Every year CES put on by the Consumer Technology Association showcases the next wave of technologies including new gadgets, electronics, computing devices, and a list of emerging products that mesmerize and make waves with roughly 4.5K exhibiting companies. According to their website, "CES is the world’s gathering place for all who thrive on the business of consumer technologies. A high-level business event that touches all industries, it’s the place where business gets done." CES has also evolved, with roughly 175K attendees in 2020 and having previously focused on consumer-only electronics and devices, and now the door has been opened for a host of areas "including 5G connectivity, artificial intelligence, augmented and virtual reality, smart cities, sports, robotics and more." About 3 years or so, they even opened up the show floor to showcase "B2B" or business targeted technologies and solutions. As such, this event encompasses a range of industries including consumer electronics, smart home technologies, communications technology, Internet of Things, Drones, AR/VR technologies, Fleet and asset tracking and monitoring, machine learning, smart cars and autonomous vehicles, robotics technologies, and so much more.

This is my 9th trip to CES in Las Vegas, where I have hosted multiple media lunches and even previous award shows along with speaking on panels and participating in sub-events. This year seems quite a bit more organized not just at the event, but also across Las Vegas. Traffic and congestion was improved, ride sharing services were more responsive, locating events and booths were bit easier to navigate, and the overall event seems to be run very well. I was able to roam around and attend booth meetings in North Hall, South Hall, Westgate but primarily centered around Tech East and Tech South. While I thought the overall mass buzz and excitement this year was overwhelming, there were some big things that happened this year, and sometimes we need to get back to the basics and foundation to essentially leverage technology to improve lives, business, and the overall planet.

Here are a few takeaways based on my trip this year:

Key consumer themes revolved around 5G, "smart" everything, and robotics
Key business or B2B themes revolved around 5G, Edge (devices, analytics, computing), and industry solutions.

Read on here...

By Stephanie Atkinson

Keywords: IoT, Mobility, 5G

Become a Contributor Newsletter Signup