What We Hope to See at CES 2016

CES 2016 is rapidly approaching and there’s no doubt that many of the leading technology manufacturers from all around the world will be there, showing off their latest wares. CES is no stranger to huge product launches and reveals, but without many hints at what we will actually see at the event, which is due to kick off in the first week of January next year, here’s a quick run down of what I’m hoping to see. Of course, these aren’t so much predictions, as wishful thinking, but I like to think I’ve been going to CES for long enough to make an educated guess of how things will go down.

Cheaper 4K Displays

This one is obvious, some of the first 4K displays in the world were first seen at CES, then the year after, we saw them finally dropping down below $1000 both in the home cinema and desktop display markets. Panel production is quickly ramping up and the hardware is becoming more consumer friendly by the day, with increasing levels of content and more so, 4K gaming capable PC hardware.

Ultra HD Blu-Ray Players

Ultra HD is coming, with the first prototype player being shown at CES 2015 and Computex 2015. The format officially launches in January and discs will be available at retail, so that means we need consumer ready players and CES is the perfect launch pad for them. Expect all the big names, Sony, Samsung, Panasonic and many others to have something ready to show off and bundle with their 4KTV ranges throughout 2016.

VR

Oculus, Vive, PlayStation VR and about a dozen others are set to fully launch throughout 2016, so you can bet they’ll all have something to show. We’re nearing the end of the first wave of development for consumer VR and that means they’ve got one big show to say “we’re better at this than the other guy!” Personally, I’m thinking Oculus will be the front-runner, but Vive is certainly the strongest contender to take them down a few pegs.

Wearable Tech

Smart watches, clothes, shoes, glasses, the list goes on and on. There’s no doubt that the market is crammed with wearable tech right now, but for me, even the most recent wearable tech such as the Apple Watch and well, any smartwatch actually, has done little to excite me or make me feel compelled to reach for my credit card. This year, I’m hoping to see something really worthwhile in this part of the market. Lighter, faster, more features and longer battery life, that’s where this market needs to go.

Everything Else

Faster processors, more powerful graphics cards, new feature packed motherboards, innovative CPU coolers, kick-ass PC cases and so much more, this much is pretty much a given for any big technology event. What we will see will no doubt features dozens of amazing products and you can rest assured that we’ll be there in Las Vegas bringing you the latest.

What are you hoping to see revealed or launched at CES 2016?