CES® 2023 is right around the corner, taking place January 5 through 8 in Las Vegas. As usual, we will have plenty of coverage of CES. We will be reporting live from the show as we attend various press conference, booth tours, and explore the show floor spaces. Our team will also be covering the show virtually, monitoring themes, trends, and biggest news from the show.
(NOTE: CES® is a registered trademark of the Consumer Technology Association)
CES, once known as the Consumer Electronics Show (now simply “CES” since the event encompasses much more than just “electronics”) has been a mainstay in the technology space for 55 years. The first show took place way back in 1967. Once a show predominantly for audio and video technology, CES now spans every tech and peripheral category imaginable. This ranges from mobile tech to smart home, automotive tech, health tech, baby tech, virtual reality, fitness tech, and unique and quirky gadgets and gizmos.
In the video below, Andy Baryer sits down with Brian Comiskey, Director of Thematic Programs at the Consumer Technology Association (CTA), producers of CES, to talk about some of the top categories attendees will be able to explore at the upcoming show.
As mentioned in that video, CES 2023 will be more than 70% bigger than last year’s event. There are more than 2,400 exhibitors booked for the show, 1,000 of which are new participants. The show will take place across 2 million square feet of space and 11 different venues divided into three sections: Tech East, Tech West, and Tech South. It’s a lot of ground to cover, but the team is up for the challenge.
What will we be expecting at the show this year? Here are some tech categories that I expect to be huge. These also includes ones that Gary Shapiro, President and CEO of CTA has confirmed will be big focuses this year.
Health tech for the home and beyond
For the last few years, health tech has been a big focus at CES 2023, and for good reason. It is important to stay healthy at any age. But with an aging population, health and wellness is of even greater importance. This is also fuelled by the current work culture where people tend to struggle with balancing work and personal. Health tech includes the usual suspects like wearables, including smartwatches, fitness trackers, and other health monitors, as well as other devices like pain treatment, smart thermometers, and hearables.
Beyond that, however, the growth in health tech is fuelled by the role technology can, and does, play in specific medical fields. This ranges from technologies for surgeries to ones to monitor things like glucose levels, help those with hearing loss, and more.
Bigger and better TVs and audio
CES got its start, as noted, as an exclusive audio and video show. Several decades later, both categories are still big parts of the event. This year, all the major manufacturers will be showing off the latest TV technology, including LG, Samsung, Sony, and others. Expect to see new innovations in OLED and LED TVs as well as micro-LED and mini-LED TVs that focus not only on fabulous picture quality when the TV is on but also stunning exterior design when the TV is off.
Along with revamped smart TV interfaces that allow for simpler, more intuitive access to the content you love, these displays will be complemented by a host of new audio products. These will range from soundbars, which continue to grow in popularity thanks to their compact size and big sound, as well as tower speakers, portable Bluetooth speakers, and more. Expect not only bigger and better sound, but more personalized sound experiences as well.
Automotive tech takes a giant leap forward
Kinsey Fabrizio, Senior Vice President of Membership and CES Sales at CTA, discussed in a pre-media preview virtual event how automotive tech will play a major role at CES this year. The Tech West exhibit that was introduced at the 2022 event will return even bigger for 2023.
The already sold out section of the show floor will feature not only the latest, and most futuristic cars, including innovations like electric, self-driving, and totally autonomous, but also third-party vehicle technologies that help you stay connected on the road. The exhibits will extend to outside the convention centre as well, and also include everything from marine tech to air travel tech.
Web3 and the metaverse are here to stay
The concept of the metaverse will be expanded in 2023 to include Web3 and blockchain. The exhibits and conferences will look at how Web3 will impact various facets of the technology space, from gaming to beauty and lifestyle. The overarching theme will be a better Internet for all, with a focus on decentralization and putting more control in your hands. While this space will be more theoretical than product-focused, it’s one to watch at the show this year.
The seamless smart home is a must
Smart homes are pretty common nowadays, with most people having at least one smart device in the household, like a smart speaker or smart display. CES 2023 will showcase more ways that devices can interact and communicate with one another to make daily tasks simpler, easier, and more efficient. This will begin with the simplest technologies like smart lighting, security cameras and video doorbells, audio and video throughout the home. It will extend, however, to exciting smart robots that can help with tasks around the home, serve the elderly and the differently abled, and afford families more time to spend together doing the things they love.
Samsung, for example, plans to focus its press conference on “smart home ecosystem improvements,” adding SmartThings compatibility to more of its products, including home appliances, along with Alexa, Google Home, and Matter. The goal is to make operating a variety of technologies around the home simple and seamless through a single interface or app. This is a strategy many companies are employing today and one that will continue as we work towards a more interoperable tech world.
Smart appliances get more functional and creative
Extending within the smart home is the concept of smart appliances, and we expect to see plenty of those at CES. From smart robot vacuums that now incorporate smart wet mopping as well, to smart refrigerators that can advise when you’re running out of milk or orange juice, and more innovative products.
LG, for example, will showcase innovative appliances like the LG PuriCare Aero furniture, which combines an air purifier with a side table that has wireless charging capabilities on its surface. This product and LG’s Styler ShoeCase & ShoeCare for storing and refreshing a collection of shoes, were both introduced at IFA earlier this year and will be on display at CES 2023. Energy efficiency will also be a primary focus, combining high-tech products with less energy usage through intelligent AI technology.
This is simply a taste of what’s to come from CES 2023, which takes place from January 5-8, 2023 in Las Vegas. Stay tuned for live updates from the show and get ready for some exciting new products and technologies to come at Best Buy.
CES® is a registered trademark of the Consumer Technology Association
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