Apple’s Absence From Macworld Expo

Macworld Expo opens this week in San Francisco and for the first time in a very long time, Apple will not be a participant. Many strongly associate the Expo with Apple and Steve Jobs’ keynotes. But does it really matter for the company and the Expo that Apple is no longer a participant? Macworld editor Christopher Breen says no.

The Macworld Expo was a marketing event for Apple, pure and simple. It was a great way to get people excited about Apple products and perhaps even let them see these products in person. But in reality, an Apple store can serve this same purpose: customers go to the Apple store not only to buy, but to look at Apple products and ask questions.

Another similarity is the one-way flow of communication. At both an Apple store and the Expo, Apple delivers a message to consumers. So in the end, Apple’s absence from the Expo will probably not make much of a difference. The Expo is about more than Apple and Steve Jobs’ keynotes—it’s about meeting people who like Macs and getting to see new products that Apple stores may not carry. It’s about interaction.

Via PC World, image via Apple.