CES 2022 on Thursday lost Google, the latest company to confirm the cancellation of its in-person plans to be in Las Vegas for the …
CES 2022 on Thursday lost Google, the latest company to confirm the cancellation of its in-person plans to be in Las Vegas for the tech trade show and to shift to a virtual presence. The search company and its sister company Waymo join T-Mobile, Intel, Lenovo, TikTok, Meta and many others making such a change over concerns about the uptick in coronavirus cases and the omicron variant. „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,“ a Google spokesperson said regarding the withdrawal. Despite the lengthening list of departing exhibitors, the Consumer Technology Association, which runs CES, said Thursday that additional exhibitors have signed up for physical space on the show floor. „While we recently received 42 exhibitor cancellations (less than 7% of our exhibit floor),“ the CTA said, „since last Friday we’ve added 60 new exhibitors for our in person event.“ Though higher-profile companies are announcing withdrawals, the CTA emphasized that the confab’s show floor also plays host to small and medium-size companies. Past attendees looking for that exposure have included startups with specialized computer technology and firms that produce pizza-making robots. But the spread of the omicron variant and the rise in COVID-19 cases are still making many people uneasy. The CTA pointed out its vaccination and masking requirements and COVID testing availability for those attending the physical show, but an increasing number of companies plan to go digital only. On Tuesday, T-Mobile said that CEO Mike Sievert is no longer scheduled to deliver a keynote presentation either in person or virtually and that the company is planning to „significantly limit“ its physical presence at the show.
