Gary Shapiro CEA CEO

By Kim Yoo-chul

LAS VEGAS - Samsung Electronics and LG Electronics are hogging the limelight at the International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in the U.S. desert city of Las Vegas.

Company officials, journalists and general participants can see the Koreans’ strenuous effort for a migration of technology as at least they have a wow factor at the show, in large OLED televisions.

Now, the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA), the event organizer, has given an official warm message to the Korean electronics majors.

``It’s really astonishing that this year’s CES has the industry’s new trend. Samsung and

Steve Ballmer Microsoft CEO

LG Electronics as well as Panasonic and Sony came back this year with more introductions,’’ said CEA President and CEO Gary Shapiro in a news conference at the Hilton Hotel, Thursday (KST).

He said over 140,000 attendees will be here during the four days to visit the 3,100 exhibitors in the 1.8-million-square-foot space.

Samsung and LG have rented more space than anyone else at the show, according to the CEA.

Shapiro denied some worries that the show is losing its luster saying: ``Las Vegas is the best spot to host the show. We have infrastructure, a skilled workforce and a major international airport.’’

``Last year, sales of consumer electronics devices reached $195 billion, up 7.9 percent from 2010. That growth was far faster than the 3.5 percent the CEA projected at last year’s CES,’’ he added, expecting this year’s consumer electronics sales to grow by 3.7 percent.

The chief executive also expressed a positive outlook for the global consumer electronics industry this year. ``We are projecting $1 trillion in consumer electronics sales this year and the United States will take up 20 percent,” he said.

``With Internet-based devices and global connections, wireless technology is growing, which is a tremendous factor, though we face economic challenges.’’

Shapiro said this year’s trend is ``Connected TV,’’ though tablets are bigger than a year earlier. ``Also, in terms of video games, it’s interesting to see that they are growing with more customized content.’’

Shapiro said the show organizer won’t be negatively impacted despite Microsoft’s (MS) decision to bow out of the world’s most-influential technology fair.

``Microsoft won’t make a key note speech next year. I had a conversation with Steve Ballmer. Microsoft will remain as a supporter of the CES and we will also support for Microsoft.’’

The U.S.-based software firm’s keynote speech has opened the CES since 1998.

But it recently announced that it won’t participate in the show in 2013. In the last few years, MS has released its strategic products at CES including Kinect.

It’s no surprise for this year’s show as well. MS has previewed Windows 8, which still doesn’t have a release date, and highlighted the ``Metro’’ interface on its Windows mobile devices, which has been available for a year.

Over questions on Apple’s absence, Shapiro said; ``Apple is here. You can see Apple products at the CES. Apple has the freedom to make that decision.

``Apple is a great innovator in products. What they’ve done is very important. They choose not to be here with a floor exhibit. Still, there are many different ways.’’

Apple holds its own shows and the release of key items are usually announced from several internally-organized exhibitions.