Trends to look out for at CES 2013
The annual Consumer Electronics Show, where some of the boldest ideas of the biggest tech companies are introduced, will take off tomorrow in Las Vegas. The show has lost one of it’s forerunners this year with previous headliner Microsoft opting to stop its traditional keynotes. But tech companies don’t stop at Microsoft and we have a multitude of smartphone makers, television companies and automakers forecasting the future of technology at the show. The top five trends to watch out at this year’s Consumer Electronics Show are detailed below.
Connected automobiles:
Audi, Chrysler, Ford, General Motors, Hyundai, Kia and Subaru are among the top automakers making appearances at this year’s show.
“Cars are becoming rolling computers, ….Cars are a mobile application platform; let’s start configuring them in the way I want them to be.”
- Tom Coughlin, a consumer electronics consultant and member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers.
Cars are not just technologically advancing within their own domain, but with richer sensors and better data, they’re also going to work more closely with existing gadgets already in mass consumption.
Better hi-def:
High-definition screens have invaded the life of general consumers and this year will be no different. High-definition televisions are expected to get even clearer, sharper and more accessible to the general public. The screen resolution on cellphones is also expected to go high-def, especially in the display sizes above 5-inch range. Apart from getting sharper, one other major trend is towards better energy efficiency.
Video on demand:
Samsung, a major player in the consumer electronics area, is planning to do something big in television, which is generally seen as the area of that’s most ripe for innovation and disruption. A teaser on Samsung’s “Tomorrow” blog hinted at a television with a new unusual TV shape and design.
Set-top boxes, smart TVs and greater control over what they’re watching, that’s what consumers demand these days. Even large companies such as Google and Microsoft have jumped into the foray through Google TV and the Xbox Live service. On-demand video integration is what’s expected largely at this year’s show.
Gesture control:
Remote control and touch screens are old technology now. Technology with more intuitive ways for users to interact with their gadgets — with their body — is expected to be the highlight at this year’s show.
EyeSight, an Israeli-based company that works on motion control, is particularly interested in bringing down the scale of gesture control. They’ve already integrated some of their technology in the laptops and televisions of major manufacturers. The technology offered by them would allow users to control gadgets with gestures involving only the fingertips.
Competition for digital advertising:
Gadgets are not the only things making rounds at CES this year. Yahoo is reportedly looking to make a name for itself by making a big splash at this year’s show under the aegis of its new CEO Marissa Mayer. They’re planning on building up partnerships with companies who may be looking at competitors such as Google, Facebook and AOL.
Source: The Washington Post
Salman Ravoof
Salman Ravoof is a mechanical engineer, a freelance writer and an avid science and technology enthusiast. He likes creativity, fantasy and sci-fi genre; revels in experimenting and spends most of his time pondering about the existence of reality.