CES 2021 starts on Monday, January 11th. One of the largest consumer electronics exhibitions in the world, CES is usually held in Las Vegas, where more than 170,000 attendees and thousands of exhibitors often go to the Las Vegas Convention Center and the numerous hotels near The Strip.
But, like many large public meetings, CES 2021 was overthrown by the coronavirus pandemic. So this year, the Consumer Electronics Association, which manages CES, will hold a fully virtual event, featuring lectures broadcast live from names like Verizon (VZ) CEO Hans Vestberg (Verizon is the parent company of Yahoo Finance) , GM (GM) CEO Mary Barra, CEO of AMD (AMD) Lisa Su and President of Microsoft (MSFT) Brad Smith.
The show will also include virtual ads for big hits like LG, Samsung, Nvidia (NVDA), Dell, HP (HPQ) and Lenovo, as well as a number of others. Unfortunately, you will still need to pay a high fee to broadcast the show. That’s why we will bring you all the biggest news and interviews from the showcase.
Here’s what you can expect from CES 2021.
It’s all about working at home
We may have changed the calendar for a new year, but the coronavirus is still emerging in several countries around the world, and that means that millions of people continue to work from home, if they are lucky enough to be able to do so.
And with companies prominent in a variety of industries, from Microsoft and American Express (AXP) to Nationwide Insurance, extending work at home orders until 2021 and some allowing permanent remote work, you can expect a number of technology companies to establish new ones. products specifically aimed at improving the home work environment.
We are talking about everything, from dramatically enhanced webcams on computers, because, let’s face it, they are terrible as they are; for better speakers and bigger screens.
According to Canalys, the global PC market grew 13% in the third quarter of 2020, the biggest growth the industry has seen in 10 years, and you can bet that renowned companies like Asus, Acer, Dell, HP and Lenovo won I don’t want to miss the chance to see more growth, as the need for PCs continues throughout the new year.
The game will be as hot as ever
The video game industry saw massive growth in 2020, with IDC reporting that global video game revenue was expected to increase 20% in 2020, reaching $ 180 billion – this is more than the film and sports industries combined.
And while games were already on the rise at CES, with PC and accessory manufacturers leaning more and more into the category in 2020, 2021 is likely to see an even greater boost to the industry’s presence at CES.
Think of brand new gaming PCs, laptops and desktops capable of running the latest games at their highest settings, new audio accessories and so many illuminated mice and keyboards that International Space Station personnel may be able to see.
And don’t forget that AMD and Nvidia will be attending the big show, which means that we can get a better idea of what the two biggest game graphics companies are preparing for next year.
Autonomous cars and improved infotainment
Year after year, automakers flock to the North Hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center during CES to showcase the latest high-tech devices in their vehicles. And while we can’t see any of the sleek new vehicles and impressive new infotainment systems in person this year, you can still expect a lot of announcements.
Autonomous driving technology has been the choice of car manufacturers and third-party software and hardware suppliers for years and CES, and as the industry continues its slow push toward a driverless future, you can expect CES 2021 don’t be different.
Whether it’s new sensor technologies, enhanced artificial intelligence capabilities or concepts of what drivers will do in their vehicles while being transported around the city, CES 2021 will provide a glimpse into what the future will look like still far from fully autonomous driving.
Of course, infotainment systems and in-car connectivity will also receive some of the spotlight. Everything from new user interfaces to larger screens on the panel and 5G access should be on the agenda for this year’s program.
Oh, there will be TVs
CES is one of the biggest events in the world for new television technologies and, although we cannot stand in front of a wall of folding screens or personally witness a TV over 30 meters, CES 2021 will still give us a lot to do talk about the latest TV trends.
Like CES 2020, you can expect a lot of talk about panels with 8K resolutions. And although it looks like a big update, after all 8K is more than 4K, it really isn’t. Unless you plan to shove a TV the size of your living room wall into your home, 4K is probably still the highest resolution you need.
What is more interesting are the types of form factors that TV manufacturers can implement. For years, LG and Samsung have come and gone showing off wild new concepts for televisions, including TVs that unfurl as curtains, radically curved screens and smaller panels that can be combined to create a massive screen. CES 2021 will likely provide us with even more intriguing designs that will eventually enter your home.
More exciting, perhaps, is the prospect of enhanced color technologies for monitors. LCD panels are still cheaper than more vibrant and much more expensive OLED panels, but manufacturers have been working to balance the playing field between the two styles of TV. And we hope to hear more announcements at CES this year.
The strange and outrageous
Outside of the standard tech fair at CES, there are always a lot of weird things that range from robotic bags to super-expensive bathrooms. And despite the fact that CES 2021 will be virtual, there will still be a series of strange and interesting devices unveiled at this year’s fair.
Smart home technology will still have a large presence at CES 2021, giving consumers a better idea of how their homes will speak and hear in the near future, whether through a coffee maker or bathroom mirror.
And drones of all shades will certainly make a fleeting appearance this year, as they always do.
So while CES 2021 may not offer the excesses and incredible displays from previous years, you can still expect to see lots of interesting ads.
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