All of the companies that have pulled out of CES 2022 so far
posted Wednesday Dec 22, 2021 by Scott Ertz
Updated 2021-12-28 16:20 EST to add more companies
Updated 2021-12-30 12:00 EST to add more companies
CES 2022, owned and operated by the Consumer Technology Association (CTA), is technically still planned for January 5-8 in Las Vegas, Nevada, but those plans seem to be falling apart around them. As the Omicron variant of COVID-19 has become the dominant strain in the US and abroad, numbers are spiking across the globe. While the statistics currently suggest that Omicron is significantly less dangerous for most people, it isn't exactly safe. In addition, many countries are beginning lockdowns again, meaning that international companies are struggling to attend the event in person. Because of this, it's looking more and more like the majority of CES 2022 will be virtual, reminiscent of CES 2021.
As of now, the company says that CES 2022 will still happen in person, though they are leaving it open to future cancellation. On the website, there is a bold statement saying,
We are actively tracking the emerging news and science around the new Omicron variant. We will continue to monitor and adjust our plans and health protocols as necessary.
We are also tracking the news and environment, as things are already changing quickly. We're just 2 weeks away from the start of the event, but companies are pulling out at an alarming rate. Both exhibitors and media companies are deciding to interact with the event remotely, suggesting a trend that could end with the full cancelation of the in-person event and a shift to an all-digital format. Here are some of the companies that have already pulled out.
Exhibitors and Partners
Exhibitors are the lifeblood of CES. Without them, there is no reason to attend, as there is nothing to see, cover, or talk and write about.
Amazon
December 21, 2021 - Amazon has announced that it will not have a presence at the event. Amazon traditionally supports its partners with product experts, as well as having its own exhibits. In addition to supporting partners who use Alexa in their devices, the company also has its large offering of products, from Echo to Ring. The company said in a statement,
Due to the quickly shifting situation and uncertainty around the Omicron variant, we will no longer have an on-site presence at CES.
AT&T
December 22, 2021 - While the company did not have a planned large presence this year. The only AT&T branded booth is 8763 in the North Hall as part of the Health & Wellness section of the show floor. The telecom and media divisions of the brand did not have a planned presence at all. Now, the company will skip the show entirely.
iHeartMedia
December 21, 2021 - The media giant, which owns iHeartRadio, has decided to pull its participation entirely. The company had planned several events, the primary was to be a concert at Area15, featuring Swedish House Mafia.
Nvidia
December 21, 2021 - Nvidia is one of the pillars on which modern CES events are built. The company is involved in so many aspects of emerging technology that their absence might be felt the most. Someone close to the conference described the situation, stating,
Nvidia canceling on CES is like Moderna canceling at a healthcare conference.
The company still plans to deliver a "special address" virtually, similar to their presentation at CES 2021.
T-Mobile
December 21, 2021 - T-Mobile is one of the featured companies for CES 2022, with a planned keynote speech from new CEO Mike Sievert. The company has announced that it will no longer be participating in the event in-person, with the company stating,
After careful consideration and discussion, T-Mobile has made the difficult decision to significantly limit our in-person participation at this year's Consumer Electronics Show. While we are confident that CES organizers are taking exhaustive measures to protect in-person attendees and we had many preventative practices in place as well, we are prioritizing the safety of our team and other attendees with this decision. T-Mobile will continue to serve as a CES sponsor and title sponsor of the DRL Championship Race but the vast majority of our team will not be traveling to Las Vegas. Additionally, T-Mobile CEO Mike Sievert will no longer be offering a keynote in-person or virtually. T-Mobile's entire team looks forward to an in-person CES 2023, which we hope includes an on-stage keynote in front of a live audience. We extend our sincere thanks to the entire CES staff for their hard work during these challenging times.
So, while remaining as a featured partner and sponsor, the company is pulling back. Even the planned keynote has been cancelled entirely, not even planning to deliver it virtually.
Full List of Known Brands
Here is a complete list of known brands skipping CES 2022. This list will expand with time, and we'll try to keep it updated.
- Amazon
- AMD
- Arthur
- AT&T
- Brunswick
- EnviroKlenz
- eSight
- Fluent.ai
- FluentPet
- General Motors (GM)
- iHeartMedia
- Intel
- JPMorgan
- Lenovo
- Microsoft
- Nvidia
- OnePlus
- PepsiCo
- Piana Technology
- Rendever
- T-Mobile
- SUPER73
- ThirdEye
- Toucan
Social Media
The social media companies have a large impact on the value of CES. Clearly, a lot of the news during the show is made possible because of the social media platforms. But, in addition, a lot of products also feature social media integration.
Meta (Facebook, Instagram)
December 21, 2021 - Meta has an important presence at CES. Not only do they own and operate Facebook and Instagram, but they also own the formerly named Oculus. Many of the companies showing off virtual reality (VR) products are relying on the Oculus hardware and software to do so. The company announced its intentions to skip in-person participation and are looking at how to participate virtually.
Out of an abundance of caution and care for our employees, we won't be attending CES in-person due to the evolving public health concerns related to Covid-19.
December 21, 2021 - Previously, Pinterest had planned to have a limited presence at the show before Omicron. However, with the changing landscape, the company has announced that they will skip the event altogether. Pinterest did not have an official presence planned for the show.
December 21, 2021 - Twitter's presence at the company is usually pretty high-profile, though this year did not have any official relationship with the show. The branding has been seen in the main courtyard of the Las Vegas Convention Center, as well as throughout the show floor. In a statement, the company announced,
Due to the spike in Covid cases across the country in the past week, we've decided to cancel our in-person presence at CES next month. We'll continue to actively monitor the situation into the new year and find other opportunities to connect with our clients and partners.
Full List of Known Social Media Brands
Here is a complete list of known social media companies skipping CES 2022. This list may expand with time, and we'll try to keep it updated.
- TikTok
Media Outlets
Without the media companies, no one would know what was happening at CES. We scour the show floor for new and exciting products and services. We sit in meetings and presentations to see things not yet announced. And we conduct interviews so you can see first-hand what is coming in the next year.
AT&T (CNN)
As with its business unit, the news division has decided to bail on the show. CNN will not have reporters on the floor for CES 2022.
CBS (CNET)
The former manager of the official Best of CES awards announced Monday that it will not participate in-person. The outlet will continue to cover the event virtually.
Yahoo (Engadget, TechCrunch)
The current manager of the official Best of CES awards, Engadget, and its sister site TechCrunch, have decided to cover the event remotely.
Vox Media (The Verge)
Dan Seifert, Deputy Editor of The Verge announced that the brand will not be attending the show and shifting to a remote coverage model.
Future (Laptop Magazine, PC Gamer, T3, Tech Radar, Tom's Guide, Tom's Hardware)
Our good friends at Future have decided from the top level that none of their brands will attend CE S2022 in person, Mark Spoonauer and Lance Ulanoff announced.
Full List of Known Media Outlets
Here is a complete list of known media outlets skipping CES 2022. This list will expand with time, and we'll try to keep it updated.
- CNET (CBS)
- CNN (AT&T)
- Engadget (Yahoo)
- Forbes
- Laptop Magazine (Future)
- MarketWatch (News Corp)
- PC Gamer (Future)
- T3 (Future)
- TechCrunch (Yahoo)
- Tech Radar (Future)
- The Verge (Vox Media)
- Tom's Guide (Future)
- Tom's Hardware (Future)
- Wirecutter (The New York Times)
