Record tech spending expected in US, show organizers say

LAS VEGAS -- Consumer technology spending is getting a boost from wearables, smart devices and streaming media services and should hit record levels in the United States this year, organizers of a major tech gathering said Sunday.

Kicking off the 2020 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, organizers said they expect $422 billion in sales of some 300 kinds of consumer tech products and services in the US market, a gain of 4 percent from last year.

The Consumer Technology Association (CTA), which organizes the annual gathering, said popularity of streaming services and wireless earbuds and the promise of new devices using super fast 5G connectivity and artificial intelligence is driving consumer interest.

"More and more consumers are embracing the faster connectivity, advanced intelligence and seemingly infinite content that technology offers today -- pushing consumer technology industry revenues toward another record-setting year in 2020," said Gary Shapiro, the association's president and chief executive.

"We'll see advancements in 5G connectivity and AI play out across the CES 2020 show floor this week -- from digital health to self-driving vehicles and smart homes -- vital technologies that are changing our lives for the better."

The show opens Tuesday against the backdrop of mounting concerns on how data gathered from connected devices can be exploited by marketers, governments and hackers.

There has also been a wave of attacks from politicians and activists against dominant tech platforms, as well as intense trade frictions between the world's economic and technology powers, the United States and China.

CTA's forecast shows strong consumer interest in a number of sectors including digital health -- a broad category including smartwatches, fitness trackers and connected health monitoring devices -- with sales of around $10 billion. 

For streaming -- including video, music and gaming -- the group expects 11 percent growth in spending to $81 billion.

CTA said it is seeing consumer interest in new kinds of wireless earbuds, led by those from Apple and Samsung, with expected sales of 67 million units worth $8.2 billion in revenue.

The forecast suggests smartphone sales will break out of their torpor with a 2 percent increase in sales, helped by new 5G handsets.

But 5G handset growth is likely to be slow at first, and it will be 2020 before the faster technology accounts for two-thirds of US handset sales, according to Lesley Rohrbaugh, director of market research at the association.

Rorhbaugh said however that new chip technology is making possible many more kinds of devices, such as those for the home, infused with artificial intelligence using object detection and voice recognition.

"Voice is going into everything. And it's not just our mobile devices. It's not just our speakers, it's every product and like those smart appliances," she said.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

'Wallpaper' thin TV grabs spotlight at CES gadget gala

LAS VEGAS - LG Electronics showed off a "wallpaper" thin television as TV makers vied for the spotlight ahead of the Consumer Electronics Show officially opening here on Thursday.

As in years past, the South Korean consumer electronics giant staked out the opening slot in a day rich with back-to-back press briefings by industry titans.

LG and rivals touched on hot themes at this year's show -- including robots, appliances equipped with artificial intelligence, and self-driving car technology.

A surprise star of the presentation was a strikingly thin LG Signature OLED flat-screen television simply branded "W."

The super high-definition TV measured just 2.57 mm thick in a 65-inch screen model. LG boasted that a larger screen model garnered a CES Best of Innovation Award.

"Why the 'W'?" LG Electronics USA marketing vice president David VanderWaal asked rhetorically during the presentation.

"Wallpaper. Window. Wow," he said.

The screens are designed to affix to walls with magnetic brackets, protruding less than 4 mm.

TCL OUT TO GROW

China's fast-growing television-maker TCL was at the show with a mission to expand its market.

TCL unveiled 25 new Roku-enabled TV models heading for North America, boasting improved high-definition imagery and enhanced audio.

"We are here today because we are investing in the future of technology, specifically smart TVs," TCL marketing executive Ranjit Gopi said during a press briefing.

"We are, as of 2016, one of the fastest growing brands in the world."

TCL partners include internet titan Google and its Android TV offering.

TCL is investing some $7.7 billion in high-quality television screens and is aiming to make the world's slimmest curved television, according to Gopi.

He introduced a new flagship "X" series television that will launch first in China and then be rolled out elsewhere.

South Korean consumer electronics giant Samsung unveiled a new 75-inch QLED TV model at its CES press gathering, along with a company-first gaming laptop.

"Despite some challenges, we've made big strides in 2016, gaining market share in TVs, home appliances, wearables and smartphones," said Samsung Electronics America chief operating officer Tim Baxter.

"We are delivering on our vision of the future – one that is powered by connected and elegantly-designed products and services that put consumers firmly at the center."

EYE-GRABBING SCREENS

Samsung ramped up its smart TV platform with an offering tailored for sports lovers, and added a new entertainment application. Features in the new models included being able to recognize who is speaking while being commanded by voice.

Sales of televisions globally have been slipping, a seeming result of viewers turning to smartphones, tablets, and computers for video, according to Steve Koenig, senior director of market research at the US Consumer Technology Association trade group behind CES.

Koenig forecast that $105 billion will be spent this year on televisions, down from $108 billion last year.

However, those who do buy televisions are expected to prefer 4K high-definition models, with the number of those screens sold jumping to nearly 82 million this year compared with just shy of 53 million last year, according to Koenig.

source: news.abs-cbn.com