CES 2022 Cancellations Continue, with T-Mobile and Other Major Brands Backing Out

By Ana Dascalescu

Posted on December 22, 2021

Whether we might like it or not, it’s still uncertain if in-person events will happen or not.

Because of the spread of the Omicron variant, the biggest tech show of the year, CES 2022, might not happen as an in-person conference or the event will be seriously reduced.

After CES 2021 became a digital-exclusive event, its organizers hoped to return to an in-person one for the 2022 edition and brands lined up to get a spot on the showroom floor.

Now, with a new COVID-19 variant on the loose, they’re backing out again.

T-Mobile CEO Mike Sievert, who is scheduled to be a speaker there, took to Twitter to announce that they’re “prioritizing the safety of our team and other attendees,” which means the company will not have a physical presence.

The telecom giant is just one of the companies to give up attending CES 2022 – Amazon, Twitter, Pinterest and even Meta, Facebook’s new entity, backed out.

Brands are not alone in being reticent about in-person events but journalists as well. Publications like Engadget, CNET, Tom’s Guide and The Verge all declined to attend the event and will be covering the news remotely.

With so many cancellations, the future of CES 2022 is uncertain, but the organizers have made no announcement yet.

As of now, the physical event is on track to happen and companies like Sony and LG are still scheduled to bring their new products to Las Vegas.