Apple Inc. announced yesterday that 2009 will mark the final year of it's participation in the Macworld conference and that Phillip Schiller, Apple's senior vice-president of worldwide product marketing will deliver the keynote address. The move has refueled speculation about the health of Steve Jobs who was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in October, 2003.
The company says "Apple is reaching more people in more ways than ever before, so like many companies, trade shows have become a very minor part of how Apple reaches its customers. The increasing popularity of Apple’s Retail Stores, which more than 3.5 million people visit every week, and the Apple.com website enable Apple to directly reach more than a hundred million customers around the world in innovative new ways. "
The company says "Apple is reaching more people in more ways than ever before, so like many companies, trade shows have become a very minor part of how Apple reaches its customers. The increasing popularity of Apple’s Retail Stores, which more than 3.5 million people visit every week, and the Apple.com website enable Apple to directly reach more than a hundred million customers around the world in innovative new ways. "
