Jul 28, 2020 - Technology

Pandemic drives CES to drop in-person 2021 event

Photo illustration: Rafael Henrique/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images

Next year's CES electronics show will be virtual, a reversal from earlier plans to press on with the event in person despite the coronavirus pandemic.

Why it matters: The CES trade show in Las Vegas each January is one of tech's biggest global events. Its cancellation as an in-person affair signals extended tech industry skepticism that the U.S. will return to normal by this winter.

What they're saying: "Amid the pandemic and growing global health concerns about the spread of COVID-19, it’s just not possible to safely convene tens of thousands of people in Las Vegas in early January 2021 to meet and do business in person," said Gary Shapiro, president and CEO of the Consumer Technology Association, which puts on CES.

  • Instead, product showcases and other aspects of the show will be strictly digital, Shapiro said.

Flashback: CES had previously been drawing up plans for keeping attendees socially distant during the intended gathering. Those are being scrapped as U.S. infections surge.

Our thought bubble: CTA was an outlier in pressing ahead, Axios' Ina Fried notes. Their initial announcement that the show would go on was greeted with widespread skepticism.

Go deeper ... Charted: Tech companies' work from home plans

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Ina Fried, author of Login
Jul 28, 2020 - Technology

Tech companies' work from home plans due to the pandemic

Data: Axios reporting, company officials; Table: Naema Ahmed/Axios

Google announced on Monday it will let most employees work from home through mid-2021; here is a look at what the other big tech companies have (or in some cases haven't) said about their plans.

Why it matters: Nobody knows when it will be safe for a mass return to the office. Telling workers when they can expect to remain working from home allows them to make plans, especially with many school districts starting the year with remote learning.

Go deeper: Tech hits the brakes on office reopenings

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Wall Street fears stimulus is doomed

Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios

The fight over a new Supreme Court justice will take Washington's partisan bickering to a new level and undermine any chance for needed coronavirus relief measures before November's election, Wall Street analysts say.

What we're hearing: "With the passing of Justice Ginsburg, the level of rhetorical heat has increased, if that seemed even possible," Greg Staples, head of fixed income for the Americas at DWS Group, tells Axios in an email.

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Axios
Updated 1 hour ago - Politics & Policy

Coronavirus dashboard

Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios

  1. Global: Total confirmed cases as of 7 a.m. ET: 31,346,086 — Total deaths: 965,294— Total recoveries: 21,518,790 — Map.
  2. U.S.: Total confirmed cases as of 3 a.m. ET: 6,858,130 — Total deaths: 199,890 — Total recoveries: 2,615,949 — Total tests: 95,841,281 — Map.
  3. Health: CDC says it mistakenly published guidance about COVID-19 spreading through air.
  4. Media: Conservative blogger who spread COVID-19 misinformation worked for Fauci's agency.
  5. Politics: House Democrats file legislation to fund government through Dec. 11.
  6. World: U.K. upgrades COVID alert level as Europe sees worrying rise in infections — "The Wake-Up Call" warns the West about the consequences of mishandling a pandemic.
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