Jan. 4, 2010: People walk inside the International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Paul Sakuma)
CES 2016 kicks off in Las Vegas this week, and PCMag will be there will all the news. Already, Lenovo has introduced new Chrome and Windows 10 systems, while Livestream is getting into the hardware market with its new Movi camera.
The show floor doesn't open until Wednesday, but Tuesday is press conference day, when the top gadget makers in the world (minus Apple) will show off their 2016 lineups in conference rooms across Las Vegas. Before they take the stage, here's a brief overview of what you can expect from each product category. Click the link on each topic for more in-depth analysis.
HDTVs:
The HDTVs at CES will make 4K's place in the world of HDTVs clear, according to PCMag's Will Greenwald. Expect virtually every HDTV manufacturer in the industry to expand their 4K lines significantly, with choices ranging from wallet-friendly to big, expensive flagship models. 4K series will start to outnumber 1080p HDTV series, and that trend will only continue. Meanwhile, Ultra HD Blu-ray is finally moving past the theoretical stage, so look for 4K Blu-ray players and the physical media to go along with them. Streaming 4K content will also continue to expand, and we could see the first glimpses of consumer-available 4K broadcast content as well.
Phones and Tablets:
Phone makers usually reserve their big announcements for Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, so don't expect a big blowout from Samsung in Vegas. Apple, meanwhile, never attends these big trade shows. That leaves a bunch of lower-key phone makers, and Windows PC vendors with Windows tablets, holding the floor for mobile at CES. HP, Lenovo, and Dell may be updating their Windows tablet lineups at the show, although we don't have any more specific details about any of those. Huawei and ZTE are both big global brands, but they've had some trouble penetrating U.S. consumers' minds. They'll try again at CES.
Digital Cameras and Drones:
The most intriguing camera-related story going into CES, according to PCMag's Jim Fisher, is about Samsung's place as a camera maker; a recent spate of rumors and news have left the future of the company's mirrorless NX line in question. Aside from that, pro photographers can usually ignore CES. But smaller, GoPro-style action cams will be plentiful at CES, as will drones.
Wearables and Fitness Gadgets:
Since there's a whole section of the show dedicated to wearables this year, expect every company, large and small, burgeoning and unknown, to display their wares. Google's Android Wear will likely forego any major updates since it just had one a few months ago, so any updates we'll see will likely be cosmetic. Fitbit, meanwhile, is holding the only wearables-dedicated press conference of the show. The news will undoubtedly be good, but it's uncertain whether it will be a brand-new device, like an upgrade to the Fitbit Charge HR, or some kind of software platform update.
Smart Home:
Though Apple won't have an official presence at CES, look for a number of home gadgets that connect with its HomeKit smart home protocol. PCMag's Tim Torres suggests we also be on the lookout for Bluetooth mesh networking, a new standard that will extend the distance for Bluetooth technology. We'll also probably see our fair share of robot vacuums, connected fridges, and bizarre gadgets.
Cars:
Autonomous driving will undoubtedly take center stage at CES, and rumors have been swirling that Ford and Google will announce a partnership at the show. But we do know that Kia will jump into the self-driving car fray for the first time, and Nevada DMV documents also reveal that Mercedes-Benz is planning to showcase autonomous E-Class models that will reportedly launch in 2017. But keep an eye on a mysterious car company known as Faraday Future, and let's see what Volkswagen has to say for itself during a Tuesday night keynote.
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