Apple has pulled out of the UK's only Mac-oriented event, Apple Expo, less than two months before the show is scheduled to take place. The move could kill the show, which has now lost the right to use the Apple name. Dissatisfied with the approach taken by show organiser Emap Trenton, Apple has said it is planing a Mac show of its own. Apple officials attributed the decision to Emap Trenton's move split the event into two, co-located shows. Apple Expo became an area devoted to home, small business and education users, while Total Design Technology would focus on creative professionals -- and take a cross-platform stance. "We have been concerned for some time that Emap Trenton's strategy would not deliver a compelling product to either exhibitors or Apple customers," said Apple UK marketing manager Alan Hely. Apple gave Emap Trenton time to develop the plan, but a recent reviewed found the organiser's efforts wanting, he said. Certainly it has failed to attract some key developers. Of the major Mac software providers, only Macromedia is exhibiting. Adobe, Microsoft and Quark, long-time Apple Expo supporters, will not be exhibiting this year. Without Apple too, it's hard to see how the show is unlikely to pull in the punters. Ironically, there is clear interest in the Mac, thanks to the ongoing success of the iMac consumer machine. Pre-registrations are up on last year by 150 per cent, Emap claimed. Emap Trenton's TDT plan was laid down last year at a time when Apple was still stuggling to get back on its feet. Back then, there was a real fear that Apple's traditional market, the creative professional, would migrate to Windows NT -- hence the decision to make TDT cross-platform. The decision to split the event into two was provoked by the perennial complaints from big league exhibitors that the presence of resellers' in-show outlets was lowering the tone and discouraging serious Mac users from attending. Apple is keeping mum on its plans for a show of its own apart from claiming it will take place sometime next year. ® Click for more stories