CES, the world’s biggest tech trade show, kicked off yesterday in sunny and sinful Las Vegas with tech companies big and small ready to show off new gizmos and gadgets.
Why it matters: As the premier showcase of consumer tech goods, CES gives us a clear look at what trends and products are set to define 2023 and beyond. Right now, AI, health tech, futuristic vehicles, and (sigh) the metaverse are the talk of the town.
Driving the news: With more than 1,000 companies from over 20 countries (but not Russia) presenting, there’s a lot to sift through, but here’s what caught our attention.
- Honda and Sony’s new car: Perhaps the biggest news of the fest so far, Honda and Sony unveiled Afeela, their joint electric vehicle brand that promises to (somehow) utilize AI, VR, and entertainment to create an EV that’s set to hit the market in 2026.
- Android satellite messaging: Qualcomm said high-end Android smartphones featuring its new processors that will be able to tap the Iridium satellite network in emergencies, directly competing with Apple’s new Emergency SOS for iPhone 14.
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Wearables on wearables: There was no shortage of health doohickeys promising to improve lives. Oxa Life’s electrode-rigged shirts can measure vitals and women’s wearables maker Evie’s Ring can do things like track a user’s mood.
- AI everything: Samsung unveiled an AI oven that can recognize dishes and optimize cooking settings accordingly. Canadian startup Glüxkind showed off its self-driving stroller. And Bird Buddy claims it’s made Pokémon Go, but for birds (whatever that means) with its AI-powered bird house.
Bottom line: Time will tell which products will be winners and which will be flops. Given the recent tumult in tech, one analyst told the AP, “CES could be a do-or-die time for many startups,” so don’t be surprised if many of these doodads don’t end up on store shelves.