What you need to know
- Microsoft technology will power CES 2021.
- Microsoft and the Consumer Technology Association announced the partnership today.
- Microsoft Azure, Teams, and Power Platform will all be used to create the all-digital experience.
Microsoft and the Consumer Technology Association (CTA) announced today that Microsoft is the official technology partner for the upcoming CES 2021. Microsoft tools and services will be used to power the annual trade show's first all-digital event.
"It is an extreme honor for Microsoft to be selected as CTA's technology partner for CES, the world's most influential technology event," Microsoft said in a blog post announcing the partnership. "It won't surprise you to hear we're bringing Microsoft Cloud solutions, including Microsoft Azure, Microsoft Teams and Microsoft Power Platform, together with partner solutions to create the technology platform for the all-digital event that will bring together the entire global tech community and be the CES 2021 experience."
Microsoft is leaning on its experience shifting several events to an all-digital format this year as a bonus for powering CES 2021. Beyond its own flagship events, like Microsoft Build, Microsoft has also collaborated with the NBA and NFL to drive new digital experiences based on its tech. Microsoft helped the NBA, for example, digitally bring fans courtside for games this year.
"We now tailor our content to that format, and we have transformed from a live show production team, to a 24/7 television production network, complete with live anchors from around the world," Microsoft said. "This new direction required collaboration, hard work and a lot of humility."
It's this experience that Microsoft plans to bring to CES 2021. The trade show, which is the biggest of the year in the technology space, is set to kick off the week of January 11, 2021. Because this is CES' first digital event, it's unclear what to expect, but we'll continue to get more details in the coming months.
