Global tech show CES to be only online in 2021 due to Covid-19

By REUTERS | 29 July 2020


LAS VEGAS: CES, the biggest global tech and gadget show, held every January here, will be only online in 2021 due to concerns over the coronavirus pandemic, organiser Consumer Technology Association said on Tuesday.

While big tech companies like Apple, Alphabet’s Google and Samsung have separate product launch events and companies launching electronic gadgets at CES have generally been smaller, the event has been an important venue for technology companies and buyers to meet to conduct business.

CES is also becoming an important venue for auto companies to showcase their cars and the newest technology built into them.

CES is the biggest annual event here and cancellation will be a blow to the city, where hotel prices soar and roads clog with traffic during the event. According to the CTA, CES 2020 had an estimated 170,000 attendees, including 60,000 international attendees.

CTA chief executive Gary Shapiro said the decision was made now to give companies and partners here time to plan ahead.

“We don’t think there’s a vaccine that will be available and safe and tested that people are comfortable with by January,” he said.

Pricing for the online CES hasn’t been decided yet, Shapiro said. Tickets for CES this year ranged from US$300 to US$1,700.

The digital CES event is scheduled for Jan 6-9.

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