Google, Lenovo join Consumer Electronics Show exodus

Google, Lenovo and other big name tech firms have canceled plans to attend next month's Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, joining an exodus fueled by fear of COVID-19.

The U.S. internet giant and the China-based computer colossus became part of a growing list of companies opting not to put employees at risk by staffing events, exhibits or briefings at the annual gadget extravaganza.

"After careful consideration we have decided to withhold from having a presence on the show floor of CES 2022," a Google spokesperson said. "We've been closely monitoring the development of the Omicron variant, and have decided that this is the best choice for the health and safety of our teams."

The Waymo self-driving car unit of Google-parent Alphabet also hit the brakes on going to Las Vegas, saying it would take part virtually. Lenovo said on Twitter it decided to "suspend all on-site activity" at the show.

U.S. chipmaker Intel was also shifting to a "digital only" CES strategy of giving presentations online rather than risk putting people in the path of the pandemic, U.S. media reported.

The news came on the heels of several other major companies cancelling or scaling-back their plans due to COVID-19 variant Omicron's rapid spread. The popular four-day conference, which had planned for a grand return, is still scheduled to start Jan 5.

But this week Facebook parent company Meta, Amazon, T-Mobile, and Twitter canceled their appearances. Key tech world publications including CNET, The Verge, and TechCrunch said they will no longer send reporters to cover the event, adding to growing suspicions that CES might have to be delayed or canceled.

The show's organizer, the Consumer Technology Association, put out word last week that the number of exhibitors confirmed to attend had topped 2,100 and that it would offer free COVID-19 rapid testing kits to attendees as an added level of safety. On its site, CES reminds all attendees that they must be fully vaccinated.

Another major conference planned for January, the World Economic Forum, announced Monday it would delay its annual meeting in Davos, Switzerland, due to Omicron.

The gathering of the world's political and business elite will go ahead in "early summer," according to organizers.