CES 2010 Says Apple Zone Definite, Apple Itself... Dunno.

No sooner to rumors sprout that Apple may have abandoned Macworld only to show up at CES next year, than the CEA decides to pour some miracle grow on them. Says CNet:

Jason Oxman of the CEA confirmed Saturday that the group "dedicated a special area at the 2010 CES to Apple-related CE manufacturers." That immediately sets up an alternative for companies thinking about exhibiting at Macworld 2010, which will not have Apple present for the first time in 12 years.

No word on Apple itself actually attending of course (Dieter thinks it will never happen), but with Macworld sending out free early-bird registration offers already, this could be a way to try and lure in Mac- and iPhone-centric third parties very much on the fence about 2010.

Who would still go to Macworld if CES gets its Apple on next year?

Rene Ritchie is one of the most respected Apple analysts in the business, reaching a combined audience of over 40 million readers a month. His YouTube channel, Vector, has over 90 thousand subscribers and 14 million views and his podcasts, including Debug, have been downloaded over 20 million times. He also regularly co-hosts MacBreak Weekly for the TWiT network and co-hosted CES Live! and Talk Mobile. Based in Montreal, Rene is a former director of product marketing, web developer, and graphic designer. He's authored several books and appeared on numerous television and radio segments to discuss Apple and the technology industry. When not working, he likes to cook, grapple, and spend time with his friends and family.