Apple Again Dominates CES, Even Without Physical Presence
JAKARTA - Apple is again in the main spotlight at the 2025 Consumer Electronics Show (CES), even though the Cupertino company was not physically present at the world's largest technology exhibition.
Even though Apple's absence from CES has been a tradition for the past few decades, the company's indirect dominance remains felt. Products from various companies present at CES are associated with the Apple ecosystem, both as accessories and direct competitors.
Apple last actually participated in CES in the early 1990s. In May 1992, John Sculley, then CEO of Apple, introduced Newton MessagePad at CES Chicago. However, since then, Apple has stopped relying on events like CES for product launches, choosing to schedule its own.
Even at CES 2020, when Apple sent Jane Horvath, Global Privacy Director, to speak on a panel, the company did not launch any products. This shows that Apple keeps a distance from CES even though it still uses the platform to deliver messages.
Although not present, new products in CES 2025 such as Circular Ring, smart rings with health features like EKG, remain compared to the potential "Apple Smart Ring" which has not even been announced. Apple is also a benchmark for other innovations, such as Thunderbolt 5, which was recently adopted in the MacBook Pro and Mac Mini M4 Pro lines.
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In addition, accessories such as HyperPack with built-in trackers are compatible with Apple Find My, as well as SwitchBot products that support Siri's integration, showing how Apple's dominance affects the market.
Until 2025, the massive ecosystem of Apple devices, with more than two billion active iPhones worldwide, has had a major impact on global technology exhibitions such as CES. While CES requires Apple's appeal to attract visitors and companies, Apple remains the center of attention without the need to attend.
Will Apple one day decide to be back at CES? Until then, Apple remains the giant that dominates this exhibition from a distance.