Microsoft To Withdraw From CES

Microsoft said it will no longer have a formal presence at the Consumer Electronics Show, one of the tech industry's most high profile showcases for computers, tablets, smartphones, and other gadgets, following next month's event.

"We have decided that this coming January will be our last keynote presentation and booth at CES," said company spokesman Frank Shaw, in a blog post Wednesday.

"We will 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 Shaw.

Microsoft tends to release products, such as new versions of the Windows operating system, late in the year, meaning that consumers have to wait months to get their hands on offerings the company demos at CES, which is held each January in Las Vegas. This year's event runs from the 10th to the 13th.

"As we look at all of the new ways we tell our consumer stories--from product momentum disclosures, to exciting events like our Big Windows Phone, to a range of consumer connection points like Facebook, Twitter, Microsoft.com and our retail stores--it feels like the right time to make this transition," said Shaw.

:story: Full story: InformationWeek