Before engaging in some wild speculation about what we can expect at CES in Las Vegas this week it’s worth looking back at how our grand hopes from January last year panned out. At the time we were abuss for drones, wearables, a new generation of TVs and, in the background, a new version of Windows. Only the first item on that list has retained my interest since.
We were down with the idea of wearable tech we were plenty supportive of Garmin’s epix only for it to be outdone by the more affordable vivoactive GPS smartwatch. We were excited about Firefox OS getting the ability to connect to devices running Android only for Mozilla to shutter not the just project but the entire operating system. Thanks to the performance of Apple’s Watch and the timely death of Google Glass we are seeing the smartwatch/wearables space develop into two broad ranges of fitness trackers and smartphone peripherals.
Similarly, discussion of the next standard in high-definition television is a jaded subject. Call it 4K or super HD or Ultra HD or, now, high dynamic range (HDR) and 8K, consumers have grown used to resolution as an evolving feature instead based on content rather than technical capability. Smart TVs, OLED displays and curved and thinner screens will remain the core of any offering in this space. It’s a reflection of the market that you can get more excited by House of Cards in 4K than the prospect of buying a TV to watch it on. At least we don’t have to worry about 3D anymore.
While I remain underwhelmed by wearables and TV, there are other zeitgeist-defining technologies whose presence will be enhanced this week. I’m talking first about Virtual Reality. Last year Oculus hogged the media coverage with the slow progress of the Rift. This year we finally have a pre-order date of 6 January but at time of writing no confirmation of price other than the standard ‘in the region of $350’.
Just as exciting is HTC’s announcement of its first commercially available virtual reality system: Vive Pre (pictured). The Taiwanese manufacturer has been working with Valve, which may give it an advantage over Oculus in terms of day one applications and peripherals – a disappointing sidenote is that the Rift’s hand controllers won’t go on sale until the latter half of this year.
I’ve been impressed with both devices, although my experience with the Vive has led me to believe HTC has a more polished product. I look forward to being proved wrong.
One development I have not expected is the rise of the concept car. Faraday Future’s FFZero1 has become a personal highlight for its audacity, despite there being no price or hint of a release date (years, not months). A few more Batmobile-esque designs like that and I’d declare the entire show a success.
Finally, I expect the Internet of Things to continue to deliver on its promise. Between the work Intel has been doing on making tiny computers like the Quark to turn any appliance into a data gathering instrument. The passing of the 802.11ah Wi-Fi (HaLow) will bring the entire spectrum of IoT devices into a single connectivity standard, making it easier for your fridge to talk to your dish washer and the lights in your hallway. Hopefully, there will be more than that to explore this week in Vegas.
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