This year’s CES in Las Vegas is coming up and expected to unveil the next level of futuristic technologies such as automated driving advances, voice recognition in home appliances and augmented reality glasses.
2018 came and went and it’s time to ring in the new year, which in the tech world means it’s time for the CES in Las Vegas.
So what should we expect from this year’s consumer electronics show? Here’s an overview of what we know, and what we think we know:
CARS, CARS, CARS: CES was once focused mainly on entertainment technologies. But over the past few years, it has become a place for car manufacturers to show off their latest futuristic designs. A few years ago Mercedes showcased the F015 here and Volkswagen arrived with its electronic concept car Budd-e.
This year, Audi, Daimler, Ford and others are all back, and it’s all about autonomous and connected driving. There’s also a new player on the block, Byton, which is expected to follow up on the electronic SUV it presented last year. Another focus point will be smart infrastructure that can communicate with cars driving past it on the side of the road.
VIRTUAL ASSISTANTS AND SMART SPEAKERS: So far, Google and Amazon have been the main two players in this game, and there’s still no real competitor in sight. At this year’s CES, Amazon plans to integrate Alexa into modern home appliances with its chip system Alexa Connect, which would allow users to activate appliances such as washing machines or ovens with voice command. Amazon is also expected to push forward with integrating Alexa more in cars.
SMARTPHONES: 2019 marks the year the first 5G compatible smartphones hit the markets. Although it’s still not clear when – and where – 5G will become available, several phone manufacturers are preparing for its inevitability anyway.
A big question many people are hoping to get answers to is what’s going on with Samsung’s foldable phone? The device has already been announced and should become available sometime in the spring – but could the South Koreans unveil some more info at the CES? Other manufacturers may also be working on their own foldable tech.
TV AND ENTERTAINMENT: Television and entertainment a key part of tradition of CES, where the DVD technology was once unveiled, and this year will be no different. More ultra high definition 8K resolution displays should be expected, and manufacturers are working on finding solutions to the so-called burn-in effect, which leads to discolouration of screens.
In this vein, Samsung is expected to present its MicroLED technology – which was debuted last year – for bigger, cinema screens. Another big headline could be television screens that can be rolled up and put away – an idea manufacturers have been toying with for a while, but have not yet managed to crack.
WEARABLES: In the past, wearables such as smartwatches have made headlines, but apart from some exceptions such as fitness watches or the Apple Watch, they have not managed to live up to the hype.
This year it looks like Vuzix could get all the attention as it plans to present its new VR/AR glasses “Blade.” The glasses are designed to give the wearer additional information such as directions when walking around town. – dpa
