CES 2015 Preview
The International Consumer Electronics Show, or CES, sets the stage for the year ahead. For clients, innovators and media alike, the year’s first major electronics gala provides a read on what will shape and impact the industry over the next dozen months. As we witnessed in 2014, trends emerge and shift quickly. We expect similar for 2015 –perhaps at an even brisker pace.
Next week, Weber Shandwick will be in full force at CES in Las Vegas, working alongside our client partners and exploring the many halls of the convention center. We expect a fair amount of surprises and will be keeping our eyes open for advancements and introductions in a few key spaces.
- Mobile: The undisputed king of sector growth is poised to take center stage this year. As we transition to a world where smartphones become primary devices for many, we’re expecting a flood of announcements in the mobile banking and wireless connectivity realms. Moving forward, our phones may become our wallets, and in many ways, enable productivity once possible only with a laptop or desktop.
- Wearables: Perpetual connections are more the norm than the exception. At CES, we expect new entrants in the watch, fitness band and connected health arenas. Arguably, the next major consumer battlefield is the wrist, and CES 2015 is poised to showcase new players in the field aiming to lay claim to that real estate.
- Automotive: Once unseen at CES, cars are now a major player. For the year ahead, we’re expecting items like self-parking mechanisms, infotainment systems that rely on the smartphones users already own, and enhanced driving assistants to become baseline features.
- Automation/robotics: 3D printing has already cracked the mainstream, but CES is likely to push the sector to new heights. Additionally, the smart home is apt to play a major role, tying in nicely with a continued push to connect anything and everything with an on/off switch.
- 4K/Ultra HD: 4K, the next major evolution in the television, took flight last year at CES. This year, it’ll become affordable enough for many to consider adoption, and with that, content providers will be encouraged to begin offering more content at higher resolutions.
We realize that CES is an incredibly busy time of year. We’ll be capturing and condensing the highlights from each day at CES — exploring the trends and announcements that matter most — and publishing daily missives at WeberShandwick.com. To stay up to date on our reports from Las Vegas, be sure to follow us on Facebook and Twitter.
If you’re interested in corresponding with our reporters, feel free to reach out to Darren Murph or Brad Molen. Here’s to “engaging, always.” at CES!