San Francisco, Dec 25 (IANS): Microsoft has announced not to attend the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2021 in Las Vegas early next month, as Omicron-induced Covid cases surge across the globe, especially in the US.

The Satya Nadella-run tech company will have a digital presence for 'Microsoft Partner Innovation Experience' at the event from January 5-8.

"After reviewing the latest data on the rapidly evolving Covid environment, Microsoft has decided not to participate in-person at CES 2022," a company spokesperson said in a statement.

While the Consumer Technology Association (CTA), the governing body on CES, plans to go ahead with the show, several tech companies like Lenovo, T-Mobile, AT&T, Meta, Twitter, Amazon, TikTok, Pinterest, Alphabet-owned Waymo, along with several media outlets, will not attend the consumer electronics show.

Google and Intel have joined the growing list of tech companies who have decided not to attend the 'CES 2022' in-person in Las Vegas.

For the last several years, Google's outdoor exhibits have been a mainstay in the Las Vegas Convention Centre.

Meanwhile, Samsung said it still plans to participate in CES, even though major brands backed out. Samsung said there is no change in its on-site presence, especially as its new CEO Han Jong-hee is set to present the company's vision for and direction of technological development through his keynote speech.

The world's biggest consumer electronics show will serve as a prominent stage for Han to make his global debut as the new chief of the tech giant since he took office earlier this month.