For many years, Macworld Expo served as one of the main events for Apple product introductions, with the annual January event in San Francisco in particular being the stage for some important events such as the unveiling of the original iPhone. Apple last presented at Macworld Expo in January 2009, deciding that trade shows were no longer important for allowing the company to reach consumers as the Internet and the company's network of retail stores provided better opportunities for interaction.
Macworld Expo has reinvented itself since 2009, naturally refocusing on third-party companies offering products of interest to Apple users following the loss of Apple's presence. While attendance is down from Apple's last few years of involvement, the event has still been drawing crowds in the neighborhood of 25,000 attendees, and Macworld Expo organizers are now looking to continue rebuilding the show with a new rebranding that will emphasize the rapid increase in visibility of the iOS side of Apple: Macworld|iWorld.
“The brand is evolving from Macworld [Expo] to Macworld|iWorld to illustrate that the show is about the whole ecosystem of Apple products,” said Paul Kent, the event’s vice president and general manager.
The exhibits and conference sessions that have characterized past expos remain with Macworld|iWorld. But show organizers are also adding elements aimed at providing what Kent characterized as a “dynamic culture experience.”
Among the new showcases for Macworld|iWorld are the "Music Experience", which features performances and sessions from musicians who use Apple technology, and the "Film Event", which highlights Apple's role in television and movies.
Even with the rebranding, Macworld|iWorld will reportedly retain a heavy OS X presence, with organizers introducing new packages to attract OS X developers.
Macworld|iWorld will be held at the Moscone West convention center in San Francisco from January 26-28, 2012, and registration for the event is now open.
