AppleInsider Staff
In its announcement, Microsoft said that the way the company must communicate with its customers has changed. After consideration, Microsoft officials decided that this January's CES will mark Microsoft's last keynote presentation and booth.
"We'll continue to participate in CES as a great place to connect with partners and customers across the PC, phone and entertainment industries, but we won't have a keynote or booth after this year because our product news milestones generally don't align with the show's January timing," said Frank X. Shaw, corporate vice president of corporate communications at Microsoft.
The decision comes three years after Apple decided the 2009 Macworld Expo would be its last. Like CES, Macworld was, at the time, held in early January, though next year's 2012 Macworld|iWorld Expo will kick off on Jan. 26, a few weeks after CES occurs from Jan. 10 through 13.
In 2009, Apple said that trade shows had become "a very minor part" of how the company reaches its customers. Apple now introduces its products with its own media events, free of trade shows that are scheduled well in advance.
Microsoft said Wednesday that it will hold its own events in the future to announce products, while it will also reach out to customers through social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter. The company also plans to reach consumers through its website and retail stores.
"Microsoft has enjoyed a close to 20-year working relationship with the Consumer Electronics Association — and we look forward to working with CEA for many years to come," Shaw said.
Ballmer will kick off this year's CES with a keynote presentation the evening of Jan. 9. The Microsoft CEO also delivered the keynote address at last year's event, in which he highlighted Windows Phone 7 and demoed Windows running on ARM's system-on-a-chip architecture.
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25 Comments
sound familiar? (read: apple and macworld).
Goodbye Monkey Boy!
Sounds like a good business decision for MIcrosoft. Less chance of Balmer making an idiot out of himself.
sound familiar? (read: apple and macworld).
The difference being that Apple had big announcements of its own to make and wanted to do so without the distraction of a show and the activities of other participants. There's not much speculation out there these days that Microsoft has much that's new or surprising to bring to the party. Better to stay away and avoid disappointing media and showgoers.
Wait ....
You mean we won't get to hear him next year when he crows about
how strongly developers have jumped all over Windows8 ?
I am an Apple fanboy, but this is not a commentary on MS. Rather it is an insult to the trade show industry. Shows like CES are going to die, not next year but in my lifetime. Right or wrong these shows are no longer relevant. A companies website gives more info than the clueless sales person standing in companies booth.
I get that every year these shows get bigger, but only because large companies keep sending people. These companies will wise up and have the vendors come to them. If you can't come to me I don't need to sell your product.