DIpil Das
The Coresight Research team is attending CES (formerly the Consumer Electronics Show) in Las Vegas, US, this week, with the exhibits running during January 5–7, 2022. CES is one of the world’s largest trade shows, attracting 100,000 attendees in pre-pandemic years. This year, the show is still expecting roughly 2,100 exhibitors.
In this report, we present our top 10 insights from the media days of CES 2022, held on January 3–4.
How enhanced connectivity powers the digital economy
Source: CTA [/caption] 2. Qualcomm Aims To Use Fixed 5G Wireless To Offer “Wireless Fiber” Connectivity Historically, one of the main benefits of wireless technology has been mobility—i.e., accessing the network while moving or from any location—while fixed-line technologies such as copper cable or fiber optics offered much greater bandwidth. The benefits of 5G wireless technology are shattering this thinking, offering the low latency (delays in accessing the network) needed for streaming, sports, news and gaming, plus high data rates, leading to the term “wireless fiber.” One catalyst is millimeter-wave wireless frequencies (which refers to the wavelengths of the radio waves), which can be deployed on corporate campuses and in offices and stream multimedia across various types of devices. Qualcomm announced an agreement with telecommunications company AT&T to use its 5G technology for backhaul (to connect mobile base stations to the network) and for broadband access. [caption id="attachment_138902" align="aligncenter" width="700"]
Qualcomm CEO Cristiano Amon discusses wireless fiber connectivity
Source: Coresight Research [/caption] 3. The Building Blocks for the Metaverse Are Already Here Notwithstanding the current excitement and astronomical figures being assigned to NFTs (non-fungible tokens) and land in virtual enclaves, the promise for the metaverse rests on a solid foundation, with companies developing solutions that employ hardware, games/software and cryptocurrencies, in addition to other technologies such as haptics and virtual-reality video.
Companies’ approaches toward developing the metaverse
Source: CTA [/caption] 4. Mental Wellness Has Emerged as a Major Healthcare Theme Amid the Pandemic Mental wellness has come to the forefront of many people’s minds due to the ongoing stress and challenges caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, and 52% of adults are likely or very likely to use health tech in the future to improve their overall wellbeing, according to a December 2021 survey conducted as part of the CTA Mental Wellness Technology Landscape. Mental wellness technology takes many forms, including online counseling and therapy platforms; mindfulness and meditation apps; sleep monitoring; smart or connected health products and digital therapeutics; and telemedicine and virtual care visits. 5. Intel Hinted at Gaming as a Key Driver of Performance (and Possibly the Metaverse) On the surface, Intel announced a 12th generation of processors, discussed an interesting acquisition, and provided an update on its Mobileye autonomous vehicle division; however, gaming was an important subtext in its processor announcements. Gaming constantly raises the performance requirements of PCs and graphics hardware, with gamers steadily wanting faster response times, higher refresh rates and more realistic graphics, which drives innovation in processors and graphics processing units. Interestingly, faster speeds and higher-quality graphics are at the same time enablers for the metaverse, which will require a great deal of processing and graphics power to render realistic new worlds in 3D.
Performance specs for Intel 12th Gen Intel Core Processors
Source: Company reports [/caption] 6. John Deere’s Autonomous Tractor Enables Farmers To Do More with Less Currently, the human population stands at 8 billion. By 2050, we will eclipse 10 billion. Our population is constantly expanding, and farmers must meet this growing population in order to feed the world around them. Farmers face challenges such as a decreasing amount of available land to farm and a shortage of available labor. Through the autonomous tractor, John Deere is providing a solution for farmers to meet increased demand with limited resources, according to the company. The autonomous tractor utilizes six stereo cameras to enable 360-degree obstacle detection in conjunction with AI (artificial intelligence) and machine learning for real-time data sharing. Through remote monitoring and management, the autonomous tractor automates both planting and harvesting. The tractor is able to automate the placement of seeds so that each seed is spaced equally and can further determine when each plant is a weed or a crop to determine if it should be sprayed with pesticide. By doing so, the autonomous tractor saves farmers time, energy and resources, allowing them to maximize output under circumstances of declining resources, John Deere emphasizes. 7. LG Smart Technology Is Driving Innovation for a Better Life LG showcased “innovation for a better life” during its virtual presentation at CES. “Innovation for a better life” is all about empowering consumers in their journey to obtain the life they deserve, and it encapsulates everything from personalization to optimization to wellness to sustainability. LG’s Smart Home Appliances can download and implement software updates just like smartphones can. Furthermore, a consumer has the ability to customize their appliances—such as setting a ringtone for when a washing machine is finished with its cycle. LG also showcased its OLED TV, which is made with fewer plastic components than conventional televisions. OLED TVs are offered with a plethora of services, such as the GeForce cloud gaming platform, LG Fitness and 1M Home Dance. Most notably, LG’s OLED TV can now provide telehealth services, meeting the ongoing focus on wellness by consumers. 8. Pollsters, Journalists and Marketing and Advertising Professionals Can Deploy Easy-to-Use Analytical Tools for Consumer Demand Modeling Advanced Symbiotics’ improved AskPolly platform gathers insights from target audiences to inform campaign strategy and execution, as well as predict how a planned or unplanned scenario will affect a brand. Applications include identifying the best time to release a new product and how customers will respond to a change in prices, products, services, or competitive or regulatory environment. According to the company, the platform aims to track trends and map out a strategy to make consumer demanding modeling as simple as conducting a search on an Internet search engine. 9. Hyundai Is Developing Mobile and Robotics Solutions To Interconnect the Physical and Virtual Worlds Automotive manufacturer Hyundai’s presentation at CES 2022 centered around mobility solutions, robots and their interconnection in the metaverse, rather than on traditional passenger vehicles. As part of its mission to help humanity, Hyundai is developing robots as companions that improve safety, productivity and quality of life for humans. Robots can go where humans cannot; for example, the company’s robots are active at Chernobyl, Ukraine, which is too dangerous for humans. Robots represent just one of the mobility solutions that Hyundai is developing, which include people movers, modular mobility modules that can move furniture, and “wearable robots” (exoskeletons). These robots and mobility solutions can be operated remotely—for example, in performing factory repair work in a distant or remote location. Their connection with virtuality would enable participants in the virtual world to move around and manipulate objects in the physical world, representing the ability to make changes from within the metaverse. 10. Samsung Stresses Sustainability, Connectivity and Customization in Its Consumer Electronics Lines Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman and CEO Jong-Hee Han highlighted the company’s successes in reducing carbon emissions, offering recyclable packaging, reducing energy in its solar energy-powered remote controls, and other sustainability goals such as improving its products to use zero power in standby mode. The company is enhancing communication and connectivity by offering its own gaming platform and dedicated monitors that enable players to chat on video while playing, in addition to connecting more of its appliances to the Internet and creating a standards group with other makers of appliances and heating/cooling equipment. Finally, Samsung is offering new, unusual colors for its appliances (such as clementine) and the ability for consumers to personalize their colors to match their living spaces. [caption id="attachment_138905" align="aligncenter" width="701"]
Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman and CEO Jong-Hee Han discusses Samsung’s advanced technologies
Source: Coresight Research [/caption]
CES 2022 Media Days: Coresight Research Insights
1. The Advancement of 5G Wireless Will Be Powered by Enterprises, Not by the Consumer Steve Koenig, VP of Research at the Consumer Technology Association (CTA), commented in his “Trends to Watch” presentation that the advancement of 5G wireless will be powered by enterprises—a divergence from 4G and prior generations of connectivity that have been driven by the consumer. He said that the standards for the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) would be finalized in the second quarter of 2022, which would unleash the building blocks to unlock the enormous potential value of IIoT. [caption id="attachment_138901" align="aligncenter" width="700"] How enhanced connectivity powers the digital economy Source: CTA [/caption] 2. Qualcomm Aims To Use Fixed 5G Wireless To Offer “Wireless Fiber” Connectivity Historically, one of the main benefits of wireless technology has been mobility—i.e., accessing the network while moving or from any location—while fixed-line technologies such as copper cable or fiber optics offered much greater bandwidth. The benefits of 5G wireless technology are shattering this thinking, offering the low latency (delays in accessing the network) needed for streaming, sports, news and gaming, plus high data rates, leading to the term “wireless fiber.” One catalyst is millimeter-wave wireless frequencies (which refers to the wavelengths of the radio waves), which can be deployed on corporate campuses and in offices and stream multimedia across various types of devices. Qualcomm announced an agreement with telecommunications company AT&T to use its 5G technology for backhaul (to connect mobile base stations to the network) and for broadband access. [caption id="attachment_138902" align="aligncenter" width="700"]
Qualcomm CEO Cristiano Amon discusses wireless fiber connectivity Source: Coresight Research [/caption] 3. The Building Blocks for the Metaverse Are Already Here Notwithstanding the current excitement and astronomical figures being assigned to NFTs (non-fungible tokens) and land in virtual enclaves, the promise for the metaverse rests on a solid foundation, with companies developing solutions that employ hardware, games/software and cryptocurrencies, in addition to other technologies such as haptics and virtual-reality video.
- Looking at hardware, Hyundai Mobis is enabling CES 2022 attendees to create their own avatar to test drive a virtual Hyundai.
- Gaming already inhabits virtual worlds, in which players can adorn their avatars with virtual clothing.
- Cryptocurrencies are the favored means to make purchases in the metaverse, and Koenig characterized crypto as “the coin of the virtual realm.”
Companies’ approaches toward developing the metaverse Source: CTA [/caption] 4. Mental Wellness Has Emerged as a Major Healthcare Theme Amid the Pandemic Mental wellness has come to the forefront of many people’s minds due to the ongoing stress and challenges caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, and 52% of adults are likely or very likely to use health tech in the future to improve their overall wellbeing, according to a December 2021 survey conducted as part of the CTA Mental Wellness Technology Landscape. Mental wellness technology takes many forms, including online counseling and therapy platforms; mindfulness and meditation apps; sleep monitoring; smart or connected health products and digital therapeutics; and telemedicine and virtual care visits. 5. Intel Hinted at Gaming as a Key Driver of Performance (and Possibly the Metaverse) On the surface, Intel announced a 12th generation of processors, discussed an interesting acquisition, and provided an update on its Mobileye autonomous vehicle division; however, gaming was an important subtext in its processor announcements. Gaming constantly raises the performance requirements of PCs and graphics hardware, with gamers steadily wanting faster response times, higher refresh rates and more realistic graphics, which drives innovation in processors and graphics processing units. Interestingly, faster speeds and higher-quality graphics are at the same time enablers for the metaverse, which will require a great deal of processing and graphics power to render realistic new worlds in 3D.
- Screenovate, which was acquired in December 2021, enables graphics and files to be shared seamlessly among various brands of laptops, tablets, smartphones and smartwatches.
- MobilEye continues to increase the power and sign up new customers for its autonomous driving platform, demonstrating how crowdsourced maps help autonomous vehicles navigate country roads that lack a central line to separate a road into driving lanes.
Performance specs for Intel 12th Gen Intel Core Processors Source: Company reports [/caption] 6. John Deere’s Autonomous Tractor Enables Farmers To Do More with Less Currently, the human population stands at 8 billion. By 2050, we will eclipse 10 billion. Our population is constantly expanding, and farmers must meet this growing population in order to feed the world around them. Farmers face challenges such as a decreasing amount of available land to farm and a shortage of available labor. Through the autonomous tractor, John Deere is providing a solution for farmers to meet increased demand with limited resources, according to the company. The autonomous tractor utilizes six stereo cameras to enable 360-degree obstacle detection in conjunction with AI (artificial intelligence) and machine learning for real-time data sharing. Through remote monitoring and management, the autonomous tractor automates both planting and harvesting. The tractor is able to automate the placement of seeds so that each seed is spaced equally and can further determine when each plant is a weed or a crop to determine if it should be sprayed with pesticide. By doing so, the autonomous tractor saves farmers time, energy and resources, allowing them to maximize output under circumstances of declining resources, John Deere emphasizes. 7. LG Smart Technology Is Driving Innovation for a Better Life LG showcased “innovation for a better life” during its virtual presentation at CES. “Innovation for a better life” is all about empowering consumers in their journey to obtain the life they deserve, and it encapsulates everything from personalization to optimization to wellness to sustainability. LG’s Smart Home Appliances can download and implement software updates just like smartphones can. Furthermore, a consumer has the ability to customize their appliances—such as setting a ringtone for when a washing machine is finished with its cycle. LG also showcased its OLED TV, which is made with fewer plastic components than conventional televisions. OLED TVs are offered with a plethora of services, such as the GeForce cloud gaming platform, LG Fitness and 1M Home Dance. Most notably, LG’s OLED TV can now provide telehealth services, meeting the ongoing focus on wellness by consumers. 8. Pollsters, Journalists and Marketing and Advertising Professionals Can Deploy Easy-to-Use Analytical Tools for Consumer Demand Modeling Advanced Symbiotics’ improved AskPolly platform gathers insights from target audiences to inform campaign strategy and execution, as well as predict how a planned or unplanned scenario will affect a brand. Applications include identifying the best time to release a new product and how customers will respond to a change in prices, products, services, or competitive or regulatory environment. According to the company, the platform aims to track trends and map out a strategy to make consumer demanding modeling as simple as conducting a search on an Internet search engine. 9. Hyundai Is Developing Mobile and Robotics Solutions To Interconnect the Physical and Virtual Worlds Automotive manufacturer Hyundai’s presentation at CES 2022 centered around mobility solutions, robots and their interconnection in the metaverse, rather than on traditional passenger vehicles. As part of its mission to help humanity, Hyundai is developing robots as companions that improve safety, productivity and quality of life for humans. Robots can go where humans cannot; for example, the company’s robots are active at Chernobyl, Ukraine, which is too dangerous for humans. Robots represent just one of the mobility solutions that Hyundai is developing, which include people movers, modular mobility modules that can move furniture, and “wearable robots” (exoskeletons). These robots and mobility solutions can be operated remotely—for example, in performing factory repair work in a distant or remote location. Their connection with virtuality would enable participants in the virtual world to move around and manipulate objects in the physical world, representing the ability to make changes from within the metaverse. 10. Samsung Stresses Sustainability, Connectivity and Customization in Its Consumer Electronics Lines Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman and CEO Jong-Hee Han highlighted the company’s successes in reducing carbon emissions, offering recyclable packaging, reducing energy in its solar energy-powered remote controls, and other sustainability goals such as improving its products to use zero power in standby mode. The company is enhancing communication and connectivity by offering its own gaming platform and dedicated monitors that enable players to chat on video while playing, in addition to connecting more of its appliances to the Internet and creating a standards group with other makers of appliances and heating/cooling equipment. Finally, Samsung is offering new, unusual colors for its appliances (such as clementine) and the ability for consumers to personalize their colors to match their living spaces. [caption id="attachment_138905" align="aligncenter" width="701"]
Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman and CEO Jong-Hee Han discusses Samsung’s advanced technologies Source: Coresight Research [/caption]