Apple Skipping NAB

Well, now, this is an interesting development! Apple has made it official that they won't have a booth at NAB 2008. This is a big deal, since Apple has in recent years had one of the largest (and loudest) booths at the show.

I have to admit, like many of us, I snickered last year when Avid announced they were skipping a big booth at the world's largest video trade show, choosing to spend their money on more direct customer interaction. Sounded like more spin than the grand finale at an Ice Capades show, and I personally concluded that Avid was experiencing a cash crunch and couldn't afford the expensive show.

But now, with Apple skipping too, the story is much more intriguing. Apple has traditionally announced major Final Cut upgrades every second year, so 2008 would have likely been an "off" year for them, with minor announcements expected, like the shipment of Final Cut Server and perhaps an upgrade to Shake or DVD Studio Pro. Could it be that with Avid off the show floor Apple doesn't see the need to spend millions on a booth?

And what does this mean for the NAB show itself, with the two of the top video editing providers bowing out? Already there are discussion boards buzzing with folks saying they'll likely skip the show this year, or that with Apple and Avid not showing they've lost their justification for attending.

Me? I wasn't planning on attending NAB this year, even before the Apple announcement. I've gone to the last couple of shows, but I find that, for the most part, NAB is more about the social connections I make, meeting industry friends at events like the Media Motion Ball, than the pure technical experience. With the internet I can get instant access to all of the latest press releases as new products are introduced. So while I still enjoy the NAB experience (and if you've never been, it's worth the trip. It's a huge show.) I don't feel the need to attend every year. And this year I'm skipping it.

What do you think? How big a deal is this announcement from Apple?

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