Steve Jobs asked to keynote CES 2010?

Update: More debunking of the Apple-to-exhibit report, from Peter Cohen and Chris Nuttall of MacUser and the Financial Times, respectively.

According to the Wall Street Journal, Gary Shapiro, head of the Consumer Electronics Association, asked Apple CEO Steve Jobs to keynote the 2010 Consumer Electronics Show. Given Apple's departure from Macworld, and the likely void that will be left at the event, it's no surprise that the CEA plans to capitalize on this and expand the Apple-related footprint at CES. 25,000 square feet of floor space will be dedicated to Apple-centric vendors at CES 2010, compared to the 4,000 square feet at this past year's event.

Not surprisingly, Jobs, who has just returned from medical leave following a liver transplant, has yet to respond to Shapiro's requests -- and neither have Apple representatives.

Speculation also persists that Apple will be making an official appearance at CES this upcoming year -- while the WSJ's Digits blog says Apple will have an official presence, our veteran former colleague Ryan Block & Engadget say "no way." If Macworld's January date (now February) proved an unnatural fit for the Apple product cycle, then surely CES is no major improvement. It, too, is held in January. Even if Apple tries to downplay its CES appearance (assuming it attends the show) by saying that it won't have any new products to introduce, or that it doesn't talk about unreleased products -- as it usually does -- will anyone really believe it? And if CES fails to bring anything new or surprising from Apple, the event will merely serve as a showcase of the company's current lineup. Said product offering, while far ahead of its competition in both form and function, is within an earshot distance of a drive for viewing at your local Apple store.

What separates Apple events from those of its competitors is that, with a few notable exceptions (such as the iPhone and Apple TV), the company doesn't announce products -- it ships them. Which makes you eagerly await, speculate, and save that hard earned cash in anticipation for what will likely be hitting Apple retail shelves in a short moment's time. It's the promise of tomorrow's innovations that will likely be available tomorrow: instant gratification at its finest. Contrast this with CES, where many manufacturers showcase tomorrow's products and innovations that won't be available for several months, if not longer.

Who knows, I may be wrong. Perhaps CES is the event where Apple unveils that much rumored 10-inch touchscreen tablet. In any case, it certainly would be an interesting sight to see Apple amongst the CES crowd, if indeed it chooses to make an appearance there. But, just as the first couple of seasons of interleague baseball took some time to get accustomed to, so too will seeing Apple participating at CES.

Readers, what do you think? Should Apple and Steve Jobs participate at CES 2010?