Unlock the Apple Impact: How CES Reveals the Tech Giant’s Quiet Presence

The hype is building: CES 2025 is right around the corner, and there’s one company that’s expected to be no-show: Apple. It’s been over two decades since they last attended CES, and in that time, they’ve simply become too busy dominating the technology landscape to participate in the usual trade show schmoozefest. But don’t worry, iPhone fans – that doesn’t mean Apple won’t be casting their long shadow over the event once again.

After all, “Apple’s absence is always palpable at CES,” as my colleague so expertly put it. And judging by the whirlwind of releases and announcements ahead of the big show, the tech world better be ready. Apple’s never been one for subtlety, and just like last year, we expect them to deliver a show-stealing performance remotely.

So who needs to top Apple at CES? Well, for starters, the CPU powerhouses: AMD, Intel, Qualcomm, and Nvidia. Let’s face it, Apple is the reigning king of chip engineering, and others will have a tough time scaling the heights to which they’ve taken their Apple Silicon. Even the mighty neural processing units might struggle to overtake Apple’s M4- generation Neural Engine, which still packs a strong punch.

One area where those competitors might enjoy a slight leg up is within the realm of laptops. Since Apple’s reluctance to attend the show, brands like Dell and HP will almost certainly be there to showcase the latest and greatest in Windows-laptop tech – and maybe (just maybe!) give Apple some competition in terms of sheer grunt and processing oomph.

But let’s cut to the chase: Apple didn’t become #1 by staying quiet. M4-powered iPhones, Macs, and especially the MacBook lineup will be as ubiquitous as last year’s leaks. And it’s not uncommon for Apple devices to steal a little thunder on the show day itself. Expect the usual drama, with folks scrambling to review and compare tech specs, then frantically checking their social accounts for the very latest updates in real-time news.

So grab your popcorn; it’s just about to be a wild show!