It seems that taking a couple of days to cool down have helped the negotiations between IDG World Expo and Apple. The two sides talked today and have worked out some of their issues, although others still remain with the East Coast Macworld Conference & Expo.
“IDG World Expo and Apple began discussions regarding Apple’s role in upcoming Macworld Conference & Expo events,” IDG World Expo said in a statement to MacCentral today. “On Monday, October 21, Apple and IDG World Expo confirmed that Apple will indeed participate in Macworld Conference & Expo in San Francisco in January 2003 as originally planned, with a presence on the show floor as well as the keynote presentation from Steve Jobs. IDG World Expo and Apple have also agreed to hold ongoing discussions about Apple’s role in upcoming East Coast Macworld events. IDG World Expo will issue an update when more details become available.”
The problems between Apple and IDG World Expo began last Thursday with the announcement that Macworld Expo would be moved from New York to Boston. Apple said they would not attend the Expo in Boston and also said they would re-evaluate their participation in next summer’s New York show, the last to be held in the city.
IDG Expo President and CEO Charlie Greco said on Friday night that the East coast shows would go on with or without Apple, but on Saturday the already contentious issue heated up even further.
Greco said on Saturday that his organization was considering banning Apple from the San Francisco Expo, not allowing the company to “cherry pick what Macworld event they plan to attend.”
Today’s discussion appears to have cleared up the West Coast issues, but still leaves a question as to Apple’s plans for an East Coast presence in the show.
Apple declined to comment for this story.
IDG World Expo and MacCentral are both owned by IDG.