Belkin pulls out of MW09

Yet more companies are planning to withdraw or scale back their efforts for Macworld 2009, reports say. Accessory maker Belkin has already confirmed plans to pull out of the expo, joining Adobe, the creator of Mac-centric programs such as Photoshop and Illustrator. Belkin explains its move as unrelated to financial worries or the economy, and instead a decision to shift presentation money towards private product announcements.

Registrations for Macworld are said to be down 20 percent over last year, and the departure of Belkin could inflict still more financial damage due to the typically large size of the company's booth. A source for MacNN indicates that even more companies may be slated to alter 2009 presentations, such as storage specialist Seagate, which is believed to be pulling out completely. Google, closely associated with Apple through the iPhone, is said to be planning on shrinking its floor space.

The organizers of Macworld are now believed to be offering special upgrade deals to presenters, including booths next to Apple's. It is further speculated that some companies that have technically agreed to appear at Macworld may decide to skip the event regardless, leaving noticeable gaps in the show floor.

by MacNN Staff