The Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2022 is scheduled to take place between January 5 and January 8 in Las Vegas next month. Ahead of the event, companies have started pulling out of having in-person presence at the event. The latest company to pull out of having boots on the ground in Las Vegas is Microsoft.
“The health and well-being of our employees is our ultimate priority. After reviewing the latest data on the rapidly evolving COVID environment, Microsoft has decided not to participate in-person at CES 2022,” Microsoft said in a statement to TechCrunch. Instead of having an in-person presence at the upcoming tradeshow, Microsoft is planning to have a virtual presence. The company said that it will continue with its digital CES plans on both the Microsoft Partner Innovation Experience and Automotive Press Kit wherein it is expected to reveal its new devices and innovations.
It is worth noting that Microsoft is not the only company that has pulled out of having an in-person presence at CES 2022 next month. It joins companies such as Google, Waymo Intel, Lenovo, Meta, GM, Twitter, Amazon and Pinterest among others that have backed out of having a booth at the convention centers in Las Vegas amid concerns over the rising number of Covid-19 cases in the country.
“After careful consideration we have decided to withhold from having a presence on the show floor of CES 2022…We will continue to collaborate closely with both CTA and our partners to identify and support virtual opportunities, and we look forward to sharing the latest Google innovations with you all,” a Google spokesperson had said in a statement to BGR.in.
Additionally, T-Mobile, which is one of the show’s title sponsors, has also pulled out of having an on-ground presence in Las Vegas next month. In addition to that, the company has also said that its CEO Mike Sievert will no longer be offering a keynote in-person or virtually at CES 2022 next month.
While a lot of companies have decided to pull out of the event, companies such as Qualcomm, Sony Electronic, OnePlus, HTC, AMD and Samsung are planning on having an on-ground presence at the event. TikTok, on the other hand, is planning to host a virtual event for its partners and advertisers.
