14 DAY TRIAL // Microsoft is the latest big name that confirms it would no longer attend the upcoming CES 2022 show in person, as the company has decided to stick with a digital presence for obvious reasons.
Other big names that have released similar announcements lately include General Motors, Google, Intel, Pinterest, Twitter, and AT&T.
The reason is as simple as it could be: due to the rapid rise in COVID-19 cases caused by the new Omicron variant, Microsoft has decided it’s better to just avoid sending its staff to the event, as sticking with a digital version would be the safest way to do it.
“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. We will continue with our digital CES plans on both the Microsoft Partner Innovation Experience and Automotive Press Kit, where we’ll highlight our partners’ newest devices, solutions, and innovations. We look forward to continuing to participate remotely,” Microsoft said in a statement for TechCrunch.
CES 2022 still happening
The decision isn’t necessarily surprising, as Microsoft has been treated its presence at public shows very carefully since the debut of the pandemic nearly two years ago.
The company has also canceled several physical events, including its flagship Build conference, instead moving to digital announcements that took place online.
Several other tech giants did the same thing during the pandemic, including rivals Google and Apple, all of which have moved their main events online to prevent people from all over the world to come together in the same place.
Most likely more companies would retire from CES by early January when the show starts, though right now, the physical event is still on the table, with no plans to completely cancel it.