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By James Lint
Senior Editor for InCyberDefense and Contributor, In Homeland Security
The Consumer Electronics Show (CES 2019), hosted by the Consumer Technology Association (CTA) is now running in Las Vegas through January 11. It’s the largest annual gathering of technology professionals with more than 4,500 exhibitors from over 155 countries.
CES has an impressive track record when it comes to introducing new products to the consumer market. In its 50-year history, CES has launched more than 700,000 new products.
Sales of Consumer Technology Products Expected to Exceed $398 Billion in 2019
According to CTA’s Consumer Tech Forecast, total U.S. consumer technology sales will reach a record $398 billion this year. Those sales figures include the following predictions:
- 4K Ultra HD television sales will hit $16.4 billion.
- Smartphone sales will top $80 billion.
- Smart home sales will reach $4.6 billion.
- New in-vehicle technology sales will amount to $17 billion.
- Drone sales will reach $1 billion.
Qualcomm Executive Predicts Greater Usage of 5G Networks
CTA President and CEO Gary Shapiro and CES Executive Vice President Karen Chupka highlighted the latest tech trends and innovations on display. They noted, “We have moved from the Digital Age into the Connected Age. The year 2020 is expected to be the start of the Data Age.”
Qualcomm Executive Vice President Brian Modoff told CES 2019 conference attendees, “We spent the last 30 years connecting people. We will spend the next 30 years connecting things.”
Modoff added, “The world has gone to unlimited data plans. An operator deploying a 5G network has a lower cost per bit. So there is an incentive to move the unlimited plans over to 5G.”
CES 2019: Next Trends in Smart Homes Will Be Interoperability and Greater Personal Intelligence
CTA believes the next trends in smart homes will be interoperability and greater personal intelligence. Security cameras will usher in the new era of intelligent imaging, with better ’round-the-clock automated visualization of objects.
Use of Voice and AI Expected to Expand
Consumers can expect to see more voice-activated technology and artificial intelligence in their homes and work environments. For example:
- Digital assistants will be installed in devices, appliances and cars.
- Support for digital assistants has become critical for services, brands and commerce.
- Voice is quickly becoming the “go to” interface, with a major impact in smart homes and audiovisual technology.
New Fleets of Self-Driving Vehicles to Appear in US Cities
Automotive companies are spending billions of dollars in major investments for self-driving technologies. CTA foresees new self-driving fleets in San Francisco and Washington, D.C., in early 2019. San Jose, California, will have a Daimler/Bosch self-driving fleet later in the year.
New Technologies Will Improve Cyber Resiliency, Emergency Preparedness and Disaster Recovery
Many of these new technologies will make life easier. CTA predicts newer technologies will support cyber resiliency, emergency preparedness and disaster recovery due to faster and better focused public alerts and anti-terrorism warnings.
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