After abandoning the tech confab this year, the software giant is "officially back," the conference's governing group tells the BBC. October 2, 2013 11:37 PM PDT Although not making a Consumer Electronics Show keynote of his own last year, Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer showed off some Windows devices during Qualcomm's keynote at 2013 CES. (Credit: James Martin/CNET) Microsoft plans to return to the Consumer Electronics Show in 2014 after taking a year off, the BBC reports. The software giant, which had been a mainstay attraction at the Las Vegas tech conference, announced in December 2011 that the 2012 CES would be its last as opening keynote presenter and a floor exhibitor. The company noted that the show's January timing didn't align with its news milestones. Although it is not scheduled to resume its formerly customary role of delivering the keynote address, the software giant has booked meeting rooms again, the BBC reports. Related stories Solar-charging headphones, an app that silences gunshots, and more (pictures) 3D printing to star at CES 2014, alongside 20,000 products T-Mobile's John Legere: The most dangerous man in wireless "Microsoft is officially back in the International CES," Gary Shapiro, the chief of the Consumer Electronics Association, the body that runs the conference, told the BBC. "They are taking out significant space in meeting rooms -- it's actually a larger presence than I believe they have ever had." CNET has contacted Microsoft and the CEA for comment and additional information and will update this report when we learn more. Microsoft's departure announcement was seen as a reflection of the decentralization of tech press briefings, with companies increasingly using their own events to make major product announcements to avoid getting drowned out by the myriad companies at CES. The news that Microsoft was on its way out of the show led to speculation that CES had lost its relevance and that the departure would lead other companies to follow suit. However, the software giant wasn't totally absent from the conference this year; Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer made a cameo appearance during Qualcomm CEO Paul Jacobs' keynote address, talking up Microsoft's Windows RT and Windows 8 Phone products.
After abandoning the tech confab this year, the software giant is "officially back," the conference's governing group tells the BBC.
Although not making a Consumer Electronics Show keynote of his own last year, Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer showed off some Windows devices during Qualcomm's keynote at 2013 CES.
(Credit: James Martin/CNET)
Microsoft plans to return to the Consumer Electronics Show in 2014 after taking a year off, the BBC reports.
The software giant, which had been a mainstay attraction at the Las Vegas tech conference, announced in December 2011 that the 2012 CES would be its last as opening keynote presenter and a floor exhibitor. The company noted that the show's January timing didn't align with its news milestones.
Although it is not scheduled to resume its formerly customary role of delivering the keynote address, the software giant has booked meeting rooms again, the BBC reports.
Related stories
- Solar-charging headphones, an app that silences gunshots, and more (pictures)
- 3D printing to star at CES 2014, alongside 20,000 products
- T-Mobile's John Legere: The most dangerous man in wireless
"Microsoft is officially back in the International CES," Gary Shapiro, the chief of the Consumer Electronics Association, the body that runs the conference, told the BBC. "They are taking out significant space in meeting rooms -- it's actually a larger presence than I believe they have ever had."
CNET has contacted Microsoft and the CEA for comment and additional information and will update this report when we learn more.
Microsoft's departure announcement was seen as a reflection of the decentralization of tech press briefings, with companies increasingly using their own events to make major product announcements to avoid getting drowned out by the myriad companies at CES. The news that Microsoft was on its way out of the show led to speculation that CES had lost its relevance and that the departure would lead other companies to follow suit.
However, the software giant wasn't totally absent from the conference this year; Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer made a cameo appearance during Qualcomm CEO Paul Jacobs' keynote address, talking up Microsoft's Windows RT and Windows 8 Phone products.
