What's to become of Apple evangelists?

I don't begrudge Steve Jobs for not giving a keynote address at the 2009 Macworld Expo. It had to happen sooner or later. After all, eventually Jobs will retire. Better to plan for life after Jobs while he's still around to provide advice and feedback. What I do question, however, is Apple's decision to withdraw from the Expo altogether after 2009.

Apple callously claimed that they simply don't need the Expo anymore to distribute their message. Having become more mainstream than they had been, they have other ways of communicating with their audience.

Well, maybe that's true, but how can a company turn down the opportunity to fulfill the desire of thousands of their most loyal, rabid enthusiasts to directly interact with them?

Those people, having that desire, willing and eager as they are to be seen as outliers -- as outcasts -- are enviable assets.

The Whole Truth

It makes me wonder if Apple is telling us the whole story (not that they are obliged to do so). I have no doubt that preparing for and attending these events has a measurable cost, and they can calculate the PR benefits of all the press they get from them.

Having seen all the press they've received over the last 10 years each time Jobs speaks, it's difficult for me to believe that the costs are higher than the benefits

Maybe they have reason to think that they can't consistently deliver the punch that Jobs does at these events, and it would be hard to argue with them.

Jobs has built himself into a legend. That status isn't something that can be transferred to a proxy, because he would not likely have the same credibility as the pioneer himself.

Perhaps they want to put on their own Expo and reap the profits from it themselves more directly. It's hard to say at this point.

It's important to reserve judgment until we have more information. But I'm sure the thousands of people who have held Apple's torch when no one else would are wondering what's in store for them in the future.

I am, too. - Cam Beck

Comments

[Kelly DeLay]

I agree, something else is behind this. Too me, this is a little last minute to pull out, it just does not feel right. I wonder about the future too.