FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
New Products and Silicon Alley Attendees at MACWORLD Expo Demonstrate
Mac-Market’s High Energy and Innovation
Attendees invigorated by Steve Jobs’ In-person Keynote, iMac showcase and
Apple’s Announcement of Third Consecutive Quarterly Profits
NEW YORK, July 17, 1998 — Over 34,000 consumers, educators, creative
professionals, and sales and support staff jammed New York’s Jacob K.
Javits Center for IDG’s MACWORLD Expo ’98 last week. Attendees to this
year’s East Coast show tested an array of innovative, new Mac-based
products, heard from the best-known names in educational technology and
digital artistry, and participated in the first-ever gaming contest.
“You could feel the enthusiasm in the air at this year’s MACWORLD Expo —
New York,” said Rob Scheschareg, MACWORLD Expo’s Show Director. “As a
result of the sheer number of new products, an impressive keynote and the
Macworld/Pro technical conference, our exhibitors, attendees and business
partners told us firsthand that the show was a success.”
Throughout the three-day show, held July 8-10 at the Jacob K. Javits
Center, a number of welcomed announcements were made. Attendees clearly
rallied around Apple Computer, Inc. when interim CEO Steve Jobs announced
during the keynote — in person rather than via satellite — that the
computer maker expected to post net profits for the third straight quarter.
This week, Apple announced that the last quarter was its best in three
years, with reported net income of $101 million. For the last two quarters,
revenues have stabilizing at about $1.4 billion. Keynote Highlights Jobs
joined by Phil Schiller, Apple’s Vice President of worldwide product
marketing also announced that Apple’s new $1,299 iMac personal computer
would hit the stores August 15 installed with 56K modems rather than 36.6K
ones, as originally planned. Jobs also told the enthralled MACWORLD Expo
audience that 177 new Macintosh programs had been announced in the 63 days
leading up to the conference a clear indication of market support. He
bolstered the good news from Apple with a live demonstration of the iMac
computer, Apple’s latest entrant into the competitive personal computer
realm.
Significant announcements from Microsoft and Disney OnLine executives
further reinforced Job’s positive predictions for Apple’s future.
“Apple’s announcements about its continued profitability and the impressive
iMac demo helped excite exhibitors and attendees alike at the show,” said
Scheschareg.
Consumer Appeal: The iMac & Content @ Home Apple Computer featured its new
iMac and its complete line of PowerBook G3 and Power Macintosh G3
computers, as well as QuickTime 3 and WebObjects software products.
Gaming developers, major entertainment companies, broadcasters, personal
finance and productivity application developers and hardware manufacturers
provided consumers hands-on experience with their latest products in a new
“Content @ Home” pavilion.
Additionally, the competitive types participated in the first-ever National
Macintosh Gaming Championship, which highlighted the latest games for the
Macintosh platform.
Education Appeal: The Education District Building on its education
community support, Apple Computer sponsored the Education District
pavilion, which featured software and Internet tools, curriculum building
solutions and multimedia for schools, training and home learning.
“The Education District pavilion affirmed Apple’s commitment to the
education community,” Scheschareg said. “Educators were genuinely impressed
with the array of new educational tools that have been created for
teachers, students and curriculum development specialists.”
Professional Appeal: The Macworld/Pro Conference Professionals attending
this year’s MACWORLD Expo — the Creative World participated in the highly
regarded Macworld/Pro conference, MACWORLD Users conference and day-long
pre-conference workshops.
Attendance Demographics
According to an on-site survey of MACWORLD Expo attendees: more than 96
percent came to MACWORLD Expo to see the new products; 87 percent to keep
up-to-date on industry trends; and, 68 percent to compare products with
current vendors. Nearly 50 percent of all attendees were their
organization’s final product-purchasing decision makers. Seventy-four
percent said they believed the event is important in determining their
upcoming computer and peripherals, and software purchases. Seventy-eight
percent said the show was “well worth their time and money” and 82 percent
would recommend MACWORLD Expo to a colleague.
Exhibitor and Attendee Figures
More than 230 exhibitors set up shop at MACWORLD Expo. The number of
attendees at this year’s MACWORLD Expo — New York was 34,200. Thirty
percent of the attendees worked in the creative industry, 25 percent were
from the education community, and 20 percent were from the reseller, value
added service and support community representing a significant industry
interest in supporting the latest Mac products. In addition to the business
audience almost 20 percent of the attendees were general consumers drawn to
see Apple’s new iMac computer and the new range of iMac-related products.
“The future holds incredible opportunity for the Mac market,” said
Scheschareg. “The strength of the core Mac market and the hot Mac-related
new media markets set the stage for MACWORLD Expo ’99 in Boston.” About
MACWORLD Expo MACWORLD Expo, produced by IDG Expo Management Company, is
the premier showcase for products and services geared to creative content
development and production professionals involved in traditional and new
media. In addition, MACWORLD Expo leverages the loyal base of MacOS
creative professionals, creative application developers, Internet
developers, the educational community and consumer audiences including
small office, home office, education and entertainment. MACWORLD Expo
offers professionals and consumers alike the opportunity to discover the
latest developments and experience the hottest products these markets
offer. A new addition to this year’s conference, Macworld/Pro will offer a
first-of-its kind, technology-intensive professional development series for
Macintosh design, management and networking professionals. A first-class
users conference program covers beginning and advanced uses of applications
and techniques in areas such as Internet, design, integration with NT
systems, education, content asset management and delivery, entertainment,
and more. MACWORLD Expo is sponsored by Macworld Magazine, published by Mac
Publishing, LLC, a joint venture between International Data Group and Ziff
Davis. For more information on MACWORLD Expo call 800-645-EXPO or visit our
Web site at www.macworldexpo.com.
About International Data Group (IDG)
Headquartered in Boston, International Data Group (IDG) informs more people
worldwide about information technology than any other company in the world.
With annual revenues of $2.05 billion, IDG is the leading global provider
of IT media, research, conferences and expositions. IDG publishes more than
290 computer newspapers and magazines and 700 book titles in 75 countries,
led by the Computerworld/InfoWorld, Macworld, Network World, PC World,
Channel World, and .For Dummies global product lines. IDG offers online
users the largest network of technology-specific sites around the world
through IDG.net (http://www.idg.net), which comprises more than 225
targeted Web sites in 55 countries. IDG is also a leading producer of 168
computer-related expositions in 35 countries, and research arm
International Data Corporation (IDC) provides computer industry research
and analysis through 49 offices in 41 countries worldwide. Company
information is available at http://www.idg.com.
About IDG Expo Management Company
Headquartered in Norwood, Massachusetts, IDG Expo Management Company is a
premium producer and manager of exposition and conference events that shape
the U.S. IT marketplace. IDG Expo Management Company is an affiliate of the
IDG World Expo Corporation family of companies; together, the two companies
produce the broadest array of conferences and expositions related to
information technology around the world. IDG Expo-produced events include
the MACWORLD Expos in Boston and San Francisco; ComNet in Washington, D.C.
and San Francisco and E3 Expo — the Electronic Entertainment Expo,
produced for the Interactive Digital Software Association (IDSA). Each
year, more than 2,000 exhibiting companies and more than 250,000 IT
professionals attend IDG’s U.S. events to buy, sell, learn about and
influence the IT purchasing agenda. IDG Expo Management Company was founded
in 1979 as Mitch Hall Associates. For more information, please call
781-551-9800 or visit the company’s Web site at www.idgexpos.com.
Contacts:
Michelle Lifton
IDG Expo Management Company
781-440-2827
mlifton@idgexpos.com
Matt Hutchison
Brodeur Porter Novelli
202-973-1374
mhutchison@brodeur.com
http://www.macworldexpo.com
http://www.comnetexpo.com
http://www.idgexpos.com