Macworld Expo minus Apple still equals Macworld Expo

In the story of love, there is always a winner and a loser (the loser being the one who sits at home with ice cream in one hand and a remote in the other, crying while watching The Notebook). In the romance between IDG and Apple, it seems that IDG is not content to sit at home now that Stevie J. has stopped returning its calls.

While we know that Macworld Expo is scheduled to continue in 2010, there is not a solid sense of what next year's conference will look like. Because IDG wants to get attendee input on the future shape of the event, it has elected to have a "Townhall" open forum where attendees can meet and discuss the future of Macworld.

The emphasis of Macworld Expo is expected to shift back to the Mac and the many products and services that can enhance it. Because Macworld showcases hundreds of products that are not found in Apple retail stores (including sessions & vendors who focus on large enterprises and educational markets), it is a great opportunity to get them into the hands of users who would not normally get a chance to see them in person.

Here's hoping Macworld Expo continues on for the foreseeable future -- and who knows? Perhaps the popularity of Macworld will bring Apple back in, but who needs 'em, right? Have a good idea for something you'd like to see in Macworld's future? Let us know in the comments, and perhaps one of our intrepid staffers attending the townhall will discuss it with IDG's team.

For continuing coverage of Macworld Expo 2009 from our team on the ground in San Francisco, stay with TUAW -- you can see all coverage in one place, get a feed for our stories or follow us on Twitter for instant updates.

[via Ars Technica]