CES 2022: Google, Twitter, Amazon, Meta pull out over rising Omicron cases

(Image: Reuters)

CES 2022 is slowly becoming a ghost town with more companies pulling out over COVID-19 concerns.

Intel, Google, Lenovo, Twitter, Amazon and Meta have all announced that they would be pulling out of the in-person events, restricting their showcases to digital-only.

“The health and safety of our employees, partners and customers is always a top priority," said Intel in a statement.

"After consulting with health officials and in the spirit of Intel’s safety policy, our plans for CES will move to a digital-first, live experience, with minimal on-site staff. We encourage you to join us as we deliver all our CES content and experiences virtually via the Intel Newsroom.”

Google in its press statement, said something similar.

“After careful consideration we have decided to withhold from having a presence on the show floor of CES 2022," read Google's statement.

"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. We will continue to collaborate closely with both CTA and our partners to identify and support virtual opportunities, and we look forward to sharing the latest Google innovations with you all.”

Jean Foster, head of marketing and communications for CES told The Verge that they had received 42 cancellations so far but stressed that CES 2022 added more than 60 new exhibitors to this year's show.

Foster said that they want to give people who can't attend, "the ability to experience the magic of CES digitally."

Of the major showcases still remaining, GM and Samsung are still on board to host in-person meets, at least for now.