CES 2019: Trends to Watch
The minute the champagne pops and the ball drops, you know what that means…CES is right around the corner! Our teams are gearing up for the big show happening January 8 -11 in Las Vegas. Before we head off to the “Entertainment Capital of the World”, we’re sharing all of our favorite things to check out this year in our newest article series – from the trends you need to watch, to the restaurants you need to eat at, to the hot spots you need to visit while you’re in Vegas.
As CES veterans, we’ve seen how tech has evolved from the first computers and the debut of mobile devices to some of the amazing trends we’re seeing today. Each year we boil down all the trends into the ones we’re most excited to see. Going to the show? Staying put at the office? Wherever you end up the week of January 8th, here are four trends you need to keep an eye on at the show:
A.I. In Everything
We’re already seeing the massive impact that artificial intelligence (A.I.) is having in our everyday lives. From voice assistants in the home, to devices that learn our habits as we go, A.I. is changing the way that we live and work. 2019’s CES show will continue to capitalize on the possibilities that A.I. offers. Bernard Marr predicts in his Forbes article:
“Throughout the week we are very likely to see the results of continued efforts by all major tech companies to embed machine learning and predictive analytics into the devices we use day-to-day.”
We’re particularly excited to hear what LG has up their sleeve during one of the first keynote speeches from I.P. Park, President and CTO of LG Electronics. In an exclusive preview of his keynote speech from Digital Trends, Park says:
“At this stage AI is just the tip of the iceberg of what’s going to happen in the future. When we talk about AI many people think of voice assistants, but it’s much more than that. It’s going to be voice plus vision plus gesture recognition, plus context, plus knowledge…You need to understand what the user wants, in a seamless way. We are not there yet, obviously. But it’s a good beginning.”
5G, but for Real This Time
You’ve probably heard news of 5G being shouted from the rooftops for the past few years, with nothing momentous coming to fruition…until now. Many industry experts are expecting big 5G rollout plans to be announced this year at CES by carriers leading the pack in this area. And with a keynote speech from Verizon’s CEO, Hans Vestberg, we’re fully anticipating that he will share a little more about Verizon’s plans for making 5G a reality this year. So, what does a world with 5G look like? Jeremy Kaplan predicts in his Digital Trends article:
“Things like immersive virtual reality worlds that don’t suffer disorienting lags from slow networks. It means being able to visit the best doctor anywhere around the world, and maybe even undergo robotic surgery, thanks to telepresence technology. And of course, it means faster phones, so that you can download the new Game of Thrones episode in the blink of an eye, rather than just plodding along.”
Overall, mobility will continue to dominate the CES scene. BDS’ mobile expert, Jon Garcia, Sr. Director of Client Development, is particularly excited about visiting the wireless/mobility hall at the show because “…it continues to evolve year over year with new technologies. Wireless charging and easy to install protective shields for screens should be dominating the floor space.”
Cars Go All Out on Tech
Forget keeping up with the Jones’ – brands are looking to keep up with the Jetsons at this year’s CES. While self-driving technology was all the rage at last year’s show, car manufacturers and suppliers will take those tech advances to the next level with even more A.I. and entertainment features. From Audi’s next-generation drive-in movie theater right in the car, to Honda’s PATH (Predicting Action of the Human) robot that can navigate through hoards of people without disturbing them, to Mercedez-Benz’ newest infotainment interface that can be operated with natural language commands, cars of the future are now looking to be a thing of the present. BMW will also be offering virtual test drives including some stretches where the car drives itself in virtual reality, while Bosch will be showcasing their shuttle-specific infotainment technology, electric motors, and a software platform that helps users find a ride into a shared, fully connected design study. We’ll certainly be keeping an eye on which car trends stick for the long haul after the show.
Gadget Up with Foldable Displays
It’s time to “go, go gadget!” Foldable displays for phones and laptops expected to hit the CES show floor are giving us that Inspector Gadget vibe more than ever before. Both Samsung and LG have been rumored to be showing off new foldable devices for 2019, while Royole just announced its FlexPai Smartphone along with its flexible display technology that essentially allows flexible displays to be used almost anywhere, including clothing. As for laptops using this new technology, Jamie Carter says in his Tech Radar article:
“We are expecting to see foldable laptops with OLED screens that extend across the entire keyboard area – this means you could open them up to monitor size, or to book format, or use them as a normal laptop format with the keyboard as half of the touch panel.”
What trends are you most interested in seeing at the show? Let us know! Tweet or tag us @bdsmktg with your show floor finds during CES.
