Apple’s Last Macworld Minus Steve Jobs

Apple’s cutting back on trade shows and sent out a terse email saying Macworld 2009 would be its last and that Philip Schiller, an Apple senior VP, will stand in for Steve Jobs to deliver the keynote. Apple announced the MacBook, MacBook Pro and MacBook Air at recent MacWorlds, but the company says it’s reaching customers enough with its retail stores and Web site.

This may mean the death of Macworld Conference and Expo as we know it. Steve Jobs’ keynotes and Apple product announcements are the cornerstones of the event that draw so much media attention. Technology trade shows such as CES are also contracting.

Whatever the reasoning, Apple seems to be giving Macworld some attitude. Was a press release really necessary? Why cast a cloud over what’s the most exciting week of the year in the Apple community?

Here’s the press release from Apple:

Apple Announces Its Last Year at Macworld

CUPERTINO, Calif., Dec. 16 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — Apple(R) today announced that this year is the last year the company will exhibit at Macworld Expo. Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing, will deliver the opening keynote for this year’s Macworld Conference & Expo, and it will be Apple’s last keynote at the show. The keynote address will be held at Moscone West on Tuesday, January 6, 2009 at 9:00 a.m. Macworld will be held at San Francisco’s Moscone Center January 5-9, 2009.

Apple is reaching more people in more ways than ever before, so like many companies, trade shows have become a very minor part of how Apple reaches its customers. The increasing popularity of Apple’s Retail Stores, which more than 3.5 million people visit every week, and the Apple.com website enable Apple to directly reach more than a hundred million customers around the world in innovative new ways.

Apple has been steadily scaling back on trade shows in recent years, including NAB, Macworld New York, Macworld Tokyo and Apple Expo in Paris.

Apple ignited the personal computer revolution in the 1970s with the Apple II and reinvented the personal computer in the 1980s with the Macintosh. Today, Apple continues to lead the industry in innovation with its award-winning computers, OS X operating system and iLife and professional applications. Apple is also spearheading the