Apple is returning to CES after 27 years. But it’s not for a product

Apple hasn't attended a CES in 27 years. The last time it did, the then CEO John Scully had pitched a product called Newton. This year, however, Apple will mark its presence at CES 2020 - but not for a product.

While other companies will be taking the floor to show off their latest tech and products, Apple will be on stage with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and Facebook to talk about privacy.

Apple's Jane Horvath, the senior director of global privacy, will be joining Facebook VP of Public Policy and Chief Privacy Offer for Policy Erin Egan, Procter & Gamble Company Global Privacy Officer Susan Shook and Federal Trade Commission Commissioner Rebecca Slaughter in an hour-long discussion moderated by Rajeev Chand, Partner and Head of Research at Wing Venture Capital, for the Chief Privacy Officer Roundtable whose topic is - What do Consumers Want?

That Apple has refrained from big tech events choosing instead to focus on their in-house ones, it is not surprising that they are willing to mark their attendance, especially for the privacy matter. Especially after the billboard they put up last year to troll Google - What happens in your iPhone, stays in your iPhone - the billboard read.

While Apple has been criticised for turning privacy into a commodity and making it a 'bullet point' in features for its devices and services, the company has been very up and about when it comes to projecting itself as a 'champion' for the user privacy cause, despite ample pressure from the US government.

It is interesting the Apple and Facebook will be taking the stage together for this roundtable. The two companies have not been the best of friends regarding privacy issues. Facebook has tried to resort to some 'questionable tactics' to circumvent Apple's scrutiny.

Other companies Apple has pitted with regarding privacy issues are not a part of the roundtable, but one can well expect them to come up in discussions.