iPad 3 Rumors Were False - No Plans for iWorld Launch

As if it hadn’t already been clear that Apple was not going to launch new products at this year’s Macworld | iWorld expo, a source with a good track record on Apple rumors has confirmed the obvious - no iPad 3 announcement at the trade show in question.

In fact, there won’t be any iPad 3 or iTV launch at any big trade show next year, such as iWorld and CES, according to Jim Dalrymple writing for The Loop. His sources said there are no plans in Cupertino to use these events for these two (rumored) product announcements.

The false rumor had emerged via a Digitimes report that cited sources in Apple’s supply chain as saying that the company was “set to unveil its next-generation iPad - which will come in two versions - at the iWorld scheduled for January 26, 2012.”

While the time of the announcement may be accurate, the place mentioned in the article was regarded as a questionable aspect of this so-called leak.

And the reason for this couldn't be simpler - Apple withdrew its presence from most trade shows in 2009, and has been scaling back these kinds of appearances ever since. An excerpt from the Mac maker’s official announcement issued December 16, 2008, is available below:

CUPERTINO, California—December 16, 2008—Apple today announced that this year is the last year the company will exhibit at Macworld Expo. Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing, will deliver the opening keynote for this year’s Macworld Conference & Expo, and it will be Apple’s last keynote at the show. [...] Apple has been steadily scaling back on trade shows in recent years, including NAB, Macworld New York, Macworld Tokyo and Apple Expo in Paris.

At the moment, the company headquartered at 1 Infinite Loop, Cupertino, California doesn’t attend any events that haven’t been scheduled at its express initiative.