More Thoughts on the last Macworld keynote

Okay, I've had a few days to process this startling event. Instead of make this complicated, let me just put this into lists.


WHAT THIS MIGHT MEAN:

-Steve Jobs is sick and dying, and because of this, he can't make it to Macworld any more. This seems unlikely to me unless he's seriously sick, as in going to die in a week. Otherwise, couldn't he just skip this Macworld and go to the other ones?

-Apple is tired of releasing new products only yearly and depending on a third-party expo's schedule to announce products. They might prefer doing routine events (i.e. the recent Music event and Notebooks event), because unlike Macworld, these are Apple-controlled, convenient, and spaced out however Apple wants. This way they can release whatever they want when it's ready. Apple is more than able to hire a venue for a special event and bring a band along to perform as well.

-Apple is abandoning trade shows completely, preferring to announce products online.

-There is a shift in leadership at Apple. Steve Jobs may be in the process of appointing another Apple executive such as Phil Schiller to be the new CEO, while Jobs steps down. Jobs may even be in the process of leaving the company.

-Apple doesn't want their shareholders to be dependent on what will be announced on one exact date that stays fixed as a once-a-year keynote. In other words, Apple may want to make it more convenient for their shareholders and not let them lose money over one day of the year.

-Apple doesn't have any exciting products at Macworld this year, so they're trying to take the focus off of it by putting somebody other than Jobs as the presenter and by cutting off the keynote afterwards.

-Apple is dumping Macworld in favor for CES, another event that showcases technology.

-Apple has finally realized the problem with having a keynote every January: it sucks to get an Apple product for Christmas and then have it outdated literally next month.

WHAT THIS MIGHT NOT MEAN:

-Anything or everything in the list above.

-Anything or everything you've heard from other blogs.

As much as I hate to admit it, it sounds very likely that Steve is ill. Apple has refused to comment on whether his health has to do with the event. They said that they didn't want to make an investment like that in a trade show that they didn't plan on supporting later on. But wouldn't it be a better idea if they brought Steve along? Everybody could watch his very last Macworld keynote, and it would get even more publicity. Let's pray for Dear Leader's health.

-Derek