CES 2021 To Spotlight Covid-Spurred Innovation, 5G, AI, Electric Vehicles | Investor’s Business Daily
Next week, the annual CES trade show will attempt to set the tone for the technology industry for the year ahead. But it’ll have to do so without the five-senses spectacle of the show’s usual in-person Las Vegas conference. CES 2021 will be an online-only event because of the Covid-19 pandemic. The four-day event starts Monday.
Officials with the Consumer Technology Association, which owns CES, say the virtual show won’t be able to replicate all the excitement and discovery of the physical show. But they hope the all-digital CES 2021 will be useful for attendees to learn about new products and trends, make networking connections and conduct business.
“CES is one of the most experiential events in the world, where attendees can actually see and touch and experience the latest innovations,” Jean Foster, senior vice president of marketing and communications for the Consumer Technology Association, said during a Dec. 15 press briefing. “And while we can’t recreate that magic that happens in Las Vegas, we can bring our audiences a new and unique all-digital experience.”
The trade group hired Microsoft (MSFT) to create the digital platform for the show, still known to many by its former name — the Consumer Electronics Show. The platform will feature a live anchor desk with several hosts who will discuss the day’s events and interview newsmakers.
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Smaller Companies Will Struggle To Get Noticed
“CES is going to feel very different and not just because it’s all digital,” Shawn DuBravac, president of Avrio Institute, a research and consulting firm, told Investor’s Business Daily. “In many ways, it’s a smaller show.”
More than 1,800 exhibitors have signed up for CES 2021. But that compares with more than 4,400 at the in-person show last year. Plus, it will be difficult to fully appreciate new products without seeing them in person, DuBravac said.
“How can you assess LG’s new television if you can’t stand right in front of it and get a feel for it?” he said.
Smaller companies will be hurt by the move to an all-digital format, Marjorie Costello, editor and publisher of CE Online News, told IBD. Large companies likely will attract the lion’s share of attention at CES 2021, she says.
“It’s going to be a problem for the smaller companies trying to get attention,” Costello said. “People will gravitate to the big names.”
At the in-person CES, attendees often discover new companies and interesting gadgets just by strolling through the exhibit halls. The virtual CES 2021 likely will lack that serendipity, Costello says.
CES 2021 Keynotes Include AMD, GM, Verizon
Numerous publicly traded companies are hoping to get a boost from announcements at the virtual CES 2021 show. They range from consumer electronics vendors and semiconductor companies to automakers and media firms.
Keynote speakers at CES 2021 include Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) Chief Executive Lisa Su, General Motors (GM) CEO Mary Barra, Microsoft President Brad Smith and Verizon (VZ) CEO Hans Vestberg.
Other speakers include Accenture (ACN) CEO Julie Sweet, Best Buy (BBY) Chief Executive Corie Barry, Mastercard (MA) CEO Michael Miebach and Walmart (WMT) Chief Executive Doug McMillon.
Companies holding news conferences at CES 2021 include Caterpillar (CAT), Intel (INTC) and Sony (SNE).
Covid-19 To Overshadow Discussions
A major theme of CES 2021 will be the impact of Covid-19 on tech innovation and the future of work and education. Panel discussions will address the home office boom and rise of distance learning during the pandemic, as well as the growth of streaming video services and gaming.
Tech companies will show off products to combat the spread of the coronavirus that causes Covid-19. Those gadgets range from room-disinfecting robots to touchless kiosks and body temperature scanners. One company, Steri-Write, is promoting a countertop pen sanitizer that dispenses pens and cleans them with ultraviolet light.
Electric vehicles and self-driving car technology will be another key focus area at the show. Artificial intelligence, 5G wireless, smart homes and television advancements will share the limelight, too.
Plus, several CES panel discussions will look at what changes can be expected under the administration of incoming President Joe Biden. Particular attention will be paid to Biden’s views on trade and regulating Big Tech.
Chipmakers Have Big Presence At CES 2021
Suppliers of ingredient technologies for future products will be well represented at the virtual CES 2021. For instance, digital exhibitors will include chipmakers AMD, Analog Devices (ADI), Intel, ON Semiconductor (ON), Qorvo (QRVO), Skyworks Solutions (SWKS), STMicroelectronics (STM) and Texas Instruments (TXN).
CES 2021 likely will have a strong focus on technologies for businesses and other enterprises, DuBravac said. Companies are “looking for the next chapter of their digital transformations,” especially after the Covid-19 pandemic accelerated their plans, he said.
“I think this will be the most enterprise-focused CES we’ve ever had,” DuBravac said.
Follow Patrick Seitz on Twitter at @IBD_PSeitz for more stories on consumer technology, software and semiconductor stocks.
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