Every year the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) draws thousands of people to Las Vegas for a look into what’s new and next in tech. CES 2015 saw more than 170,000 attendees and highlighted the latest in tech including connected home and virtual reality (VR).
With CES 2016 just around the corner (January 6-9), we’re sharing five major tech trends marketers should explore at the conference and in the New Year.
5 Trends to Expect in 2016:
(1) Streaming Video – Streaming video appears to be top of mind for CES organizers this year. Both Netflix CEO Reed Hastings and YouTube Chief Business Officer Robert Kyncl are scheduled to deliver keynote speeches at the conference. Rumor has it that Hastings will discuss Netflix’s original content and its intention to go global by Q4 2016. Attendees can catch Hastings’ keynote on January 6; Kyncl speaks the following day, January 7.
(2) VR & 360 Video – Over the past year, virtual reality shifted from a fringe technology to one that millions are experiencing. Facebook began supporting VR natively in its newsfeed, the New York Times shipped 1.1 million branded headsets to its subscribers, and Samsung released its first consumer headset. More growth is expected as Oculus, Samsung, Sony and HTC follow suit and release their own headsets in early 2016. At CES, attendees should be on the lookout for the over 40 exhibitors in the Gaming and Virtual Reality space highlighting their hardware, software, and VR accessories.
(3) Connected Cars – CES is expanding its automotive technology show floor this year by 25%. Brands including Audi, BMW, GM, Hyundai, Mercedes, and Toyota, among others will be featuring their next-generation connected car technology and automated driving systems. According to Yahoo! Autos Google and Ford will create an independent company to build autonomous vehicles and are expected to announce the partnership at CES on Tuesday, January 5th at 7:30AM. On the software side, Apple’s CarPlay, Android Auto and NVidia are also expected to have big presences at the conference.
(4) Mobile Payments – 2015 saw mobile payments slowly grow in popularity, and we anticipate that incremental growth to continue. Apple Pay, Samsung Pay, Android Pay and the rumored LG Pay will likely be the big names at the conference. As the ecosystem becomes more and more fragmented with new players in the space, consumers will still stand to benefit. Having a comprehensive and one-stop “wallet” for physical and digital purchases is where mobile money is headed.
(5) Smart TVs – Attendees aren’t likely to leave CES without spending at least a couple of minutes ogling the latest TV tech. This year, marketers should explore the opportunity many smart televisions present for anonymously collecting viewing habits, and take action with relevant ad options.
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CES is expected to once again expand the horizon of the tech landscape, and that’s something every marketer should be excited about. Between the advancements in existing technology and the introduction of new ones, there will be no shortage of exciting demos for attendees to enjoy this January in Vegas.
