As the WWDC showed, I think Apple is trying to get out of its mold of annoucing new products twice a year. It is an impossible schedule, expectations are way too high. It's like the Beatles touring, and every concert is supposed to be a new album.
Look at the G5, its old news already, and they have barely shipped the first machine. The channel has been dead as a result of the annoucement, and people are waiting on a refreshed line at Paris. It's too much, and to exhibit without the keynote was to keep the expense without the buzz. Why bother.

You don't make plans to move a show without consulting the main attraction. That is what IDG did. They made the annoucement to move to Boston without consulting Apple. Fek IDG...Macworld Expo eastcoast RIP.

IDG sucks

Boston really is a very nice city. The fruit not going there has nothing to do with the city itself. Is there a "creative" community in Boston. Absolutely.

But, that same market in NY is just much, much larger. So if you're a company selling to that market and are facing tens of thousands of dollars in expense, would you go to the smaller market over the much larger market?

I figure that IDG moved back for one and only one reason. For THEM it's cheaper. I'd bet ya that the Boston Convention folks aren't even charging them, at least as the kickoff event for that center.

I wish Apple would just have a smaller presence at the Boston show. I can't justify going if Apple's not going to be there, but I'd love to visit Boston again.

I understand and appreciate Apple's sound economic reasoning behind not supporting the move to Boston, but perhaps a series of regional events all over the US that targets PC users instead of wasting time on the faithful would be a better idea.

I for one go to see the wares.... hard and soft. I spend maybe 15 minutes in the Apple Pavilion before moving on, spending the rest of day and possibly the next looking at everyone elses stuff. Whether Apple is there or not makes no difference to me. I can see their stuff at an Apple Store.

"You don't make plans to move a show without consulting the main attraction. That is what IDG did. They made the annoucement to move to Boston without consulting Apple. Fek IDG...Macworld Expo eastcoast RIP."

IDG did consult Apple about the move but apparently they weren't paying attention to what was being said until the move was actually announced in Boston.

It was shortly after the announcement that Apple scrambled to save face with New York by saying they wouldn't go to the Boston show. Of course, Jobs didn't even show up for CreativePro or whatever the heck it was called this year.

Like it or not, but the Greater Boston Area is the largest market for Apple outside of California. That's why Macworld was held in Boston for so many years. It was only when the show outgrew Boston that it moved to New York.

Personally, I think Jobs is scared to face Boston again. Remember the last show in Boston? Clones with G3s (before Apple even had them out the door), Gates live on the big screen, and one confused/angry crowd.