Chicago (IL) - This past Tuesday, it felt like Steve Jobs personally orchestrated the multiple hardware updates of Mac desktop lines when, in reality, all Apple did was leak the Mac mini spyshot and announce updated products with two press releases. What a remarkable departure for the California-based consumer electronics powerhouse that up until recently used to send tingles down our spines with glamorous media events centered around Steve Jobs and his showmanship. While many fans would like to believe Apple's marketing will turn to old practices once Steve Jobs gets back from his medical leave, in reality it won't. In fact, Steve Jobs may never return to Apple and the recent stark departure in how the company markets its products might be part of a carefully-staged plan to prepare all of us for the idea of an Apple without Steve Jobs.

As most probably know, Apple's legendary CEO is on a six month medical leave with op-chief Tim Cook filling his shoes in the interim. Although Jobs isn't around on a daily basis, Apple is doing just fine. In less than two months of Jobs' absence, Apple has successfully negotiated the Mark Papermaster appointment, started shipping a new version of iLife, unleashed the major Safari 4 Beta with cool new features, they brought forth the long-expected hardware updates to Mac mini, iMac, as well as its range of wireless base stations. And as if that wasn't enough, Apple also unveiled a new Mac Pro which runs Intel's "secret" Nehalem processor, something you'd expect only Steve Jobs could pull off.

What is different though is Apple's PR style. Just a couple of months ago, Apple would organize blockbuster media events at its Cupertino headquarters where the Jobs would unveil new products -- like the media presentations held last October and September when Jobs showed us the new unibody MacBooks and iPods respectively. Two media events in less than two months. Not bad even by Apple's standards. But, these shows are likely the last such events we'll be seeing from Apple as the company transitions to a different PR strategy.

Marketing by spy shots and press releases

We saw it coming. When Apple pulled out of January's MacWorld show for good, we were told the company would abandon trade shows entirely in favor of promotion in Apple Stores and on the Apple.com's homepage. If anything, this week's Mac desktop refresh marks a new era of Apple marketing. Instead of the frenzied media events that many of us have hoped for, Apple simply leaked a Mac mini spyshot and the blogosphere did the rest, marketing and all. We should all gets used to these new realities and expect more product updates via press release, just like other companies do.

MARKETING BY SPYSHOTS
A leaked spyshot, a note on Apple Store and a press release is all it takes these days to market an Apple product that would have been unveiled in a special media event just few months ago. It's interesting that last few product updates, from round iPod nano to unibody MacBook to the new Mac mini all came via suspiciously accurate spyshots, like Mac mini spyshot pictured above.

WWDC now in Apple's focus

Apple will likely still treat us to media events. After all, this is the company that began bringing a show business-like excitement into the otherwise dull computer industry some thirty years ago, and it's not going to let rivals steal the spotlight now. Apple will resort to media events, but only when substantial new products and technologies need introduction. One big annual show is a no-brainer -- the WWDC developers conference in July. In past two years, Apple used WWDC as the launching pad to unveil both the original iPhone and iPhone 3G. Steve Jobs should take the stage of this year's WWDC to introduce third-generation iPhone and OS X Snow Leopard, both major new product releases.

Read on the next page: What to expect from Apple in the future, Best- and worst-case scenarios, Apple  without Steve Jobs.