14 Big Questions We Need CES 2019 To Answer

Consumer Electronics Show (CES) is an occasion for the consumer electronics industry to exhibit its latest and greatest offerings. This year, the event is taking place in Las Vegas, and we have a lot to expect including bigger and smaller, better and faster versions of all products from last year, more devices integrated with artificial intelligence and machine learning technology, robots, smart and cloud-connected devices.

With that in mind, there are a few questions we also look forward to finding the answer at CES 2019.

1. What impact will 5G have on the technology industry?

The fifth-generation network is without a doubt the key game-changing tech for this year with the promising hyperfast speeds and hardly any latency. But the question here is how many devices will enable 5G and how disruptive it will actually be.

Most phone makers will save their big phone announcements for the MWC 2019 set to take place in late February in Barcelona. However, it is likely that Huawei, as well as other Chinese producers, will take the spotlight in Vegas.

Plus, chip manufacturers such as Intel, Nvidia, and Qualcomm will reveal their 5G-related projects while carriers like AT&T and Verizon will speak about the plans for 5G during their keynotes as well as panel discussions along the week.

2. Can Intel get itself ready to defend against Qualcomm, AMD, and ARM?

Despite the stagnant global computer market, Intel earned billions of dollars from its CPU business. Additionally, it will release Sunny Cove – its 10nm processor, and 3D chip stacking technology in 2019.

Intel Drone Light Show at CES 2018

However, Intel is also facing tense competition from other tech firms like Apple and Qualcomm with their own 7nm chips, not to mention Amazon which is working on its own server processors based on ARM. Furthermore, Qualcomm is partnering with AMD to showcase their stuff at CES 2019.

Due to these strong competitors, Intel had better prepare to show the world how it plans to keep its leading position in this years and beyond. Also, the company will have to do this without Chief Executive Officer Brian Krzanich who stepped down some months ago.

3. Will we see technology evolution in health care too?

The Neomano glove seen at CES 2018

For the last few years of CES, we have witnessed more and more fitness and health devices, but we’re expecting a lot more of those at this year event. Although Fitbit and Apple released tones of health devices in 2018, heart arrhythmia or tracking EKG is only the beginning.

At CES 2019, we may also see smaller startups take the stage, introducing their own health care devices like wearable blood pressure monitors, sleep masks, and smartwatches that run on the body heat.

4. What is Google bringing to stage?

Google's booth at CES 2018

Last year, Google made a big, showy installation in the Convention Center’s parking lot in Las Vegas, which turned out to be a popup homage in Disney style for searching the giant’s technical acumen. This year, the tech giant has struck even more parking lots in places with even higher traffic density. Google doesn’t do a formal press conference, but that doesn’t mean we won’t see any high-profile announcements from it.

5. What about the rest, Facebook, Microsoft, Amazon and more?

Other giant tech companies may not make such a huge appearance like Google, but they will present at CES.

Microsoft booth at CES 2018

Amazon’s tentacles tend to hold small exhibitions during the show while Facebook and Microsoft will have their own meeting spaces across Las Vegas. Though Netflix and Apple haven’t reserved any official spaces at CES, they will surely have meetings.

After all, let’s expect meta-announcements from these companies’ hardware partners, unveiling expanded compatibility or new integrations with other services like Alexa (Amazon), Instagram/Oculus/WhatsApp (Facebook), Windows/Skype/Azure (Microsoft), HomeKit/Siri (Apple), and Netflix video streaming service.

6. Will Netflix get beaten by another video service in 2019?

In 2018, Netflix succeeded in maintaining its position while controversies managed to take down its FAANG cousins. However, it will face lots of challenges from other competitors raising from every corner. Giants like Disney, Warner, and Apple are all having plans to fight for consumer preferences and profits.

Moreover, apart from the new Star Wars TV shows, its rivals also bring back the famous shows like Friends or the Office.

7. Will companies do something about the privacy and security issue?

2018 was a bunch of security breaches from even the highest profile tech firms. Regarding this, though CES is not technically a security conference, it’s an exhibition for mass security devices with wide connectivity, microphones as well as face-recognizing cameras.

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg

Tech companies sure do an excellent job in producing such security devices, and they have appeared in tens of millions of homes. However, are they actually protecting their customers from data leaks? While users can hardly do anything much to protect themselves, companies can certainly do much more than compensating actions.

So the question left here is that: Do any companies really have plans to take action for a better year of security?

8. Will there be any VR challenges for Oculus Quest?

The Oculus Quest

In September 2018, the Oculus Quest was announced and expected to be shipped in early 2019, a VR headset that is 100 percent wireless, fully boasts six degrees of freedom and comes with a hand controller at only $400. Though the device won’t appear at CES 2019, it has already set a target for rivals to surpass in the next one year.

Are there any chances that we’ll see something even better at CES in the VR field? For now, all we know is that HTC will have a press conference during the week revealing its Vive line, a VR rig connected to PC though.

9. What about OLED and MicroLED TV screen tech?

Samsung's MicroLED TV at CES 2018

At CES last year, Samsung threatened the dominance of LG’s OLED with its MicroLED technology. Nevertheless, the high price and absence of adequate responses to the chances of burn-in is the real drawback of this tech, which means OLED's dominance seems secured.

And until Samsung can fit a MicroLED TV into a common size living room, this cool tech won’t see a chance of real competition against existing techs. It is likely that LCD and LED TV will still own the market along with incremental improvements.

10. Does anyone care about 8K TV?

Samsung's 8K TV

8K TV will undoubtedly show up at CES. Featuring a resolution of 7,680x4,320 pixels, 8K TVs are eight times as detailed as 4K ones. However, without native contents with 8K quality and strikingly high price, 8K TV has more problems with marketing than technology.

11. Can Google Assistant and Alexa live peacefully together?

Although Alexa is currently the top player in the field of smart home, Google Assistant is rising so strong that has even surpassed Apple’s Siri, Microsoft’s Cortana, and Samsung’s SmartThings.

But with the current battle between Google and Amazon trying to lock each other out, 2019 is about which one can keep “neutral” – enabling compatibility with other platforms.

12. Can Las Vegas steal Detroit's auto mojo?

Over the past few years, there has been a war of displaying car technologies between Las Vegas-based CES and Detroit-based North American International Auto Show. As a tradition, NAIAS this year will start just a few days after CES closes. Automakers usually present at CES to make essential technology announcements and boast new models and car concepts at NAIAS.

The 2020 Mercedes-Benz EQC expected to appear at CES 2019

But we should look out for exceptions. For example, Mercedes will also debut its CLA-Class saloon at CES and reveal its EQC electric SUV to US fans. Also, Nissan may unveil its Leaf E-Plus electric car too. It is expected that Audi will show off its new interior entertainment system for cars and Honda will look more to robotics. Toyota, Byton, and Hyundai will hold press conferences while Nvidia and Qualcomm are said to announce about their vehicles.

13. What will companies do if trade wars and tariffs continue?

Among 180,000 participants at CES, one-third are from outside the United States. However, the current consumer electronics industry was formed with the assumption that brands can forever rely on China’s contract manufacturers for cheap gadgets and components. And the trade wars that Trump’s government has brought will make this less and less viable in 2019.

Though CES will not discuss this matter, we’re aware that letters of intents, backroom meetings, and handshake deals between brands and contract producers will take place with lower certainty.

14. How many small wonders does it take to replace one significant revolutionary innovation?

The robot duck from Aflac

In the past, CES used to be all about giant tech firms, but that has changed in recent events, the show has shifted the spotlight to smaller vendors.

For instance, Eureka Park and vendors at Tech West at the Sands Expo Center will show up at CES 2019 with the fresh energy that we may not notice at the big firms from the Las Vegas Convention Center.