The 2015 International Consumer Electronics Show is about to hit Las Vegas in a few days, with the annual business event spanning over two million square feet of show floor -- enough gadgets to fill up 35 football fields.
The Consumer Electronics Association, the organizer of the event, said that there are 150,000 to 160,000 professionals expected to attend from Jan. 6 to Jan. 9.
According to Tim Bajarin of Time, who receives hundreds of invites to meet up with companies during the show, there are seven trends that will be highlighted at the 2015 CES.
4K TV and sound bars
Five to seven years ago, high-definition TVs were a highlight of the CES. TV companies were pushing consumers and businesses to upgrade from analog TVs to HD TVs. In this year's CES, it is the turn of 4K TVs, which display four times the resolution of the current HD TVs, to be highlighted. Over 100 different models of 4K TVs by dozens of companies will be on display.
In addition to the 4K TVs, another new piece for the family living room are sound bars, which are small sound systems that partner nicely with the slim form of 4K TVs. While tiny, the sound bars are capable of pumping out HD stereo and 5.1 surround sound.
Internet of Things
One of the major themes for the devices at the 2015 CES is the ability to connect to the Internet or to other devices. An emphasis will be on home automation systems, which will include smart door locks as among the next trends.
Other home automation gadgets are thermostats and light bulbs that are connected to other devices, along with beds that are able to gather the user's sleeping information.
Smart Cars
The biggest car companies in the world began to attend the CES about a couple of years ago, with this year's show featuring 10 automakers: Audi, BMW, Ford, General Motors and Mercedes Benz. The companies will be showing different forms of technology for self-driving vehicles, with Toyota also reported to unveil technology on fuel cells.
The automakers will also feature Internet connectivity within vehicles, along with the ability to sync several features of vehicles with the driver's smartphone. Many of the companies will reveal an integration of the CarPlay service of Apple in their cars.
Wearable Technology
Wearable technology devices will be a major force in the 2015 CES, despite the absence of the most anticipated of such devices for the year, namely the Apple Watch. Highlighted wearable devices include fitness trackers, smart watches, and maybe new headwear similar to Google Glass.
Apple does not attend the annual CES. However, the company will still hold a presence in the event as the Apple Watch is a major component of the discussion on wearable devices. In addition, over 100 booths will be displaying wearable accessories for Apple devices.
One of the devices that has caught the interest of Bajarin is the device by GoMore, which now includes EKG monitoring. This feature allows the device to monitor the stamina and heart rate of the athletes that use the device.
Consumer Robotics
There will be a special section in the 2015 CES for robotics, which will surely contain interesting takes on consumer robots. The Roomba by iRobot currently dominates the industry, but that could change as drones, which are airborne robots, will be launching at the show.
Tablet Computers
The growth of tablet computers slowed down last year, but it seems that tablets will again be highlighted in the 2015 CES. Many low-cost tablet computers will be featured, with more of the devices focusing on specific functions such as serving as alarm clocks or personal TVs.
3D Printers
According to the CEA, 3D printer technology is something to watch for this year, with the cost of the devices already significantly declining. It is expected that there will be models selling for below $1,500 in the 2015 CES.
At the price of around $1,500, 3D printers are not yet ready for the mainstream. It will require more innovations in terms of software and hardware, along with even lower tag prices.
