MacRumors.com

Apple announced today that 2009 would be Apple's last year participating in Macworld Expo and that Phil Schiller, not Steve Jobs, would deliver the final keynote address. Understandably, speculation has been directed towards health concerns about Steve Jobs as the reason for the withdrawal. Jobs underwent surgery for pancreatic cancer but has been said to been cancer free as recently as July.

CNBC reports that Steve Jobs' decision was one motivated "more by politics than his pancreas".

Sources tell me that if Jobs for some reason was unable to perform any of his responsibilities as CEO because of health reasons, which would include the Macworld keynote, I should "rest assured that the board would let me know."

Instead, the author believes that Apple has been trying to separate itself from Macworld for years with the use of "special events" to introduce new products a few times a year. This is said to give Apple complete control over its own message.

Meanwhile, Macworld Expo organizer IDG is putting on a strong face saying that they are committed to Macworld 2010 and "look forward to many successful years of Macworld to come."