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Yesterday, the sad news was released that Apple would be appearing in their last MacWorld Expo in 2009. Steve Jobs will not be headlining Apple’s last keynote either, as VP Phil Schiller will be delivering the keynote.
In light of this most recent news, I figured it was fitting to take a look back at some of the big MacWorld Expo announcements through the years.
1997:
Steve Jobs delivers his first keynote at the MacWorld Expo. His appearance there would be considered his monumental return to the Apple company. Going into 1997, things weren’t looking good for Apple, as Microsoft was steadily gaining in market share.
The rest as they say is history, as with the return of the golden boy so was the return of Apple.
1998: The second year of the ‘Stevenote’ is what many consider the turning point of Apple. This is the year that the first iMac was introduced, which would change the foundation of desktop computing forever. The iMac was the first Apple product to support USB. It was heralded as the desktop that made connecting to the internet simple. Why take three steps to connect to the internet, when it only takes two (wink wink).
2000:
The year 2000 was a double threat year for Apple. Not one, but two great products were announced at the MacWorld Expo. These two products would change the face of notebook computers, and internet access. One of these products is still used to this day.
The iBook may not have been the greatest looking notebook ever, but it made up for looks with functionality. Its most notable feature is that it was the first notebook to support wireless networking.
Which brings us to our next product….
AirPort is easily one of the most important pieces of hardware as it pertains to internet connection. At the MacWorld Expo 1999, Jobs demonstrated the awesomeness of AirPort in his perfect savvy fashion. Look MA, no wires. The original AirPort might be considered neanderthal by today’s standards, but it was ground breaking for its time.
2001: It’s pretty easy to look over the 2001 MacWorld Expo, but if you have a sharp eye then you know it’s one of Apple’s most important keynotes. While the iPod might not have been what was announced, something just as important to its success was.
iTunes might not be a huge hardware line, or anything that actually was ’sold’ but it changed digital distribution forever. Looking back today, it’s hard to imagine what would have happened to Apple if iTunes didn’t exist. There would be no App Store, no proprietary distribution for music and videos onto iPods.
Needless to say, 2001 saw the beginning of the domination that Apple would have in the media player market.
2007:
In previous MacWorld Expos, Apple delivered new and exciting products that would shape their respected niches. Nothing would quite set a precedent like the iPhone when it was announced during the MacWorld Expo 2007.
It introduced the concept of touch screen interfaces for cell phones. It also boosted performance power in terms of applications, and gaming for cellular handsets. Just now in 2009, other cell phone manufacturers struggle to catch up to the iPhone’s capabilities.
