And this couldn't just be because trade shows are outdated and expensive, and Apple controls them (especially their dates) much less than their own events?

If it is, its likely Apple has already been running mostly without Steve Jobs for some time -- its just people haven't realized it. Steve has been back at Apple long enough to have put the company on a solid, profitable path. If he has to go, now is as good a time as any and I think the company will be fine for a long time.

njfuzzy had it right- Apple no longer needs the platform of Macworld for its unveilings. There are plenty of Mac enthusiasts out there that watch the whole thing via HD stream online and get all of the relevant information on new hardware and services via Apple's web page.

By controlling when announcements occur, Apple doesn't have to feel rushed to get out new products and services which leads to debacles like the MobileMe initialization and other starts that came up short.

Apple can definitely do their own press announcements, and people will come. And now, they can be more secretive than ever! Good for sales of soon-to-be "second rate" hardware, bad for people like me who want to wait for a release of new hardware on a date which we know will shake things up.

My hat's off to Macworld, you've given me the in to wait out hardware purchases in the past. Hopefully the rumor mill will be even more active in the future.

Apple got rid of Steve Jobs just as he was on the brink of creating an "Apple" culture around the Mac. He fueled it just long enough to get started. Once he came back he was able to make it real and complete. Now Apple has a cultural basis for what it does. It'd be harder to destroy that now.

The hype over the Mac before Steve came back could rightly be called fanatical. You had a great product but no real like minded culture created by Apple surrounding the product. Only the customer base created that culture.

Now Apple has a culture of sensible, practical style. That's much easier to keep alive.

Is Gizmodo the website that printed the false rumour that the iPhone (original) was going to be delayed, thus sending Apple stock way down (summer of 2007)?

Does anybody remember? It might have been Engadget instead.

So I read the Gizmodo article referred to. They are basically announcing that they have an unnamed, previously reliable, source that has told them that the real reason Apple is canceling MacWorld is because Steve Job's health is failing and that a formal announcement will be made this spring.

OK, another rumor about SJ's health and MacWorld, nothing really new there. What kinda tics me off is that Gizmodo then goes on to criticize Apple for giving a less than honest reason for canceling as quoted:

"While Steve Jobs' health is nobody's business—not the press, not investors, not the public—we believe that there's a line between saying "no-comment" and plainly misleading—once again—the public."

This is article has already passed judgement, and flat out assumes the cancellation is related to SJ's health and that Apple is flat out lying. What about the previous comments, rumors, discussion about Apple's plans to move away from the MacWorld events, ie they've been canceling shows for years. Even if Job's is indeed very ill, the most I would be willing to say is that that is why Job's is not giving the last keynote, but to say that "IS" the reason for the final trade show announcement without anything but a rumor seems way out there.

And on top of that, even if it were true, what difference does it make if Apple choose to make such an announcement at a time that best suits the company. Gizmodo first says it's nobodies business, then basically says Apple should have said "no comment" thereby causing a frenzy of speculation - as has been the case each time in the past.

Again, I think posting this rumor is one thing, but then giving an opinion on unsubstantiated information poor reporting.

IF MacWorld were still important to Apple, then even if Jobs were dying, they'd be figuring out how to go forward with MacWorld, not canceling it.

Steve will die eventually from old age, sickness or a plain crash. Its not desirable for Apple to let the market couple its stock price to a person, the hype around Steve Jobs has become dangerous for Apple so they will try to lessen its impact on the market.

I have to say, when rumors are so persistent they have a good chance to be true. Apple will do what it can to lessen the impact on its stock price but 2009 may bring us bad news about Steve Jobs health and/or his departure from Apple. Declining health and dying is not the same, maybe he's just not fit enough to live the fast pace at Apple and Disney.

Apple got rid of Steve Jobs just as he was on the brink of creating an "Apple" culture around the Mac. He fueled it just long enough to get started. Once he came back he was able to make it real and complete. Now Apple has a cultural basis for what it does. It'd be harder to destroy that now.

Um, no, if anything, Steve Jobs was destroying Apple (sorry, but pitting groups against each other is not generally the way things get done most efficiently). When he returned, he had aged, mellowed, and learned from past mistakes (the entire Next years, for example).

Plus, Apple soared years after Steve left. It wasn't until the mid 90s when they started s******* things up royally (trying to get into every market available, spreading resources too thin, creating 532 different models of computer, etc). This is what was driving apple into the ground. Not to mention the ever growing little fiefdoms within 1 infintite loop, all working their own little pet projects (a culture linked back to the Jobsian-era and never snuffed until Jobs came in and snuffed it all) with no inter-working between them.

Steve has changed Apple big-time since his return, that is plain to see. But most people realize this is all due to the fact that he worked for a year under the personable Gil Amelio, from whom Steve learned how to captivate audiences and manage a large company. Its just so obvious.

and sribe is correct. I guess when the CEO of GM falls ill, they cancel all the car shows across the country as well...