CES 2021: A preview of this year's consumer electronics show

These are a couple of of the numerous new merchandise anticipated to be unveiled subsequent week on the Shopper Electronics Present, the annual splashy tech convention that sometimes units the tone for the most important developments of the yr. Residence automation, well being and 5G will as soon as once more be buzzy subjects, however many firms may even introduce pandemic-specific options to replicate our elevated time at dwelling.

Every year, reporters, exhibitors and traders sometimes discover Las Vegas showrooms full of large TVs, sensible automobiles and robots fixing martinis, however CES will probably be on-line just for the primary time in its 54-year historical past because of Covid-19.

The Shopper Electronics Affiliation, the nonprofit behind the four-day occasion beginning Monday, mentioned 1,800 exhibitors from around the globe will fill its “digital venue” this yr — a quantity that is down considerably from 4,000 in-person exhibitors final yr. The transfer will permit tech firms from nations who’ve by no means attended earlier than to participate within the on-line spectacle, however might additionally make it more durable for smaller firms to get seen with no bodily showroom sales space to encounter.

Registered attendees will be capable of stream (and re-watch) keynotes from firms corresponding to Verizon (VZ) and Basic Motors (GM), tune in to breakout periods — about how, for instance, expertise is taking part in a job in vaccine deployment — and search by way of a registry of exhibitors to look at new product displays.

It will lack among the signature components of the commerce present, corresponding to hands-on time with the newest devices, demos and networking. However the expertise that makes our lives extra linked and handy will nonetheless resonate as we proceed to navigate a worldwide pandemic. CNN Enterprise will probably be monitoring all the large bulletins after which some.

5G

5G will dominate discussions at CES 2021 very like it did final yr.

Verizon CEO Hans Vestberg will kick off the present with a keynote centered on what the corporate has realized from rolling out its 5G community and tease its future plans. And Anne Chow, the CEO of AT&T Enterprise, is anticipated to do the identical in a breakout session. (WarnerMedia, the dad or mum firm of CNN, is owned by AT&T.)

About 20 periods, as listed on CES’ web site, will dive into how 5G will reinvent varied industries, from cars and sensible cities to healthcare and farming. 5G-connected laptops may additionally make an look, in line with David McQueen, analysis director at ABI Analysis. Producers, together with Dell (DELL) and Lenovo (LNVGF), have but to disclose their 5G plans, pricing and general methods and will use this week to put it out.

5G is right here in a lot of our greatest merchandise, together with the iPhone and Samsung Galaxy smartphones, but it surely definitely has not reached what’s believed to be its potential but. These bulletins might provide a roadmap for the way it will get there.

Well being tech

Well being devices, health tools and wearables have lengthy been standard at CES, however the class will probably be supersized this yr, each due to a rise in demand from the pandemic and the business step by step transferring on this course even earlier than.

Subsequent-level wearables will transcend conventional monitoring, very like the one which claims to affect your goals. New health companies and tools that hold you linked to others may even floor, and there will probably be no scarcity of devices that replicate how we stay now.

“Search for quite a few well being options, particularly people who declare that they will let you know in case you are exhibiting indicators of doable an infection — raised physique temp, elevated coronary heart price and respiration — or in case you are socially distanced sufficient,” mentioned Ramon Llamas, analysis director at market intelligence agency IDC. “Or take a look at completely different disinfection options for the house, just like those that declare they will zap undesirable or harmful microbes in your telephone.”

Digital transformation

Final yr’s transfer to online-everything — telehealth, working from dwelling, distant studying, streaming — will probably be a most important speaking level at CES, however so will tech’s function to higher assist these modifications.

Microsoft (MSFT) president Brad Smith is anticipated to debate increasing world broadband through the use of unused broadcast spectrum in the course of the firm’s presentation, in line with Gary Shapiro, CEA president and CEO. In the meantime, telehealth visits might get extra superior with new augmented actuality instruments, and a rumored chip from AMD might assist computer systems higher deal with multiplayer video games. Samsung (SSNLF) already introduced new Chromebooks — a less expensive different to higher-tier laptops — as thousands and thousands of scholars be taught from dwelling.

Good dwelling

With thousands and thousands of individuals staying dwelling, firms are hoping they’re going to add extra sensible gadgets and techniques into residing rooms, kitchens and elsewhere. Past merchandise like sensible fridges and washers, home equipment corresponding to robotic vacuum cleaners and air filters might get smarter with voice integration.

In line with ABI Analysis analysis supervisor Jonathan Collins, the pandemic helped enhance the attraction of dwelling care, social and academic robots, so we are able to anticipate much more of that this yr at CES, too.

Samsung Galaxy S21

Samsung’s Galaxy S21 launch occasion is not formally a part of CES, however the firm will use the convention’s final day to unveil three new smartphones. (It sometimes hosts its annual Unpacked occasion forward of the Cellular World Congress in Barcelona — the primary main convention that was canceled final yr because of Covid-19). This yr, we’re anticipating the lineup to incorporate an improved digicam, a flatter design and a decrease beginning value.