All the highlights from the world’s biggest tech show
Tech enthusiasts descended upon Las Vegas for the 2020 Consumer Electronics Show (CES)
Since its inception in 1967, CES has provided a glimpse into the future. In 2001, Bill Gates unveiled Microsoft’s new gaming console: the Xbox. In 2003, Blu-ray DVDs were the next big thing – though that didn’t really pan out. And in 2013, the Oculus Rift was first revealed to journalists in a small corner of the show’s sprawling halls.
This time around the show was dominated by TVs, perhaps with tech companies casting an eye towards the upcoming Tokyo Olympics which will be the first to be broadcast in 8K. A large screen is necessary to really enjoy this resolution, so Samsung made sure it would win the inevitable size contest with its 292-inch display called The Wall. Made from microLEDs, it’s designed to use minimal energy and never be turned off, switching to a ‘digital canvas’ to match the owner’s interior needs.
Monstrously big TVs weren’t the only screen tech taking over the show. Foldable-display phones from Dell, Huawei and Samsung pulled in crowds, while Lenovo announced that 2020 is the year its foldable-display laptop, ThinkPad X1 Fold, will be available to buy, with prices starting at $2,499 (£2,000 approx).
CES is a place of concepts and prototypes. One such announcement was the Alienware Concept UFO from Dell. Familiar in design and feel to the Nintendo Switch, the Concept UFO will have detachable controllers on either side of its screen. The main draw is the flexibility of the device: it’s a handheld Windows 10 PC and runs any game from your PC library or Steam account.
Less ‘electronic’ and more ‘consumer’ was the presence of Impossible Foods, the company responsible for the plant-based Impossible Burger. They launched Impossible Pork to crowds this year and it went down a treat. Testers vouched for the soybased meat-replacement, claiming it looked, smelled and even tasted just like the real thing.
Of all the trends playing out on the show floor, one thing is clear: our homes are getting smarter, with digital personal assistants, robot butlers and smart fridges all vying for a place in your home. Whether we want them there or not though, is yet to be decided.
“MONSTROUSLY BIG TELEVISIONS WEREN’T THE ONLY SCREEN TECH TAKING OVER THE SHOW IN LAS VEGAS”