I know there is a lot of news to talk about.
During this year’s CTIA Wireless show, we got to see a bunch of fun, new devices, we heard interesting discussions about 4G and the future of the world’s network equipment, and we even got laugh through Sir Richard Branson’s April Fool’s Day prank.
(Branson, who is a billionaire, said during his April 1 keynote he wants to send people to Mars. I do too, but no one cares what a poorly dressed journalist with a bad haircut wants.)
Anyway, my point is that there is plenty of real stuff to talk about. But there’s only one thing I’m actually going to talk about. And that’s Apple.
If you didn’t notice, Apple is nowhere to be seen on the CTIA show floor, and Apple CEO Steve Jobs is not among the event’s presenters — despite the fact that Apple sells the iPhone, one of the most notable releases in the wireless industry in years.
Of course, this comes as no surprise to anyone; Apple’s modus operandi is to eschew most such events and instead conduct its business in its own privately controlled environments.
I know this strategy has worked very well for Apple, but come on!
Apple (and by extension Jobs, though I have never met the man) comes across as preening, pretentious prima donna that can’t be bothered to meet with the companies that have built this industry into what it is: one of the world’s most innovative.
Apple to me seems like the smart guy in high school who gets perfect grades but won’t let me cheat off him.
I mean, good grief, I know booths are expensive, but can’t Apple spare an executive — Jobs or someone else — to at least give a keynote? They wouldn’t even have to say anything; they could just dance around with an iPhone for 10 minutes and call it good.
Seriously, though, no one likes to be ignored. And, if I remember right, that guy from high school spent most Friday nights at home.
