(Bloomberg) — Organizers of the CES tech conference, under fire for not canceling the event during a Covid-19 surge, said they will close the expo one day early as “an additional safety measure.”
The in-person conference will now end on Friday, Jan. 7, rather than running through the next day, according to the Consumer Technology Association, which puts on the show.
The group, led by Chief Executive Officer Gary Shapiro, has cited the event’s importance to small companies and entrepreneurs in pushing ahead with the gathering. Most large tech companies have scrapped plans to attend in-person, opting instead for online presentations. T-Mobile CEO Mike Sievert canceled his speech altogether, with the company saying it would look ahead to the 2023 show.
“As the world’s most influential technology event, CES is steadfast in its pledge to be the gathering place to showcase products and discuss ideas that will ultimately make our lives better,” Shapiro said Friday. “We are shortening the show to three days and have put in place comprehensive health measures for the safety of all attendees and participants.”
CES was held virtually last January, and the latest show was meant to mark a comeback for live tech events. But as the Covid-19 omicron variant spread around the world this month, companies quickly abandoned plans to go.
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