I’ve been attending CES since 2013, and I can honestly say that it is both an enjoyable event and exhausting as well. Experiencing new technologies and interfacing with colleagues and industry leaders are just a few of my favorite things to do at CES. Last year, CES was canceled due to the pandemic. But CTA was determined to make CES 2022 happen.
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So here we are, just days away from CES 2022, and things appear as though they are crumbling. While CTA has taken many safety protocols, including mandating attendees be vaccinated, the latest COVID-19 variant is making companies pull out of the event. One of the biggest names that have opted out of in-person CES activities is Google; here is what a Google spokesperson had to say:
“After careful consideration we have decided to withhold from having a presence on the show floor of CES 2022. We’ve been closely monitoring the development of the Omicron variant, and have decided that this is the best choice for the health and safety of our teams. 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.”
9to5 Google
Waymo was also set to present and be one of the more prominent presenters at the event but has also pulled out of CES 2022.
The safety and wellbeing of our team is top of mind for us and informed this tough decision. Going forward, once this most recent surge is under control, our team will continue to build out impactful, engaging, and safe events so that our key audiences and stakeholders can experience Waymo.
9to5 Google
Lenovo is always a massive presence at CES, where they exhibit not only on the show floor but also in private suites and at media events like Pepcom. They’ve also elected not to come to CES even though they had planned to be there already.
CES UPDATE: After closely monitoring the current trends surrounding COVID, it is in the best interest of the health and safety of our employees, customers, partners, and our communities to suspend all on-site activity in Las Vegas.
Lenovo via Twitter
Facebook (Meta) was also set to make a big appearance at CES 2022 but has made the same decision Google, Lenovo, Twitter, Amazon T-Mobile, Casio, NVIDIA, and many others have made in opting out this year.
Today, CTA still plans on moving forward with the show, and many smaller and mid-size brands plan to attend. Media events like Pepcom and Showstoppers are also still slated to happen, and brands are still sending emails for in-person meetings at the show.
We would have liked to make it to CES this year but were unable due to funding. While CTA is still planning on moving forward, many in the media and tech industry are calling for CES 2022 to be canceled. The fears over the Omnicron variant are pushing companies and people to their limits. I think we’ll know for sure by next week if CES 2022 is moving forward or being canceled.
Either way, we will be covering CES 2022, and we have several articles coming up that will reveal new products from several brands. So stay tuned for our complete CES 2022 coverage as well as our Best of CES 2022 awards!
What do you think? Should CES 2022 be canceled? Please share your thoughts on any of the social media pages listed below. You can also comment on our MeWe page by joining the MeWe social network.
Last Updated on December 27, 2021.
