Apple is officially returning to the Las Vegas CES technology conference for the first time in decades — to discuss its stance on consumer privacy, rather than pitch a new hardware product.
The company’s senior director of privacy Jane Horvath will be speaking on a “Chief Privacy Officer Roundtable” on 7 January, according to the CES agenda.
Horvath, along with executives from Facebook, Procter & Gamble and a commissioner from the Federal Trade Commission, will discuss how companies build privacy at scale, regulation and consumer demands.
Apple’s last major official appearance at CES was in 1992 when then-CEO John Sculley gave a presentation at a Chicago version of the summit to introduce the failed Newton device.
More recently, Apple’s technology has influenced CES despite the company not officially presenting. It made news last year for a privacy billboard during the Vegas event that exclaimed, “What happens on your iPhone, stays on your iPhone.” Samsung Electronics and LG Electronics also touted Apple launching video streaming directly on third-party TVs.
Roam the halls
Each year, accessory makers fill the CES exhibit halls with cases and other peripherals for Apple devices. Behind the scenes, Apple managers roam the halls to identify future technology and scan the competitive landscape, while members of Apple’s supply chain team meet with component makers to potentially source parts for future devices.
While Apple has taken a backstage approach to the conference, rivals including Google, Microsoft and Amazon.com have used the event to promote their latest voice-based products, spur interest from potential partners and try to beat Apple to the punch ahead of major product announcements. — Reported by Mark Gurman and Ed Ludlow, (c) 2019 Bloomberg LP
