Latest tech ups Consumer Electronics Show (CES) international appeal
SALVATION has come from an explosion of ‘mini-hits’ and mobs of companies crowding into the gadget market.
IT wasn’t long ago that consumer electronics companies seemed stuck in a funk, searching vainly for a new megabit like high-definition TV.
Salvation has come instead from an explosion of “mini-hits” and mobs of companies crowding into the gadget market.
The results will be on display this week in Las Vegas, at the behemoth trade show that most people call the Consumer Electronics Show — but which organisers insist on calling the International CES, as a sign of its broadening audience.
And broadening it is.
Despite little overt participation from tech rock stars like Apple, Facebook and Microsoft, last year’s show drew a record 160,498 attendees, up 5 per cent from the prior year.
With preshow registrations strong and a waiting list for eager exhibitors, another record seems a strong possibility for the show, which formally opens tomorrow and closes on Friday.
“I don’t know when I’ve ever felt so optimistic about our show and our economy,” said Gary Shapiro, president and chief executive of the Consumer Electronics Association, which organises the show.
Part of his confidence comes from products that only recently reached consumers, including flying drones, smartwatches, 3D printers, wearable health and fitness devices, home robots and internet-connected video cameras.
Mr Shapiro’s association says that the emerging products category, which generated $US1.7 billion in revenue in the US in 2013, tripled to $US5.2bn ($6.5bn) last year.
Another factor is the participation of new companies. While CES has long been linked to familiar brands such as Sony and Samsung, many start-ups have used crowd-funding and other techniques to jump into the gadget business.
A special CES zone for such companies, called Eureka Park, is expected to feature 375 exhibitors, up 59 per cent from last year’s show.
Other specialty zones will focus on topics such as consumer robotics — 18 suppliers are expected to turn up — and a gathering at the Aria hotel called C Space that is targeted at marketing, advertising and other content-related companies. Senior ad execs from Google and Yahoo are scheduled to give keynote speeches there.
One of the most active areas at CES for the past few years has been automotive electronics.
The chief executives of Ford and Daimler are taking two of four main keynote speeches at this year’s events, while many carmakers and their suppliers plan to show off new options for vehicle entertainment and navigation.
Another industry megatrend called the internet of things — a catch-all term for adding computing and communications capability to all kinds of everyday devices — is expected to feature prominently in the other keynotes by the chiefs of Samsung and chipmaker Intel. More than 900 companies in the category are expected to exhibit at the 2015 CES.
One key reason companies attend is the heavy media presence. About 6000 reporters attended the 2014 show, according to the CEA’s audited figures. Another draw is the chance for technology vendors, retailers and other partners to meet and hash out potential deals, often in private rooms in hotels along the Las Vegas Strip.
But most of the action takes place amid thumping music and glitzy booths in the Las Vegas Convention Centre and other nearby venues, where companies get a chance to court dealers and other professionals by demonstrating new products.