Once a year, the world awaits a gathering of the biggest innovators, tech corporations and thought leaders in Las Vegas to offer a glimpse into the future. The Consumer Electronics Show is always a highlight, even for future strategists like me, to get a glimpse into the visions and plans of the disruptors. But this year, everything will be different.
Already last year, things changed for the event industry. Many events had to be cancelled, others were pushed forward or hosted in innovative ways, such as virtual reality. CES 2021, which starts today, has also drawn its conclusions from the ongoing pandemic and will welcome all keynotes, hardware demos and exhibitors only virtually.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f8Y8v2icSoQ
CES 2021 : We Are Ready to Show the Power of Technology (Source: CES)
What can we expect from CES 2021 this year?
There will be a lot fewer exhibitors this year. Due to the lack of opportunity to showcase products or interact directly with visitors, many companies are withdrawing their participation this year and waiting to see how the virtual event will go.
Even the big tech companies are keeping a low profile this year. Samsung and Microsoft, for example, have announced that they will be making a very reduced appearance, while Facebook and Amazon are bypassing CES entirely this year.
The themes of the Consumer Electronics Show will also be different this year. New television models and smart cars will be difficult to do without the haptic and visual components. How are you supposed to assess picture quality or explore the car’s features without being there live. Much more represented, even in the spirit of the pandemic, will be cleaning solutions, health innovations, and the lifestyle transformed by COVID-19.
Probably the most eagerly anticipated presentation is Lenovo’s new ThinkReality A3 smartglasses, which will be unveiled at CES 2021. This is exactly the kind of device it needs for the home office lifestyle, especially the built-in ability to operate up to five virtual displays.
But is it really worth buying a ticket? Looking through the theme catalog is still very interesting despite the change in exhibitor structure, and especially in a changing world, it’s good to get some new input. CES will take place from January 11 to January 14, 2021.
Post picture: CES
