What will a virtual CES 2021 be like?

On July 28, the Consumer Technology Association canceled its in-person CES 2021 conference scheduled for Jan. 6-9 in Las Vegas. The writing was on the wall. The world, especially the U.S., has not gotten the Covid-19 pandemic under control. The pandemic is likely to rage into next year and possibly until there’s a vaccine.
CES 2021 will be an “all-digital experience,” the Consumer Technology Association said in a news release. What that means exactly is still to be spelled out.
While the organization is planning CES 2021, they can look to other physical events that went online for lessons learned.
For instance, the virtual San Diego Comic-Com was called “a bust” by Variety.
The main reason was a lack of fan interaction with TV show and movie creators, the entertainment publication said. Another problem was that news was released outside of the Comic-Con@Home events, muting their impact. Variety said Comic-Con@Home also was a dud in terms of social media buzz.
On the other hand, Apple’s virtual Worldwide Developers Conference was deemed a success.
“Though we could not be together in person, Apple set a new standard for what online events can achieve with our celebrated all virtual event,” Apple Chief Executive Tim Cook told analysts on July 30. “The results here speak for themselves. More than 22 million viewers tuned in across all of Apple streams. For our developers, we distributed more than 72 hours of video content. That’s three full days of video. The week saw more than 200 direct video engineering and design sessions and about 4,500 person-to-person appointments with developers across 227 virtual labs.”

So, the key learnings from those virtual events include having live interactive events and breaking news.

The Consumer Technology Association has a little over five months to pull together its all-digital CES 2021.

“The new format will allow participants to hear from technology innovators, see cutting-edge technologies and the latest product launches, and engage with global brands and startups from around the world,” the trade group said. “CES 2021 will be a new immersive experience, where attendees will have a front-row seat to discover and see the latest technology. This highly personalized experience will bring a global event to the comfort and safety of your home or office.”

In a LinkedIn post, Gary Shapiro, chief executive of the Consumer Technology Association, pledged to return to Las Vegas with a physical show for CES 2022.

As a member of the news media, I will miss seeing the latest big-screen TVs and other gadgets in person. But many aspects of the show can be handled virtually.
Pre-show press conferences by tech companies easily can be switched to online events. Many already were streamed online.
Keynote speeches and presentations by tech leaders also can be moved to streaming video.
I hope CES organizers aim high when picking big names for the keynotes to generate news and interest. The virtual CES 2021 offers the possibility to attract public figures who would not have given an in-person keynote at the physical show.
Here are some suggestions for CES 2021 keynotes:

• Philanthropist Bill Gates could discuss efforts to combat the Covid-19 pandemic and how the world will change after the threat has passed. When he led Microsoft, Gates has a fixture at CES. He gave his 12th and final CES keynote on Jan. 6, 2008.
• Apple CEO Tim Cook could make his first CES keynote. Apple has snubbed CES in favor of holding its own company events. But these are unprecedented times, right? CES could give Cook the forum to discuss whatever he wants: green initiatives, education, his vision for the smart home, etc.
• Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg could hold a keynote in virtual reality. He’s a big proponent of the technology with the company’s Oculus VR business. The event could be streamed both to VR headsets and in surround video on YouTube. It is the absolute perfect time for a virtual reality keynote with everyone stuck at home.

Keynotes can be prerecorded but major conference sessions on important topics should be held live. These include CES interviews with government leaders and discussions with experts about major news topics.
My biggest question is how the average CES exhibitor will handle the all-digital conference. I would imagine that each will do a video to post in a directory of virtual exhibitors. These videos will include a rundown of their latest products. Some could even do online question-and-answer sessions. This might work best for company’s selected as CES Innovation Award winners and the like.
CES describes this part of the all-digital show as its “product showcase.”
“With this digital evolution of the CES show floor, you’ll be able to explore products and services, based on your interests and business, through dynamic product showcases or live demos,” the Consumer Technology Association said.
The trade group also promised virtual meetings and networking opportunities with CES 2021.
The great thing about CES is that it sets the tone for the tech industry for the year ahead. As such, it focuses on tech solutions for the world’s problems. I’m hopeful that CES 2021 will be no different.

Photo: CES 2020 at the Las Vegas Convention Center. (Consumer Technology Association)