The biggest technology show of the year, the Consumer Electronics Show officially kicks off in Las Vegas on Jan. 9 and runs for four days. Many of the tech giants, however, will reveal their latest products at press conferences over the weekend.  

Last year saw over 184,000 attendees at CES with 4,000 exhibiting companies. Celebrating its 51st year, CES 2018 will showcase the upcoming tech trends in artificial reality, 5G technology, smart homes and cities and more.

Despite many major companies saving any big product launches for their own events, CES 2018 is still an avenue to showcase developments in various technologies, as well as weird and wonderful concept products.

Here’s a look at the main trends that CES will likely focus on this year:

5G

The technology driving connected homes, driverless cars and the internet of things over the next decade is fifth-generation wireless technology, or 5G.

Not only will 5G technology allow users to benefit from increased speeds, it will also offer increased reliability, reduced latency and a massive increase in bandwidth. Ericsson AB predicts 5G coverage will cover more than 20 percent of the global population by 2023, equating to 1 billion 5G subscriptions.

AT&T Inc. announced this week that it plans to roll out a true 5G network in a dozen markets by the end of 2018. The company becomes the last of the four main U.S. carriers to announce its 5G rollout plans. These include Verizon Communications Inc., which plans to roll out 5G in five cities by the end of this year, Sprint Corp. plans to have its network up by the end of 2019, while T-Mobile U.S. Inc. will start roll-out in 2019 and have nationwide coverage by the end of 2020.

WattUp over-the-air charging technology (Photo: Energous)

Truly wireless charging technology becomes a reality

Wireless charging has become the norm for many flagship smartphones, but to charge wirelessly devices still require a QI-compatible charging mat that is plugged into a power outlet. The future is charging at a distance over the air.

Several companies are exploring wireless charging through the air for smartphones, tablets, smart speakers and more. Late last year, Energous Corp. became the first company to obtain Federal Communications Commission approval for its WattUp technology. The WattUp Mid Field transmitter sends focused, RF-based power to devices at a distance of up to three feet. While this isn’t very far, it is a start. Energous will be demonstrating its WattUp technology at CES next week.

While Powercast Corp. is also due to unveil its PowerSpot transmitter at CES, which according to the company is able to charge multiple devices at a distance of up to 80 feet and has also received FCC approval.

Smart home and digital assistants multiply

Amazon.com Inc.’s digital assistant dominated at CES 2017 with a slew of new devices launched that included Alexa integration, including lamps, washing machines and more, and this year is unlikely to be any different. The company’s smaller smart speaker, the Echo Dot, was the top-selling product on Amazon over the festive season with “millions sold.” An estimated 68 percent of voice-controlled smart speakers sold in 2017 work with Alexa, according to Strategy Analytics Inc.

Despite its dominating position in the market, Alexa does face competition from the likes of Google LLC’s Home speaker and Google Assistant.

Ahead of the start of CES, LG Corp. announced that it plans to unveil its ThinQ smart speaker that’s compatible with Google Assistant, while smart TVs that are integrated with the digital assistant are also expected at the tech show.

While Apple Inc.’s Siri and HomeKit protocol lags behind the competition, with over 20 products listed as “coming soon” on its website we could see some of these showcased at CES. Apple’s own smart speaker, the HomePod was delayed until early this year after a planned December launch didn’t take place.

Focus on augmented reality, rather than virtual reality

VR has dominated the last few years of CES, but this year it’s AR that will play a large role and there’s a dedicated AR Marketplace at the show. This year has seen the launch of various platforms, including Apple’s ARKit, Google’s ARCore, Snap Inc.’s Lens Studio and Facebook Inc.’s AR Studio.

Despite the recent launch of its much-anticipated AR product, there is no indication that Magic Leap Inc. will make an appearance at CES. However, AR developer Meta Co. is set to showcase its “touchable” AR supercar at CES.

Smarter concept cars and technology

Despite the North American International Auto Show kicking off a day after the end of CES, the tech show is set to showcase some of the latest technology in the auto industry. CEO and President of Ford Motor Co. Jim Hackett will present at the tech show on the development of mobility solutions as the world progresses toward smarter cities.

All the large car manufacturers are expected at CES, including Ford, Hyundai Motor Co., BMW AG and Audi AG and will showcase the latest improvements in self-driving tech.

The interior of Byton’s SIV concept car

Chinese startup Byton is set to debut its “Smart Intuitive Vehicle,” or SIV, which is able to recognize a driver’s face, understand their voice and read hand gestures. The Rinspeed Snap is a self-driving concept car that includes three screens per occupant, an optional robot personal assistant and six onboard projectors.

Companies that will showcase in-car technology include Gentex Corp. with its in-vehicle biometrics; Muse from Speak Music Inc. that adds Alexa to cars; and Klashwerks Inc.’s Raven, a dashboard that adds real-time driving information in a driver’s line of sight.

Main image: CES