CES has always been a showcase of the latest consumer technology but, by definition, it also suggests the ways in which tech will shape our everyday lives.
Here are three tech revolutions to look out for in the near future, based on what we saw at CES 2019.
1. The advent of 5G
It has been on the horizon for quite a while now, but 2019 is the year in which 5G is expected to go mainstream.
5G was on everyone’s lips at CES 2019, with Engadget’s senior mobile editor telling CNBC’s On the Money, “2019 is going to be the year of 5G, this is going to be the first year people will actually be able to buy devices and jump on the 5G networks,” resulting in “really big ramifications for the way we use our devices and the way these devices talk to each other”.
2. Virtual and augmented reality that blends into the real world
After years of trying to make it in the consumer market, VR and AR are finally becoming more accessible to the consumer market.
Nreal is a Chinese start-up that is pushing for a more comfortable VR and AR experience, and their Light glasses weigh in at only 85 grams.
The NordicTrack VR Bike, also released at CES 2019, features a VR headset that makes spinning on a stationary bike an almost out-of-this-world experience.
UK firm Envisics released one of many augmented reality dashboards for vehicles. By all accounts, it looks like virtual and augmented reality is set to become a part of our daily lives in a big way.
3. Foldable and flexible screens
LG’s 4K OLED TV drew quite the crowd at CES 2019, mostly thanks to a screen that neatly rolls up when you aren’t watching it, but the FlexPai by Chinese company Royole also had tongues wagging.
Suffice to say that you can definitely keep an eye out for flexible and foldable screens this year, with Samsung already suggesting they have something up their sleeve, come 20 February.