Microsoft dropped out of the tech conference due to the rise in the number of COVID-19 cases in the United States.
The annual event, which was held in Las Vegas and was scheduled to take place from January 5 to January 8 in 2022, was reported to be pulled out by Microsoft on Friday.
Microsoft will not be at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas in 2022, a company spokesman told The Verge.
More than 40 major companies, including Amazon, Intel, and Meta, have decided to not attend the conference in person. The rising COVID-19 cases were cited as the reason for not attending the conference in person. Microsoft, General GM, and Google said they would attend the event in some capacity.
A representative for the Consumer Technology Association, which puts on the conference, said in a statement that the focus remained on giving those who cannot attend in person the ability to experience the magic of the conference digitally. More than 2,200 companies were still scheduled to attend the conference in person, according to the CTA.
We are confident that attendees and exhibitors can have a productive and socially distanced event in Las Vegas, or while experiencing it online, because of the comprehensive health measures of the show.
Microsoft didn't reply to Insider's request for comment.
The Consumer Electronics Show has become a spectacle for new technology since it started more than 50 years ago. The CD, DVD, Sony camcorder, and Microsoft XBOX have all been introduced at the event, but it's also known for wacky or high-concept inventions like a robot butler that serves wine and a pillow that can tell if you're snoring.
Many of the new devices from the consumer tech giants will be displayed this year. Many companies have canceled or delayed their January plans because of the COVID-19 cases. The global travel industry has been disrupted because of the delayed return-to-office dates of big tech companies. More than 4,000 flights were canceled on Christmas Eve and Christmas day due to the Omicron surge.
