CES 2013; Its Google's Show

Customer Electronics Shows (CES) 2012 has ended and now it is time for setting up the upcoming CES 2013. The recent CES 2012 was held successfully and even come with a record-breaking show. It became the largest event during its 44 year history, with more than 3,100 exhibitors showed on 1.861 million net square feet of exhibit space and more than 20,000 new products were launched. Moreover, it is drawing a record of more than 153,000 attendees, including more than 34,000 international attendees. After its record breaking in 2012, next year CES is surely expected to be more spectacular. Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) decided that CES 2013 will return to Las Vegas, US on January 8-11, 2013.

Aside its location change, there is also one thing that been considered on the next CES; who will deliver the CES keynote in CES 2013? Microsoft has announced that the company will not be hosting a booth on the next year CES which also means that it left the keynote alone. It is deniable that Microsoft itself is no longer the leader in consumer technology innovation. Not so many years ago, Microsoft may take its dominant role at mostly computing products on CES. But this year, the role was shared with Google’s Android. Microsoft Windows may still dominates the PC and laptop markets, but Android is everywhere; in tablets, in phones, and in TVs.

Google has transformed into the leading charge in consumer electronics and become the most influential platform company. Most of interesting new tablet products at CES this year ran Android and most of the smartphone manufacturers use Android as their only possible defense against the iPhone. Moreover, Google has become the most important vendor at CES 2012 and it's likely to be even more important to the CE industry next year. Those facts are making sense enough for Google to get the keynote spot at CES 2013.

CES 2013

Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) itself has not gave official announcement about who will be invited to give the keynote at CES 2013. Soon after CES 2012 show closed, first of all they will decide the “thematic direction” for the CES 2013 show. Then they will extend invitations to keynote speakers of CES 2013.

Apple may not participate officially at CES this but in different perspective, it does participate for its own part. It sent hundreds of its employees to CES 2012; they often called as “spies” as they acted as quite deal-makers and observers. On the other hand, Google sent its Generals such as Eric Schmidt and Marissa Meyer on CNET live-streamed events. It is obvious that Google is already laying the base to dominate CES.

One for sure, the CES 2013 will belong to Google even if it doesn't get the keynote spot. Google has become the most influential company at CES 2012. Moreover, it is arguably the most important company for other CE vendors to work with, and it deserves the top billing at CES 2013.