Why Apple Ditching Macworld is No Surprise

I've been to many many a Macworld, spoken at a few (although, alas, not this year...) and met many many great people from the Apple community. I've also seen the rise and demise of the east coast shows, punctuated by the last Boston Macworld which, for better or worse, may be a sign of things to come.

Like many I was initially shocked and dismayed at Apple pulling out and had any number of rants in my head that I wanted to pour out on paper. But I decided to wait a couple of days, see what the other reactions are, and come up with my own.

Unlike some others, like John Gruber, I don't believe this has anything to do with Apple not wanting to be tied to the IDG schedule. After all I've been at many a keynote where a product is pre-announced (most famously the iPhone). I think this decision comes down to one thing, Apple doesn't need Macworld anymore. In years past, when the brand was rebuilding itself Apple quite desperately needed any venue it could get. Anyone who was willing to listen would be spoken to.

This is simply no longer the case.

Throughout my Macworld experience it went from getting media passes for Macworld for Apple Matters was easy, to near impossible. The less Apple needed the community, it seemed, the less it needed us. Apple has always been a contradiction; the computer for the rest of us but don't get too close to us. Apple doesn't appear to like interacting with it's users in a genuine fashion. It is happy to show up, blast its message and move on, but genuine interaction is of little use to the company.

I often felt bad for some of the folks at IDG who were badgered by folks who previously had access to Macworld and found themselves shut-out. I knew that IDG was just a representative of the mothership.

In past years Apple desperately needed any venue it needed and was willing to sacrifice the hassle that came with it. Now Apple doesn't need Macworld, and doesn't have to get too close to the "rest of us".

If you look at what a keynote really is it is a session for the ultra-converted. The people in attendance are either the media (aka, mainstream media), VIPs, or the very very very faithful who are willing to get up at 3 in the morning, or camp out the night before, to hear Steve speak. Apple can get the same effect by holding a closed press conference (with one or two blogs, which really have become part of the main stream media) in attendance.

What about the wonderful showing of hardware that goes on at Macworld right after the keynote. There are so many iconic images! Folks staring and iPhones encased in a glass tube.

Here Apple's retail stores are the answers. Us faithful will no doubt go to the nearest Apple store, even if it is a thousand miles away, to see whatever is the newest thing. But forget about us faithful, we are in the bag, what Apple really cares about is new users and here too the Apple store is the perfect answer.

The one big reason Apple is ditching Macworld is because it doesn't need it anymore.