CES is the biggest consumer electronics show in the world and it is held at the start of the year, giving us a glimpse into what we might be able to expect in terms of product launches later in the year, or in the future.
Things will kick off as early as January 6th, with the first media event (and hot news!), running until the 12th of January, 2019, safe to say there is a lot that we can expect.
We would like to thank our CES 2018 sponsor, Lenovo. If prior years are of any indication, Lenovo will probably launch many products in Las Vegas.
You can follow the brand’s CES activity in Twitter (@lenovo, #LenovoCES), IG, and online via the Lenovo official Blog and CES event page.
Lenovo recently launched the ThinkPad L390 and L390 Yoga and leads the way in “Always-Connected” ARM-based laptops with the Yoga C630 WoS.
Displays & Home Entertainment Systems
Every year without fail, we get to see new televisions and display technology being shown off from a variety of manufacturers, such as Sony, Samsung, and LG, just to name a few. This year should prove to be no exception to that rule as some of these companies have already taken the wraps off some of their technology.
LG
The company has recently unveiled new ultrawide monitors, a 4K projector, and there are also rumors that their rollable OLED TV might actually be launched this year. This rollable OLED was actually shown off at CES 2018 and the rumors claim that the company might make it available for purchase, which if true we can probably expect to hear more about it at CES. The company has also recently taken the wraps off a new soundbar system with Google Assistant built into it.
Samsung
There are a couple of display-related products that we can expect to see from Samsung this year, one of which is a “sound-on-display” technology, which through the use of vibrations will allow sound to emanate from the display itself. This could help reduce the need for more traditional speakers which could help reduce the size and weight of our smartphones and TVs in the future.
The company has also announced new features for its 2019 smart TVs that will allow users to remotely access their PCs through their TVs. Speaking of smart TVs, there are rumors that Samsung could integrate Google Assistant into their smart TVs this year. There are also rumors that Samsung could be working on a smaller Galaxy Home speaker, but whether or not it will be unveiled at CES or at their own event remains to be seen.
Artificial Intelligence (AI)
With tech companies investing millions in Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology, we wouldn’t be surprised if we saw more AI solutions at CES next week. Last year we saw some examples of AI products at CES, such as the OrCam MyMe camera which is a camera that can be worn and through the use of AI, it will be able to identify people that it sees. There are also some companies who have managed to integrate AI into cars for voice commands, so don’t be surprised if there are some car companies who will be showing off their use of AI at the event.
5G
5G mobile technology is expected to find its way across mobile networks in the US later this year, and there is a chance that major US carriers might have some kind of announcement to make regarding their rollout plans. Also with various companies working on 5G smartphones, we expect that there are probably some who might take the opportunity to announce their 5G-ready devices.
Smartphones
From what we have seen in the past, many companies typically prefer to host their own events when it comes to announcing their latest flagship smartphone, so we doubt that flagships from Samsung, LG, Huawei, HTC, and so on will be announced at CES 2019. At the same time, there is a chance that we can expect to see mid-range devices.
We might also be able to expect to see companies show off upcoming smartphone technology, such as back in 2018 when Vivo showed off a smartphone that used an in-display fingerprint sensor.
Computers
CES without computers probably wouldn’t really feel like CES, so expect to see a ton of new computer product launches at the event this year. For the most part we can look forward to seeing a bunch of new laptops, especially in the hybrid variety. We can also expect to see a few gaming-centric laptops, as well as maybe a couple of new Chromebooks.
Augmented Reality & Virtual Reality
CES 2018 brought us quite a few wearables for both AR and VR. Some of them had pretty interesting applications of the technology, such as Kolibree who introduced a smart toothbrush aimed at kids that gamified the experience using AR to encourage kids to maintain their personal hygiene. There were also new launches of the HTC Vive and Oculus VR headsets, so don’t be surprised if we might be able to expect refreshes this year or new product announcements.
Health & Fitness
Wearable technology has more or less become the norm, with more people starting to adopt smartwatches and fitness trackers. This means that we can expect to see more such devices announced at CES this year, but at the same time we can also expect to see health and fitness devices that aren’t necessarily worn on the wrist.
Last year we were treated to devices like smart soles for shoes, and also a rather interesting airbag for the hips which basically deploys airbags when it detects the wearer is about to fall, which might come in handy especially for the elderly. We also saw technology aimed at people with hearing impairment, and also smart portable devices that can keep track of your vitals just by taking readings from your finger.
Smart Homes
Smart homes are slowly becoming the norm and we expect that this year at CES we can look forward to seeing more smart household appliances and gadgets. For example last year at CES, we saw a smart mirror which basically integrated Alexa into a mirror so that it could provide the user with access to a digital assistant. Companies like Samsung and LG will also probably introduce new household appliances like fridges, microwaves, ovens, washing machines, dishwashers, and so on that will probably come with smart features.
Headphones
We’ve seen a lot of headphones launched at CES events in the past, and this year should prove to be no exception. However what we can probably expect to see this year is possibly a greater focus on wireless connectivity, what with smartphone companies starting to ditch the 3.5mm headphone jack.
This could come in the style of “true” wireless headphones which are basically individual buds for each ear, or the more traditional setup which still features a cable connecting the earbuds/earcups together. We also wouldn’t be surprised if more headphones were to come integrated with AI and digital assistants, such as Google Assistant and Amazon’s Alexa. There will also probably be headset launches aimed at gamers with built-in microphones.
Conclusion
CES is the largest tech expo of the year and we expect that there will probably be a ton of products that we did not mention that will get announced, but these are just some of the things you can look forward to. To get the latest updates about the event, be sure to check back with us next week for more details as we will be on the ground covering the news as much as possible.
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