Minus Apple, MacWorld 2010 Heads Back To Its Roots

New York Times

But if the event is certainly scaled back in terms of size, there is a sense of energy and freedom in the air that wasn't present when Steve Jobs was allowing the peasants a glimpse of the MacBook Air.

"It seems like the event is going back to its roots as a user conference, rather than as this celebration of the Apple platform," said Mike Romo, senior product manager in Symantec's Mac Products unit.

There is still an exhibition floor for makers of iPhone accessories, Mac-friendly software, home audio systems and all the other myriad vendors who exist in Cupertino, Calif.-based Apple's eclectic ecosystem. But Romo contended that MacWorld is clearly less of a product showcase without Apple to anchor it, then it is a gathering place for Apple users and ecosystem vendors to talk real-world use cases without the distraction of fanboy clamoring to swoon over whatever Jobs planned to unveil.

And there is a refreshing irreverence towards Apple at this first Apple-less MacWorld. Pogue's keynote was peppered with jabs at Apple and Jobs -- the Thursday morning opener even included a one-act play where Jobs, played by Star Trek's LaVar Burton, was described as a "creepy vegan megalomaniac."

More shocking still, the packed house applauded.

As for why Apple decided not to return to MacWorld this year, Romo guessed that Jobs got tired of the unwritten requirement that Apple show up at each event with a brand new, game-changing product regardless of how the company might prefer to time its product development cycles.

"I don't think Steve Jobs likes being told what to do or when to do it," he said.

Another factor, one that Apple itself that made fairly clear at last year's expo, is that with every Apple Store that opens up around the world, "Apple needs MacWorld a little bit less," Romo said.