Why Steve Jobs Avoided MacWorld?

We all heard the inconvenient truth about Steve Jobs not attending MacWorld. First it was 'cos Apple apparently no longer wants to make world altering announcements in such public forums even though they always have - yaahh... No one quite bought into that so the rumour mill went into overdrive re Jobs health or lack of. So, we then discover that he is actually a little ill with a hormone imbalance - hence the skinny ness.

But finally, at MacWorld, it all became clear - its because Apple has nothing in particular to announce. Standard upgrades of iLife, iWorks and more DRM free tracks on iTunes is not exactly earth shattering. And a 17" MacBok Pro is cool but - hate to say it - just another laptop.

Even Steve couldn't have put a spin on these product announcements. There was no iPhone Nano, no re-juiced Mac mini and no subscription service for iTunes. Has Apple lost their innovation? Are they a a product of our more subdued times? Or has the Apple product juggernaut smacked out so much in the last decade that they've run out of new concepts?

I doubt it - there is still so much to do when it comes to touch technology across all screens, 3D, new phones, an oversized tablet style iPod Touch, taking all their software to the Web and an Apple TV (a real Apple TV). Maybe Apple and Steve just need a breather. And we'll have to wait until later in the year for more Apple jigs.