Published on January 25th, 2020 | by Jenna Tsui

Six Highlights From CES 2020

The Consumer Electronics Show (CES) gives people a chance to catch a glimpse of the future. From industry giants to small startups, more than 4,000 companies flood showroom floors to show off their latest gadgets and gizmos. It’s one of the biggest days in tech.

CES 2020 came in full force. From robots to watches to cars, new and exciting inventions were everywhere. If you didn’t get the chance to go to Las Vegas and see it for yourself, there’s no need to worry. Here are six of the biggest takeaways from CES this year.

Foldables Might Be the Next Big Thing

There was a time before smartphones when phones folded. If CES was any indication, the folding trend might be coming back and coming back big. Brands like Dell and Lenovo revealed concepts for folding dual-screen laptops to compliment the idea of foldable smartphones.

The iconic Motorola Razr is back after getting the smartphone treatment, as well as a host of other foldable phones, but laptops were the foldable focus. Unlike traditional laptops, these feature two interactive screens instead of a screen and a keyboard. Some feature an attachable keyboard while others can convert one display into a touch keyboard.

While most of these foldables are just concepts at this point, they may indicate a trend for future electronics.

Homes Are Getting a Whole Lot Smarter

Smart home technology is nothing new, but it is newly attainable. CES 2020 showed off a wide range of new and varied smart home products, from door locks to light switches. New AI assistants were also on display.

At their keynote presentation, Samsung unveiled a robot called Ballie that’s supposed to run your smart home. Products like Ballie suggest that smart homes are becoming the norm. As the Internet of Things grows, gadgets that can control your other devices are in rising demand.

Sustainability in the Spotlight

CES hosted a notable amount of environmentally friendly products. There’s a growing interest in making small sustainable adjustments to their lives, from eco-friendly home materials to zero-emission cars. Tech companies are catching on to this trend.

Interestingly, sustainable food stole the spotlight this year. Meatless burger giants Impossible Foods unveiled Impossible Pork, a plant-based imitation of the world’s most popular meat. Eclipse Foods showed off a plant-based ice cream as well.

Electric car companies also brought their A-game. Fisker revealed an electric SUV that could compete with industry titan Tesla. The variety of companies now making eco-friendly products represents a significant shift in sustainability across many industries.

Health Wearables on the Rise

Wearable tech has been popular for a few years now, but CES indicated a growing emphasis on wellness-related wearables. FitBit used to dominate this area, but an impressive variety of health products came to CES this year. Wristbands and watches are still the most popular form of health wearables, but they weren’t the only kind on display.

Chinese company Huami introduced earbuds that monitor your heartrate and others that can improve your sleep quality. New wearables don’t just watch your vitals, either. A French company called IVEA is making a watch that measures factors like sunlight and pollution.

Driverless Cars Are In

It may be a few years before the world is ready to accept self-driving cars, but that’s not stopping companies from pursuing the idea. This goal isn’t being chased solely by car manufacturers, either. Sony showed off a concept for a car that can drive itself if it notices you dozing off.

To demonstrate their viability, driverless cars from Russian company Yandex gave rides to CES visitors around Las Vegas. BMW brought an interactive car interior to represent how self-driving vehicles could lead to a more luxurious travel experience.

This increased interest in driverless cars could mean that the automotive industry is not far off from putting autopiloting vehicles on the road.

Robots Are Coming to Your Home

CES 2020 was swimming with robots. Ballie might have been the most notable bot on display, but plenty of robotics companies brought all kinds of robots to the show. While some of these are chiefly working robots, many of them can help you out around the house.

Some robots, like Groove X’s LOVOT and Yukai’s Qoobo, don’t serve any function outside of companionship. Others can teach kids language skills or even bring you toilet paper. The variety seen at CES means that there is a robot for everything, so it won’t be long before they become a household staple.

Tags: CES, CES 2020, consumer, electronics, show, tech

About the Author

Jenna Tsui is a tech journalist who co-owns The Byte Beat and frequently writes about medtech, AI, disruptive technology and more. Check out her work on TBB or follow her on Twitter @jenna_tsui !