Apple fans are still hoping for a surprise appearance by chief executive Steve Jobs at the 25th Macworld expo which gets under way on Monday.

After the company announced last month that this will be the last Macworld that Apple would take part in and that Mr Jobs would not be appearing, much of the usual hype has been missing.

But some bloggers are still holding out for a cameo appearance from the star of previous Macworlds to liven things up at the Moscone centre in San Francisco.

Without Mr Jobs and with economic gloom pervasive, most are expecting a downbeat atmosphere at the expo which is run by an independent exhibitions company.

Experts are predicting a raft of announcements of evolutionary, rather than revolutionary, products. There will, most agree, be nothing to rival previous Macworld keynote unveilings by Mr Jobs which have included the iPhone, the iMac and iTunes.

Mr Jobs's place on the Apple keynote stage will be taken by Apple's head of marketing Phil Schiller, who is expected to announce revamps for Apple's operating system software and updated versions of Apple's desktop computers.

There have been rumours about an iPhone nano, a smaller, cheaper version of the iconic smart phone, and an ultralight Apple netbook, possibly with a touchscreen, but neither are expected to be introduced this week.

"Frankly, we would be a little surprised if there is a major announcement," Shaw Wu, Kaufman Bros senior research analyst, wrote in a note to investors last week.

"However, there is always the likelihood that Apple may surprise and send a message that Apple is a much broader and deeper company than one person, even if he is a living legend."

Apple has been drawing back from Macworld, which is run by IDG World Expo, for some time. Analysts say it makes business sense for Apple no longer to be compelled to make major product announcements in January, the slowest time of the year.

The company now has a network of successful retail stores to draw in customers and can attract the media on its own terms to special events, such as the unveiling of the new range of laptops last year.

About 40,000 developers, consumers and Macolytes are expected to attend Macworld which runs all week. Mr Schiller's keynote is on Tuesday morning, Pacific time, and although he has supported Mr Jobs in keynote appearances in the past, this will be his first big moment in the spotlight.

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