This may seem out of the blue that Apple would be pulling out of Macworld after 2009, and it has certainly set the rumour mills going at full tilt. However, while surprised by the news I wasn't shocked by it.

Over the course of the last year, tech trade shows around the world have seen a steady decline in the number of exhibitors and attendees. As is usually the case, the cost of exhibition and facilities is often very high and with the present financial climate companies have been seeking to reduce unnecessary spending.

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Such a move is a bold one for Apple, as many Mac faithful eagerly anticipate the arrival of new products at Macworld each year, but the logic makes sense. And even a company like Apple is not immune to financial pressure.

This does, however, leave the question of the future of Macworld. The organisers have maintained that Macworld is planned for 2010 and beyond, but with the recent pulling out of key companies such as Belkin and obviously Apple, the general trend of decline in the humble trade shows across the industry it does leave you wondering, have the days of the trade started to look very numbered?