Welcome to CES 2024, the ultimate showcase of technological marvels! Held annually in the vibrant city of Las Vegas, this event, hosted by the Consumer Technology Association, offers a sneak peek into the latest innovations in TVs, laptops, smart home gadgets, and even cars.
As the tech world converges in the second week of January, CES sets the stage for the upcoming year, revealing trends that will likely shape the industry. While the show has evolved over time, it remains a colossal gathering in the Nevada desert. It showcases groundbreaking technologies that could soon become part of our daily lives.
Let’s have a look into what CES 2024 has in store, from state-of-the-art laptops to revolutionary audio tech.
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What is CES?
CES, short for Consumer Electronics Show, stands as a great annual event where pioneering tech creators showcase their latest breakthroughs. Originating in 1967 in New York City as a bi-annual gathering, the show found its permanent home in Las Vegas, predominantly at the Las Vegas Convention Center and nearby hotels. The sequence of events faced a disruption during the COVID-19 pandemic. This turned CES 2021 into a fully digital affair, a historic first. CES 2020, held just weeks before the global shutdown, was a triumph, holding around 140,000 attendees.
The subsequent return to an in-person format for CES 2022 was met with challenges as rising COVID-19 cases prompted numerous exhibitors to cancel, leading to the event concluding a day earlier than scheduled. The attendance plummeted to 45,000, a stark deviation from the pre-pandemic norm.
However, CES rebounded in 2023, accommodating a full in-person crowd and witnessing major revelations from tech giants like Samsung, Acer, Asus, HTC, Lenovo, and more. The event drew around 115,000 participants and vendors hailing from 174 countries, spanning 41 distinct technology domains.
When is it Happening, and Who is Attending?
When it comes to CES 2024, mark your calendars for the official show running from January 9 to 12. Although the primary show dates set the stage, the excitement begins even before, with briefings and press releases trickling out as early as the weekend before.
While CES is an industry-exclusive event, open to those connected to the consumer electronics realm, the public can’t join in. In 2019, a staggering 182,000 participants, including over 4,000 companies and nearly 7,000 media representatives, turned the event into a buzzing tech haven.
As anticipation builds for CES 2024, the Consumer Technology Association expects to host more than 150,000 industry attendees, showcasing innovations from 3,500+ exhibiting companies. The stage is set for an industry spectacle like no other.
How Much Does it Cost?
For CES 2024, tickets come in two tiers, each with distinct offerings and prices, catering to eligible participants:
Exhibits Plus Pass – $350
- Encompasses all features of the Digital-Only Pass
- Grants access to all in-person CES programming during show days
- In-person privileges cover the exhibit floor, keynotes, Great Minds sessions, and select conference programs
Deluxe Conference Pass – $1,700
- Includes everything offered by the Exhibits Plus Pass
- Provides a comprehensive four-day experience of CES conference programming, boasting over 100 sessions
- Incorporates all partner programming
Registrants have the option to augment their experience by adding extra passes. This includes show floor tours, individual conference tracks, and securing the coveted Inside CES 2024: Trends and Takeaways report. All ticket details and additional passes can be acquired through the CTA website.
What’s In Store?
Here are some of the technological marvels we can expect to be displayed at CES 2024:
LG’s Latest QNED TVs
At CES 2024, LG is set to display its latest OLED TVs, the G4 and M4, featuring amazing AI enhancements. Powered by the new Alpha 11 processor, these TVs promise a remarkable 4-fold increase in AI performance. It promises to deliver a 70% improvement in graphic performance and a 30% faster processing speed.
LG’s AI prowess comes to life with “precise pixel-level analysis,” enhancing background sharpness. The AI processor will use frequently used shades, refining colors to align with the creators’ intended moods and emotional tones. In essence, the TV adapts to the content creator’s vision.
Dynamic Tone Mapping takes center stage, fine-tuning contrast by analyzing light entry points in a scene, creating an almost 3D visual experience. Notably, purists can disable these AI features, although they’re likely set as default.
Building on the success of the G3, known for exceptional picture quality, the G4 aims to surpass its predecessor. The AI Sound Pro brings innovation to audio, offering virtual 11.1.2 surround sound, enriching the auditory experience without the need for additional sound equipment.
The LG M4 introduces a 65-inch variant, bringing last year’s wireless technology, Zero Connect Box, to a more modest size.
Both the LG G4 and M4 will be showcased at CES, promising a glimpse into the future of AI-infused television technology.
Samsung’s Rollable Displays
Samsung’s CES 2024 showcase takes center stage on January 17, focusing on products beyond phones. Titled “AI for All: Connectivity in the Age of AI,” Samsung’s press conference teases AI applications in the kitchen, updates to the robot vacuum lineup, and a revisit of the Ballie home assistant robot. A fresh glimpse of products featuring foldable and rollable displays adds intrigue.
The “In&Out Flip” technology, a foldable product with screens both inward and outward, aims to offer a new alternative for consumers favoring bar-shaped smartphones. When folded outward, both the front and back can serve as screens, presenting a novel user experience. Samsung’s innovation seeks to reduce the need for external displays, streamlining the device’s profile.
In a proof-of-concept stage, Samsung tested the technology in extreme conditions, dunking screens in water, rubbing sand, and bouncing basketballs on them. Additionally, a rollable display is showcased in the Rollable Flex and Flex Hybrid, the latter combining a rollable and sliding display. An earbud case with a built-in display also makes an appearance.
While further details will be revealed at the CES 2024 press conference, these innovations signal Samsung’s foray into cutting-edge display technologies and user experiences.
Xreal’s Air 2 Ultra at CES 2024
Xreal is introducing the Air 2 Ultra at CES 2024, priced at $699, significantly more affordable than Apple’s Vision Pro headset. With six degrees of freedom via dual 3D environment sensors, support for spatial videos, and a sleek design, Xreal aims to elevate AR glasses beyond being mere display mirrors.
The Air 2 Ultra, touted as “the sleekest AR device ever made,” boasts a titanium eyeglass frame, 80 grams of weight, and certifications for eye comfort. Developers can pre-order, and probably start receiving their shipments in March. This offers an accessible entry point for creating AR apps and exploring spatial computing experiences.
The glasses support hand tracking, 3D mesh creation, semantic scene understanding, and even spatial videos from the iPhone 15 Pro series. So, stay tuned for an in-depth review. #CES2024
Panasonic’s LUMIX S 100mm F2.8 MACRO (S-E100) Lens
Breaking new ground, Panasonic debuts the LUMIX S 100mm F2.8 MACRO (S-E100) lens at CES 2024. This model adheres to the L-Mount system standard. Weighing approximately 298 grams, this lens stands as the world’s smallest and lightest medium-telephoto fixed focal length macro lens. So, it is appealing to both photography enthusiasts and professionals.
With a fresh optical design and a dual-phase linear motor, the S-E100 prioritizes compactness. It also delivers high resolution, distinctive bokeh unique to macro lenses, and swift focusing capabilities. This complements the already existing F/1.8 series lenses. Beyond excelling in close-up photography, the lens proves its prowess in producing captivating portraits and images. This is characteristic of medium-telephoto lenses, thanks to rapid autofocusing and a bright F/2.8 aperture.
The S-E100 guarantees top-tier video content with silent operation and optically corrected focus breathing. The newly developed linear focus motor and micro-step aperture control enable this.
Key Features:
- Versatile applications, from close-up photography to natural photos, portraits, and dynamic medium-telephoto action.
- Ensures high resolution and intricate performance across the image, from center to edge
- Captures every detail with distinct and appealing bokeh
- Silent operation with the aid of a newly developed dual phase linear motor
- Focus breathing suppression for seamless exposure adjustments
- Ultra-high precision manual focus sensor for unparalleled accuracy, even in 1:1 macro settings
The LUMIX S-E100 lens is set to be available through valued channel partners at the end of January 2024, retailing for $999.99 MSRP.
CES 2024 brings forth a wave of innovation. The event offers a glimpse into the evolving landscape of the tech industry. It also serves as a platform for companies to demonstrate their commitment to pushing boundaries and creating products that enhance our daily lives.
