Macworld Conference & Expo Tokyo 2001 will take place later this month — the event is scheduled to happen Feb. 22 – 24 at the Nippon Convention Center (Makuhari Messe). Recently the show’s official Web site was updated with news that Steve Jobs, Apple CEO, will deliver the show’s keynote address.
Perhaps it’s no great surprise — Jobs is a regular fixture at Macworld Expo events, using the keynote addresses to show off the latest and greatest offerings from Apple to throngs of adoring Mac fans. Jobs was on hand at Macworld Expo Tokyo last year to introduce new products, as well.
Macworld Expo Tokyo is the Japanese counterpart to the Expos held in New York and San Francisco. It’s coordinated by IDG Japan (Macworld Expos in the U.S. are taken care of by IDG World Expo). The Tokyo show may be a bit off the beaten track for many show goers that would otherwise attend the New York and San Francisco events, but it serves a vitally important market for Apple, and the show has been an important showcase for new products. Last year, for example, Macworld Expo Tokyo played host to the premiere of new PowerBook G3s, and the iBook Special Edition.
While it’s unlikely that Apple will reveal new PowerBooks or Power Mac G4s — it just did that at Macworld Expo in San Francisco last month — speculation runs rampant about what Apple may have up its sleeve for Macworld Expo Tokyo. Only a few people know for sure, and they ain’t talkin’. And in typical fashion, Apple is keeping mum about its plans for the show. One thing is fairly certain — a big part of Steve Jobs’ time on stage at the Nippon Convention Center will probably be spent covering ground first laid out at Macworld Expo in San Francisco — news on Mac OS X’s release, and demos of Apple’s new killer apps, like its MP3 software iTunes and its consumer-friendly DVD mastering application iDVD.
Of course, all this is just the idle speculation of this reporter. For the latest news at Macworld Conference & Expo Tokyo 2001, please join us later this month. MacCentral’s own Dennis Sellers will be traveling to Tokyo to cover the event as it happens.
Representatives from Apple were unavailable for comment as we went to press with this article.