The apps have to run on something. Apple is one of the largest companies in the world by making some of that hardware. Yet, Apple's hardware is assembled by another company and is made up on components from hundreds of other companies, most you have never heard of. Those companies are all at CES and are all fighting unseen battles for the next generation of electronics. There's no need to have a flashy keynote or booth babes, but the back conference rooms are where the real CES is.