Apple's announcement that they will no longer participate in future Macworld Expos has cast some doubts on the ongoing viability of the show. The Daily Geek reports that some Macworld vendors are not planing on returning in 2010, while others are taking a wait and see approach. In fact, the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) is taking advantage of the situation by trying to recruit Macworld exhibitors and promising that they will have a Mac area next year:
"CES told me they're having a Mac centric area next year," said David Polzine, the product manager for SmithMicro Software who was approached by a salesman at Macworld. "If it all moved to CES, that would work better for us."
While some vendors seem to welcome the shift to CES, many attendees we spoke to felt that CES would be a poor substitute to Macworld. Unlike Macworld, CES is a trade show tailored to industry employees and not accessible to the general public.
The Macworld Expo organizers are aware of these issues and held a town meeting addressing the future of the show. Ars Technica reported on the meeting and reveals that IDG is well aware of the unique community aspect of Macworld as compared to other trade shows and is trying to build on that strength.
"This is a different place" than the typical trade show, Kent explained. "We understand and embrace this community, and we want this community to have a say in the conference." IDG has set up a new site, macworldexpo.ning.com , where both attendees and visitors are encouraged to register, get to know each other, and provide feedback and new ideas for helping the show to continue and grow.
Plans for Macworld Expo 2010 are well underway and over 60 vendors are said to have committed to the show. IDG will be leverging some familiar faces in the Mac community for the next show. The NYTimes' David Pogue is slated to give "Anti-Keynote" for the event, while Daring Fireball's John Gruber will be hosting a session of noteworthy discussions in the Mac community.
Wednesday November 27, 2024 1:05 pm PST by Joe Rossignol
Apple is expected to kick off 2025 by launching an all-new smart home hub, also referred to as a "command center," as early as March.
The hub is expected to feature around a six-inch display that can be attached to a tabletop base with a speaker, or mounted on a wall. The device is said to run a new "homeOS" operating system with a customizable widget-focused home screen, and it is expected...
Thursday December 5, 2024 11:48 am PST by Juli Clover
Apple seeded the release candidate version of iOS 18.2 today, which means it's going to see a public launch imminently. Release candidates represent the final version of new software that will be provided to the public should no last minute bugs be found, and Apple includes release notes with the RC launch.
The iOS 18.2 release notes provide a look at all of the new features that are coming...
Monday December 2, 2024 2:57 am PST by Tim Hardwick
WhatsApp is set to end support for iOS versions older than iOS 15.1 from May next year, removing the chat platform's compatibility with several iPhone models in the process.
From May 5, 2025, WhatsApp will no longer be compatible with iPhone 5s, iPhone 6, and iPhone 6 Plus models. Users with those devices won't be able to access the encrypted chat service after the specified date unless they ...
Monday December 2, 2024 4:04 pm PST by Juli Clover
The foldable smartphone market has stalled with customer interest in foldables waning, but that could change when Apple debuts a foldable iPhone, according to display analyst Ross Young.
In a report on the current foldable smartphone market, Young says that Apple is expected to "enter the foldable market" in the second half of 2026. Apple's "dominant position in flagship smartphones" could...
Thursday November 28, 2024 3:30 am PST by Tim Hardwick
Despite being released over two years ago, Apple's AirPods Pro 2 continue to dominate the wireless earbud market. However, with the AirPods Pro 3 expected to launch sometime in 2025, anyone thinking of buying Apple's premium earbuds may be wondering if the next generation is worth holding out for.
Apart from their audio and noise-canceling performance, which are generally regarded as...
Wednesday November 27, 2024 12:19 pm PST by Joe Rossignol
While the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are not expected to launch for 10 more months, there are already plenty of rumors about the devices.
An imaginative iPhone 17 Pro concept based on rumors
Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models so far:
Aluminum frame: iPhone 17 Pro models are rumored to have an aluminum frame, whereas the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro ...
WIRED today shared in an in-depth interview with Apple CEO Tim Cook, asking questions about AI, Vision Pro sales, pre-recorded keynotes, and more.
The wide-ranging interview covers Apple's pivot toward AI technology, including what Apple Intelligence features Cook finds most useful, Apple's partnership with OpenAI, and the environmental impact of AI. For example, WIRED asked Cook about...