CES 2017: What To Expect At This Year’s Event

The Consumer Electronics Show 2017 kicked off Jan. 2, with an estimated 200,000 attendees visiting the Las Vegas conference until it ends Jan. 8.

The CES is the technology industry’s largest show, hosted every year in Las Vegas, Nevada. This year is expected to feature a plethora of self-driving cars, virtual reality devices and drones, as well as more advancements in television technology, according to CNET.

Companies are reportedly amping up emphasis on compatibility between products and services, ease of installment and wearables that aren’t worn on the wrist, according toThe Verge. Along with multiple health-based wearables, Verge also reported that CES 2017 would feature a multitude of smart glasses, tech installed in clothing and exoskeletons, rather than more wrist products products like the Apple Watch.

Products boasting advancements in virtual reality development and gaming, while significant, are predicted to be limited compared to the CES 2016 virtual reality presentations, according to Verge. Last year, Oculus Rift was announced ready for shipping at the tech industry’s show, according to Fox News. The headset is a virtual reality simulator that is priced at $599. This year, companies expect to release improvements to existing headsets, graphics and interactive features.

Self-driving cars are predicted to make a big presence at the conference as well, according to the Verge. The consumer electronics show has been jokingly referred to as the “Car Electronics Show” among members of the auto industry, according to Verge, due to the field’s domination at the show in recent years. This year, Verge predicts that auto companies will emphasize technology-connected and self-navigating cars.

Among CNET‘s predictions is the suggestion that that the Internet of Things, the concept of products connecting and communicating with each other wirelessly, silently and automatically in the modern world, would make a strong presence at CES as well. The IoT is expected to play a relevant part in the role of connected cars, wearables and improving smart house technology.

Drones are also expected to make an impact at CES, if not in breakthroughs than in new features, gadgets and lower prices to increase the drone industry market size. Personal robots, such as personal assistant type machines, vacuums and coffee makers will make their debut at CES according to PC Magazine.

Chinese companies, however, have dominated much of the technology industry this year, with brands like Xiaomi, Hicense and Huawei expected to maintain most of the media’s attention.

Many of the Chinese companies, including Huawei and Xiaomi, have multiple new smartphones slated for announcement or display at the conference show, as are Sony, LG and Blackberry, according to the Indian Express.

The past year’s electronics show heavily featured the introduction of ultra-high-quality 4K television displays at exorbitant prices, according to the Indian Express. This year, attendees can expect to see OLED panels, curved displays and lower cost 4K televisions, however, little content is expected to be released anytime soon for television shows. Most 4K media available on the market comes from streaming services like Netflix, or the XBox 1.

Many UK-based tech companies have criticized the United Kingdom for failing to place emphasis and support on the technology industry ahead of CSE 2016, according to the BBC. CES event organizer Gary Shapiro said the government’s lack of support was “a source of embarrassment” and “short-sighted.”

He compared the UK government’s response to the government of France, noting that there are roughly five times more French companies making an appearance at the event than UK-based companies. “Government support is just not funding, I want to make that very clear … It’s political leadership. It’s showing up,” Shapiro said about the British government. “I think there’s a great opportunity for the UK, which is untapped.”

[Featured Image By Ethan Miller/Getty Images]