishing would have discussed this with apple FIRST before moving to boston in 2004. now macminute reports apple will NOT be in boston in 2004, and may be re-evaluating plans for attending in 2003 for the last show in new york.
okay, who p!ssed in steve's morning espresso? the guy is positively bi-polar somedays.
honestly, though, apple seems to need the big trade shows, since their business model is entrenched in hype.
then again, maybe apple thinks they can do it all themselves. that way, we NEVER know when apple will release a new product until they do (i.e. no slowdowns in product sales before tradeshows if no one knows when apple will show up).
this has got to be the most bizarre corporate environment i have ever been witness to.
[ 10-17-2002: Message edited by: rok ]</p>
um, i'm no big publishing guru, but i would think either macworld or idg publishing would have discussed this with apple FIRST before moving to boston in 2004. now macminute reports apple will NOT be in boston in 2004, and may be re-evaluating plans for attending in 2003 for the last show in new york.
okay, who p!ssed in steve's morning espresso? the guy is positively bi-polar somedays.
honestly, though, apple seems to need the big trade shows, since their business model is entrenched in hype.
then again, maybe apple thinks they can do it all themselves. that way, we NEVER know when apple will release a new product until they do (i.e. no slowdowns in product sales before tradeshows if no one knows when apple will show up).
this has got to be the most bizarre corporate environment i have ever been witness to.
[ 10-17-2002: Message edited by: rok ]</p>
Comments
How can Apple expect the Adobes, Microsofts & Macromedias to attend a Mac show if they don't?
I don't know what to say about Apple's move here. I've long suspected that one of the reasons for the move of Macworld to New York was that the people in Boston were upset at Apple and especially Steve Jobs after the infamous MS announcement.
The situation was out of hand at some points and I think Jobs got pissed at the people for not accepting the MS agreement right out. He may have even gone so far as to say he wouldn't go back, but that seems extreme.
Remember that Apple also hasn't attended a Seybold in Boston or lately NY in years.
Again, I'm just speculating here, but the loss of Apple to either MWNY or Macworld Boston is huge. It's in Apple's best interest to go to the show, and refusing to go do a show at the second largest Mac market in the United States (Boston) is very arrogant.
Hopefully they'll do an about face quickly.
if they dont want to have the show in boston, thats fine, but at least give a reason and an alternative otehr then we wont go there and for good measure wont go to the last NY show either... <img src="graemlins/oyvey.gif" border="0" alt="[No]" />
I really hope Apple does an about face since I have reservations in NY for next year and it would be ridiculous if Apple didn't go to a big show that's dedicated to them.
I agree, you would think IDG would have Apple on board--in writing--before doing this. OTOH, it's not as if this announcement is a bolt out of the blue. Apple, at any time over the past month or two, could've given IDG a call and told them the company's concern.
Kinda squelches the Boston news conference optimism, though, doesn't it?
<strong>Apple, at any time over the past month or two, could've given IDG a call and told them the company's concern.</strong><hr></blockquote>
This is why I think its more of a "Stunt" from Apple. Perhaps a way of showing IDG "Hey, what's a MacWorld without us?" Can Apple really afford the lose in publicity over a simple location change, probably not. MacWorld is the time twice a year when Apple's got the opportunity to be in the spotlight, I can't see why they would opt out of it.
My suspicion is that this isn't so much a hissy fit as it is a calculated hissy fit. With the Apple stores everywhere Apple's reach has extended--you can experience Apple at places other than Macworlds.
At the same time I think Apple wants NYC because Apple believes (correctly) that leaving NYC means leaving behind a lot of publicity.
Remember that times are tight--it wouldn't be that hard to crunch the numbers, see how much less media you get for doing a MW in Boston versus the expense and decide you have other fish to fry. Keeps people on their toes, and finally frees Apple from having to release stuff on the foolish "keynote" schedule, which always screws up sales.
It's not good for *us*, but it might be a good move for Apple--the people MW attracts are die-hards, and Apple is preaching to the converted when it goes.
Yes, but I would bet that Steve told them he didn't like it, they said they were going anyway and then Steve let them have it.
It is entirely possible that IDG didn't think Apple would have the balls to actually refuse to go in such a public manner.
But perhaps it's also about Apple desire to further remove the anticipated product announcements at these MacWorlds. They realize people are holding off purchases waiting until the next MacWorld rolls around. This translates to loss sales.
The good thing is perhaps more regular and shorter times between product revisions.
[quote]Following Apple's statement, an IDG World Expo representative said the company had no indication from Apple that the Mac maker would pull out of the show if it was moved to Boston.
"Apple remains an important partner for Macworld and IDG World Expo has been in discussions with Apple officials for some time about the move back to Boston," the representative said. "Since we just heard of Apple's position, we can only speculate about their reasons, which may be driven by their financial situation."<hr></blockquote>
<strong>I was going to Boston for the Show (even though NYC is much closer) but now, no way. And I'm sure I'm not the only one that shares this sentiment. MWB04 will have the lowest expo attendance ever.</strong><hr></blockquote>
Yeah, if Apple dosn't have a pressence at these expos, IDG might as well hold MacWorld 2006 in a High School Gym.
Since there basically wouldn't be many costs to Apple to attend a Macworld in Boston, I don't see the financial cruch being the cause of this.
Then there is the media attention. Metro Boston is one of the largest tech business centers, only second to Silicon Valley in the US. If Apple had Macworld in Boston, you wouldn't see any less media attention and in fact, you'd see more companies attending. Costs will be down, attendance will most likely be the same or perhaps a little higher.
I don't know what Apple's deal is, but Boston media is reporting that they are under contract to sponsor the show for many years to come, even while the show is in Boston. It makes no sense for them not to attend, especially since it's their show.
All it does, in my view, is make the Mac 'faithful' angry as well as alienate developers who use Macworld to show off their products.
<a href="http://news.com.com/2100-1040-962417.html?tag=fd_top_4"; target="_blank">http://news.com.com/2100-1040-962417.html?tag=fd_top_4</a>;
Apple is showing their *ss. I can't believe this is a shock to Apple. IDG says this is the first they heard of it.
I knew this was going to happen. Apple has made it known they like the east coast expo being in NYC and Jobs has said he would not want the show to move to Boston.
Say all you want, fran can talk up boston all he wants, but when it comes down to it, there ain't no place like NYC... may be expensive, may have its problems, but its an amazing one of a kind environment... and Apple knows that... hype and publicity go a long ways here and it is the media capital of the world.
IDG are a bunch of assholes for letting this happen. They knew Apple was upset with a possible move to Boston yet they did it anyways...
Apple doesn't need Macworld...Macworld needs Apple. so who's stupid here? IDG
Greco and IDG are the ones that made commitments that they couldn't fulfil--by not guranteeing Apple will attend.
What would it take to organize a new show in NYC?
However, the break the buying cycle theory also holds some merit, not because it's a good idea, which it isn't, but because Jobs is just the kind of Egomaniacal freak to obsess about it. "What do you mean people are waiting for long overdue updates, and proper pricing? Bastards! I'll teach them, raise the prices on everything, cancel MW, fire Santa, slaughter the deer, and cancel christmas too!"
The buy wait cycle has more to do with the horribly slow pace of development than Expo timing. If products recieved regular (ie. no more than 3 months) updates, this wouldn't even be a question. Even if CPU's aren't ready, a host of other components can be updated, faster opticals, bigger HDD's, more base RAM, better screens, more video RAM, GPU's, video cards.