It wouldn’t be right to say that the ever-popular Macworld Expo has been struggling, exactly, but ever since Apple stopped being an official attendee, they have perhaps been struggling for identity. The old de facto Apple conference and expo has become a second-string event, with Apple focusing on retail and much of the ecosystem revolving around software.
With this in mind, the expo has decided to dig in and rebrand. First, a change of clothes: “The brand is evolving from Macworld [Expo] to Macworld|iWorld to illustrate that the show is about the whole ecosystem of Apple products,” says the expo’s general manager, Paul Kent. The pipe and double name are, I’m guessing, a temporary compromise designed to introduce the new name without spooking longtime attendees.
As Kent says, though, the event will be embracing more of the Apple ecosystem. They’ll be highlighting music, art, and film that has used Apple software and hardware, for instance. That of course includes the many productions that were edited in Final Cut Pro, but they also want to have shows and movies that were entirely shot and/or edited on the iPhone and iPad. That might be a little rough the first time around, to be honest, but the intention is admirable.
There will be talks and panels, of course. I think the RapidFire session sounds like fun: five-minute presentations back-to-back, kind of like the Hackathon presentations at our own Disrupt. Great place to show off tricks, effects, techniques, or new games and apps, without taking up too much time.
A new focus on apps (desktop and mobile) will bring the expo a bit more in line with the market, as well. And then there will be the usual suspects hocking cases, keyboards, and various white or silver accessories. You can register to attend here.