Google, Lenovo, Intel, T-Mobile, AT&T, Meta, Twitter, Amazon, TikTok, Pinterest, and now Microsoft are among the companies involved. In less than two weeks, the software behemoth has become the latest major name to announce that it would no longer be attending CES in person. “Our workers’ health and well-being is our number one concern,” the business stated in a statement to TechCrunch. “Microsoft has chosen not to attend CES 2022 in person after examining the most recent statistics on the fast-shifting COVID environment.”
We will continue to feature our partners’ newest gadgets, solutions, and innovations on both the Microsoft Partner Innovation Experience and the Automotive Press Kit, as part of our digital CES preparations. We want to be able to engage remotely in the future.” What is described as a return to form for the consumer electronics sector after almost two years of virtual exhibits has suddenly lost pace in the last week, as fears about the omicron version – along with a likely Christmas travel spike – have grown.
The CTA, the regulating organization of the CES, has remained strong in its intention to hold the physical exhibition as scheduled. Following Google and General Motors’ swift announcements, the group reached out to TechCrunch last night with a new response from its President, Gary Shapiro. At CES 2022 in Las Vegas, almost 2200 firms have confirmed their attendance. Our focus will continue on bringing the tech sector together and allowing people who are unable to come in person to experience the beauty of CES through digital means. Companies large and small from all around the world will be able to debut products, create brands, and form collaborations at CES 2022.
We are confident that attendees and exhibitors can have a socially distant but worthwhile and productive event in Las Vegas, or while experiencing it online, thanks to CES’ comprehensive health measures — vaccination requirement, masking, and availability of COVID-19 tests — combined with lower attendance and social distancing measures.
Back-outs had only impacted around 7% of the company’s exhibition space, according to an earlier statement released two days previously. In light of certain swift extractions by large name enterprises, as well as smaller startups that have opted for a similar excess of caution, the CTA has yet to provide an updated statistic. Samsung, LG, BMW, Qualcomm, and Sony are among the major corporations that look to be planning to maintain their in-person involvement.
