My takeaways from biggest tech show: CES 2020

I had the opportunity to attend the world’s biggest tech conference, CES 2020. The sheer magnitude of it is enough to make one honestly believe in the “world’s biggest” tech conference. This year it took place from the 7th Jan to the 10th Jan in Las Vegas, and prototypes from Sony’s future car to Hyundai’s flying taxi were astounding. Many displays and keynote sessions also paved the way for trends in the coming years.  

Here are my takeaways from the past week in Las Vegas:

1. The transportation future is autonomous 

The hype and conversation around the future of autonomous transportation have been going on for a while. However, CES 2020 confirmed it, paving the way for a new wave of technology and how humans transport. Hyundai showcased the S-A1 air taxi in partnership with Uber, designed for cruising at 200 MPH with an operating range of about 60 miles. Confirming my hunch in air taxis, Bell Nexus showcased the Bell Nexus 4EX air taxi, a helicopter that can carry 4-5  passengers for up to 60 miles, cruising at 150 MPH.  

While flying cars and taxis were a hit, Honda showcased an augmented driving concept that envisions a future sans pedals with complete control lying in the steering wheel. 

I was personally surprised by Sony displaying a car at CES this year. While the company does not plan to venture into cars, the purpose of displaying the Sony Vision-S was primarily to show how Sony’s cameras, sensors, and communications technologies can be integrated into a daily driving car. Another exciting showcase was Mercedes-Benz teaming up with James Cameron to show VISION AVTR, a crazy concept that merges humans and machines. Interestingly, Lamborghini and Amazon displayed Lamborghini Huracan with Alexa integrations that can help control seat heaters, interior lights, etc. 

LG’s partnership with Adient for a connected self-driving car concept was another exciting showcase. It displayed OLED screens, tablets, snack carts, dry cleaners, etc. Bosch debuted LiDAR sensors for autonomous vehicles, and Toyota’s LQ concept car showcased automated driving capabilities. 

2. The sharing economy takes over the road 

Another significant takeaway from CES 2020 was how sharing economy is now moving and taking over the road regarding how public transport will continue to innovate. The conference particularly saw five speakers discussing the ever-growing advancement of technology and how it significantly impacts buses, trams, and other renewables.  

3. 8k TV with super OLED displays shines 

As the most significant consumer tech conference, CES naturally has an extensive showcase of TVs every year. However, this year showed 4k TVs, 8K TVs, and OLED displays. Samsung displayed The Wall MicroLED-based TV that showed off 8K QLED. OLED TVs deliver the best visual qualities; their sales grew by almost 20% in 2019.  

4. Google innovates by being more AI friendly 

Google focused on showing off its voice command, AI helper, and Google Assistant. Google showed more and more innovations that make AI friendly and easy to use in everyday tasks. For instance, I loved the new command “Hey Google, read this page” that will allow Google to read a long article for you by only reading relevant texts, thereby saving time. Google’s booth displayed products that work well with Assistant, including intelligent lighting, speakers, Nest hub, etc.  

5. The home gets smarter 

One of the most exciting things that came out of CES 2020 was the number of gadgets set to make the home brighter. I was impressed with the number of intelligent gizmos that will change how our homes function in the coming years. One of my favorite displays was “Ballie,” an AI voice assistant from Samsung that interacts with you and the other smart devices in your house, much like a butler. Samsung also showcased “Sero,” a 47-inch 4K QLED TV screen. It is interesting that it can connect to your phone; if you have Android, it will automatically rotate 90 degrees to Portrait mode, allowing viewers to view phone-based content on their TV.

The LG ThinQ Smart Door was another exciting showcase in the smart home category that takes security to another level. It is a monolith that includes multiple biometric security features, such as scanning owners’ palms and face before granting access to begin with. Meanwhile, the interior of the door featured a mirrored bright screen that displayed time, temperature, news, etc.  

6. A plethora of screens of all shapes and sizes 

CES 2020 was a mix of exciting screens of all shapes and sizes, from TVs to phones. Phones focussed on making the screens fold, while TVs focussed on ultra-clear displays. There were 8k televisions despite the lack of 8K content in the market. TVs also saw an increased focus on OLED panels and MicroLED adoption. Samsung displayed a zero-bezel TV as well! 

7. Keep their eyes on 5G 

A continuous trend of CES this year was that 5G is coming, and it’s coming fast. I expect to see 5G, not just phones, laptops, and other devices. With networks still working on 5G availability, I  am optimistic we will see more 5G devices this year.  

8. IoT: Internet of Things ‚AI or Intelligence of Things

One of the decade’s biggest trends will be the new IoT app development, Intelligence of Things. Essentially, IOT with AI is integrating our lives from every nook and corner and disrupting all significant industries and modes of commerce.  

9. Foldable phones can bolster client service 

CES 2020 featured the expected foldable phones, especially Samsung’s Galaxy Fold. However, an exciting trend from conferences and talks was how foldable phones can bolster client service.  

Wrapping Up 

CES stands up for every hype created. It is the biggest tech show on the planet and lives up to this title. I was able to experience and witness some exciting technologies and innovations, and I am confident that the decade that is about to come is going to be revolutionary. Technology will change the way our lives function for good.  

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