In mid-December, DailyTech reported that Macworld 2009 would mark Apple's last appearance at the show. Macworld has been the traditional breeding ground for new Apple product announcement with the iPhone and MacBook Air being two of the most recent reveals.

A month later, news began to circulate that Apple's absence from Macworld meant an open invitation from CEA which orchestrates the annual Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas. CES is usually home to big names in the tech industry with companies like Microsoft, Intel, Sony, Samsung, and Toshiba commanding a large presence.

CEA is now announcing a surprising turn of events which may end up dealing a crippling blow to Macworld next year according to Engadget. CEA announced last week that it would setup an iLounge Pavilion during the CES 2010 show which would provide 4,000 sq. ft. of floor space for iPod/iPhone accessory makers in South Hall 2.

Since announcing the iLounge Pavilion last week, CEA has sold out the original 4,000 sq. ft. to vendors and has plans to quadruple the size of the iLounge Pavilion to at least 18,000 sq. ft. to accommodate additional Mac developers and retailers.

"We have received an incredible response from companies interested in exhibiting in the iLounge Pavilion at the 2010 International CES," said Karen Chupka, CEA's senior vice president of events and conferences. "This exciting new CES Pavilion brings momentum to the consumer technology industry and reinforces the International CES as the global hub for the latest innovative technologies."

Time will tell what this means for Macworld 2010, but things don't look so good with the larger draw of CES and no backing from heavy-hitter Apple for a show that is dedicated to its products.