Over 3200 exhibitors. More than 100,000 attendees. The Las Vegas Strip.
More steps than my Apple Watch can count.
It must mean CES is back. And back it was.
After a half-show last year, where many of the large exhibitors cancelled and many attendees stayed away as Omicron continued to sweep the world, It was good to see the show back with swagger.
This perhaps despite the bearish conditions the industry is currently locked in.
But it was swagger with some purpose, and meaningful connection to the economic outlook. Less flashy concepts and vaporware, and more practical tech that is here and ready to sell. So whilst this probably means a little less for media to get excited about, there was still plenty to see and as ever it’s an event that I feel enables you to really get a feel for where things are headed.
So that all being said, here are 10 key takeouts from my visit:
Does the C in CES stand for Car?
It very well may do soon. Having been a regular attendee of the show, it’s been interesting to see the rise of mobility and automotive tech take hold. From the attendance of Ford some six or seven years ago, and people questioning whether a car company belonged, to today where the whole of the West Hall was given over to the rapidly growing sector. If not already apparent, this is an industry where technology has disrupted with what now, to all intents and purposes, are giant smartphones with wheels. This is already a huge sector, and is going to become vast in the next ten years. Even Sony launched a car. Apple next?
XR (AR/VR) is coming
We’re just at the mobile phone as a brick stage – back then people didn’t think they’d catch-on “who is going to drag a brick around with them just so they can make calls?”… We saw lots of companies showing off glasses or peripherals that give a glimpse of what might just be. But Apple, absent from the show were still vocal. The well timed information leak of its rumoured XR headset specs drove lots of conversation.
Cost of living and sustainability were loud themes
Many of the big technology companies talked about improvements to product materials, packaging and use of smart sensors, and AI to better control energy usage. Thoughtful and responsible tech.
Health tech acceleration
A post covid world has seen an increased demand from consumers for technology to aid their health and wellness. This demand aligns with the continued refinement of sensors and ever improving data sets and AI. So, tech on you, in you, controlling you to make better decisions.
Synthetic biology and molecular tech
Recognising that biology has now become a technology, something that can be engineered, controlled, constructed. On that front, it was great to see and meet the founder of Neoplants which has engineered the humble house plant to be a house plant that has been engineered to purify the air of toxins in the home.
Viva La France
It’s been fantastic to see the commitment from France to support its technology ecosystem, with another domineering performance at the Eureka Park floor (think over 100 acres of early-stage innovation companies on 6x8 ft stands.) La French tech was there in force.
Web 3
Less on the show floor than in previous years, but still a major part of the conversation at the conference. A real belief that the underlying technologies are strong, and needed, yet we’re perhaps still awaiting the killer app. But Blockchains and NFTs still excite the audience – much love to how larger brands who have experimented are starting to win and might perhaps pave the way to broader applicability. For example, much attention was given to Starbucks which is using NFT technology to modernise its loyalty program. Or for Paramount who used NFTs as a way to identify die-hard Top Gun fans and to keep them engaged with the franchise as it rolled out new movies and theme park rides. Might loyalty be one such killer app for this basket of technologies?
Virtual to physical
We heard about how early experimentations in metaverses from companies like Forever 21, the popular fashion retailer, are paying off in surprising ways. An online only collection of digital items was so successful, they decided to actually manufacture IRL equivalents and sell them in stores – selling millions and engaging a new customer base along the way.
Internet of interoperable things
Finally we are heading into a period where the smart home can really take hold thanks to new industry standard – Matter – that was introduced in many products at this year’s event. The consumer IoT hasn’t really taken fire, yet – namely because it’s been really many internet of things, proprietary based ecosystems that were closed. With the industry aligning behind Matter (think WiFi / Bluetooth - but for devices to talk to one another seamlessly). This looks set to be the breakout moment – expect homes around the world to become that much smarter as the tech begins to really work.
Sleep quality
Technology is coming for your down-time in a big way. As it’s something we all do, and we spend a third of our life asleep, it’s a big addressable market. And now, due to sensors, science and AI, more and more tech is coming to help us optimise our sleep. From AI driven sleep coaches, pillows that adapt to stop you snoring, sensors that listen to your breathing, wearables that track your sleep patterns and much more in between – this is a growing consumer market to watch.