Updated: CES 2016: Everything you need to know before the big show

CES 2016 dates and latest news

CES 2016, the biggest tech show of next year, is right around the corner. Once we get through the slog/fun of the holidays, it's off to Vegas for a flurry of gizmos and gadgets.

To help you prepare for the show, we've gathered up all the essential information you need for CES 2016, including press conference and keynote dates, emerging trends and the latest news. On the pages that follow, we also take a stab at predicting what we'll see on the CES floor, during company pressers, and hiding behind closed doors.

Mixed in are rumors we've heard about the upcoming show. This is your one-stop shop for all things CES 2016!

Cut to the chase
What is it? The biggest consumer tech show of 2016
When is it? The show officially runs January 6 – January 9, 2016, with pre-show events happening, too
Where is it? Las Vegas, Nevada
Why is it such a big deal? Samsung, Sony, LG and dozens more will show off the next generation of must-have tech

Read on for all the latest, and let us know if you have your own predictions, hopes or fears (it is Vegas, after all) before CES 2016 gets off the ground.

Important dates, press conferences and keynotes

With hundreds of exhibitors bringing thousands of gadgets to every corner of Las Vegas (and we mean every corner), it's important to know when to really pay attention. Techradar will be covering these happenings from the ground, so be sure to tune in then.

These are the confirmed press conferences and keynotes you need to know about, with dates and times:

Faraday Future press reveal: Monday, January 4, 7:30pm PT/10:30pm ET/3:30am GMT TuesdayNvidia press conference: Monday, January 4, 8pm PT/11pm ET/4am GMT Tuesday LG press conference: Tuesday, January 5, 8am PT/11am ET/4pm GMT Huawei press conference: Tuesday, January 5, 10am PT/1pm ET/6pm GMTPanasonic press conference: Tuesday, January 5, 10am PT/1pm ET/6pm GMTTCL press conference: Tuesday, January 5, 11am PT/2pm ET/7pm GMT Qualcomm press conference: Tuesday, January 5, 12pm PT/3pm ET/8pm GMT Toyota press conference: Tuesday, January 5, 1pm PT/4pm ET/9pm GMT Asus press conference: Tuesday, January 5, 1pm PT/4pm ET/9pm GMT Hisense press conference: Tuesday, January 5, 1pmPT/4pm ET/9pm GMT Samsung press conference: Tuesday, January 5, 2pm PT/5pm ET/10pm GMT ZTE press conference: Tuesday, January 5, 3pm PT/6pm ET/11pm GMT Dish and Sling TV press conference: Tuesday, January 5, 3pm PT/6pm ET/11pm GMT Kia press conference: Tuesday, January 5, 4pm PT/7pm ET/12am GMT Wednesday Sony press conference: Tuesday, January 5, 5pm PT/8pm ET/1am GMT Wednesday Intel keynote address with CEO Brian Krzanich: Tuesday, January 5, 6pm PT/9pm ET/2am GMT Wednesday Netflix keynote address with CEO Reed Hastings: Wednesday, January 6, 8:30am PT/11:30am ET/4:30pm GMT GM keynote address with CEO Mary Barra: Wednesday, January 6, 1pm PT/4pm ET/9pm GMT Samsung keynote address with CMO Dr. WP Hong: Thursday, January 7, 9am PT/12pm ET/5pm GMT YouTube keynote address with CBO Robert Kyncl: Thursday, January 7, 4:30pm PT/7:30pm ET/12:30am GMT Friday

Here are the latest CES 2016 developments:

We could be in for a true Tesla rival

A mysterious auto maker called Faraday Future is set to reveal a concept car at CES 2016. That in itself isn't that out of the ordinary, but when you factor in that the electric car maker seems to have its sights set on taking down Tesla and that a kind-of staggering amount of former Tesla employees now work at Faraday Future, you get a recipe for intrigue.

Faraday Future fashions itself as a company that focuses as much on technology as it does on making actual cars, and it has its hands in autonomous driving development, too. While "concept car" leaves room for everything from a cardboard cutout to a working machine, we might just get a glimpse at the next big thing in electric vehicles.

LG will show … stuff

We like a little mystery, and LG is giving plenty of it. The company has sent out invites to its CES 2016 press conference, and while it has told us the date, time and where to show up, that's all the bones we're getting.

We know the LG G4 maker will offer "a sneak peek at what's in store for 2016." And …well, that's about it. Years past, LG's marched out dazzling TVs and high-tech washing machines, so expect more of the same. But could we be in for some surprises, like a new smartwatch or other wearable? We'd expect something you can wear or put in your pocket at MWC 2016, but we'll cross our fingers for some exciting consumer tech from the Korean company. In the meantime, you can definitely expect LG to go toe-to-toe with Samsung and Sony for most innovative TV tech. That's pretty much a given.

Hisense plans to disrupt the TV biz

Hisense is hosting its CES presser on January 5 (go figure). But its tagline "where disruptive TV technology takes center stage" means we're definitely interested in what's to come from the Chinese firm's press conference. Plus, the company promises to "announce its biggest foray in the US market to date," a heady promise but one that could be a boon for the US TV market.

In the past, Hisense has shown decent TVs at affordable prices, though none have ever really made a splash in the US. With 22 new models planned for reveal, including 4K and the company's proprietary ULED technology, as well as "disruptive values and mass availability of HDR technology," this could be the year that Hisense really makes a name for itself.

There's also a partnership with Sharp at the Hisense booth that will yield new picture tech, an expanded 4K range and streamlined smart TV platform. We're not holding our breath that Hisense (or Sharp) will blow us away, but we'll definitely be paying attention.

Nvidia to talk about autonomous driving

Nvidia's CES 2016 press conference is slated for the evening of January 4, and it's then the computing parts maker will talk about something it's clearly passionate about: cars. Autonomous cars, to be specific.

The company is inviting attendees to hear CEO Jen-Hsun Huang unveil "what's next in autonomous driving." Nvidia has focused on this very topic before, but it seems this CES, its prepared to show off its most exciting innovation yet.

We'll also be on the look out of its next-gen Tegra chip as well as any other advancements in the world of gaming that are of note.

Huawei will show us what's next

Chinese phone maker Huawei is gearing up to show its latest wares at CES 2016. The company's press conference is slated for Tuesday, November 5 at 10am local time. Richard Yu, CEO of Huawei's Consumer Business Group, will lead a cadre of other execs as they run through the firms "newest portfolio of devices."

The theme of the press conference (besides new devices) is to showcase how Huawei continues "to inspire creativity with technologies that make people's live more connected and convenient." Hmm, could that mean a new wearable is on the docket? It seems a logical choice for a "more connected and convenient" human experience.

Huawei is also doing some progressive work on faster-charging batteries – could it be ready to show a phone with such a juicer at CES 2016? We very much hope so.

Sony CES 2016 press conference – what we know so far

Sony wants us to save the date for Tuesday, November 5 at 5pm local time. That's when it will hold its big press conference in its booth on the CES show floor.

We already have some idea what we're in for thanks to the company's invite (seen above). We expect TVs (duh), tablets, cameras and camcorders, as well as wearables and a phone. Whether this phone is one currently on the market (like the Xperia Z5) or a new one altogether, we'll have to wait and see. Or, we can peak behind closed doors.

More on Sony's CES 2016 press conference plansNetflix and YouTube's big moment

Streaming media is certainly going to be a major topic at CES 2016. YouTube Chief Business Officer Robert Kyncl is slated to give a keynote speech in Vegas, one day after Netflix CEO Reed Hastings offers his insights on stage.

Given that media is moving online and consumers are looking for more reliable and affordable streaming options, it makes sense the two of the top dogs of the industry will offer their insights.

Netflix has made a splash at past CESes (including the 2015 edition), so it seems only fitting that Hastings will give a keynote speech at the 2016 show. Hastings is scheduled to speak on Wednesday, January 6, and will discuss Netflix's plan to go global by the end of 2016. We think he'll discuss original content that's region-specific, as well as pricing and how to keep Netflix growing without sacrificing quality.

Cars and VR will take center stage

Beyond streaming, two central focuses of CES 2016 will be virtual reality and cars. On the VR front, the organizing body behind CES is expanding its Gaming & Virtual Reality Marketplace. More than 40 exhibitors will show off their VR systems and environments, as well as gaming hardware, software and accessories designed for all device types. Sounds fun, if you ask us.

In addition to Sony, which has a PlayStation VR headset, we wouldn't be surprised if Oculus took the opportunity of the whole world watching to discuss its Oculus Rift headset. With a launch timeframe of Q1 2016 we don't expect an exact release date to be revealed at CES, but we do expect more details, including announcements about content and/or services coming to the headset via company partnerships.

As for auto tech, CES 2016 is expanding its car-related show floor exhibits by 25% compared to CES 2015. Audi, BMW, Chrysler, GM, Ford, Hyundai, Mercedes, Toyota and Volkswagen will all be at the show, while Delphi will use the conference to celebrate its 20th anniversary by bringing its first concept vehicle to CES.

The newest addition to the techradar team is Auto Editor Tuan Huynh, who's currently deployed at the LA Auto Show. You can expect plenty of on-the-ground insights from Tuan about the cars and car tech of CES 2016.

Social help

We'll constantly update this page with the latest news, rumors and predictions. But we also wanted to share the official CES 2016 hashtag, so you know just what to search for on Twitter and Facebook for all the latest show news (besides following @techradar, of course).

It's pretty darn easy to remember: just type in "#ces2016″ and you'll open up a world of posts related to the show.

CES 2016 rumors and predictions

By Lily Prasuethsut and Farrha Khan

Now that we're mere weeks away from CES 2016, it's time we starting talking about everything we expect to see.

The casino-laden town of Las Vegas will once again play host to the show, which kicks off January 6 and runs through January 9. Of course, there will be pre-show happenings as well, including press day on Tuesday, January 5.

While it typically takes a long while before we see products announced at CES make it onto store shelves, it's never too soon to start sniffing out the goods when it comes to trends, and the next hot piece of tech.

So here's what we think we'll see at CES early next year. We'll keep this article constantly updated to make sure you're up to date on the latest phones, tablets, TVs, wearables, virtual reality and car rumors and predictions leading up to the most massive tech show of 2016.

Phones

CES 2015 saw the release of the LG G Flex 2 , which made huge waves at the show. That's largely due to the fact that LG was the only large company to release a new flagship device at CES.

Of course, we haven't heard much from the LG camp about an LG G Flex 3, but it's possible that other phone makers may jump in to grab the bragging rights for the best mobile phone to come outta Vegas.

Still, don't get your hopes up too high: it isn't typical for companies to show new phones at CES, as most wait for Mobile World Congress, held in March.

Any handset we do see at CES 2016 will be released into the world of the iPhone 6S, Samsung Galaxy S6 and Nexus 6P, among many other new phones, so competition will be stiff.

Tablets

CES 2015 also saw a dearth of memorable tablets. Dell had its Venue 8 7000 on hand, but the slate didn't make a huge splash. That didn't stop us from loving the heck out of the surprisingly thin-bezeled beauty, despite its steep price.

The Lenovo Yoga Tablet 2 with AnyPen was another tab from the show, but mostly notable for its gimmicky fork-on-screen demo.

As with CES 2015, we do expect more tablet gimmicks during the 2016 edition, but what we'd really like to see are slates with impressive features, too.

Of course, by the time CES 2016 rolls around, we'll have had plenty of time with the iPad Pro and iPad mini 4, so we'd like to see tablets that stack up against Apple's offering. Samsung usually has some new Galaxy tabs for us, although any slates it shows will likely be simply updated versions of the current lineup rather than all-new tablets.

And with Windows 10 out in the wild, don't be surprised if a few new tablets emerge from CES 2016 carrying Microsoft's new OS. Those are devices we'd definitely like to see.

Wearables

Just like virtual reality, wearables have certainly taken off. We've witnessed the Apple Watch bring high-end smartwatches to the masses, and seen sensor-packed fitness trackers like the Microsoft Band 2 arrive.

While a few years ago smartphones still rendered smartwatches superfluous, now smartwatches and fitness trackers are becoming even more commonplace, and in fact, take on much of the role of smartphones.

It should come as no surprise then that at CES 2016 there will be an entire area at the Venetian dedicated to wearables and fashion-oriented tech. So, what could next year possibly bring?

A lot more wearables, of course, and they'll all be better… we hope.

The Pebble Steel was revealed at CES 2015, and the Pebble Time shortly afterwards. As a regular CES fixture, we fully expect Pebble to reveal a new smartwatch – one that's different from anything it's done before – at CES 2016.

Smartwatches and fitness trackers from Samsung, Sony and LG are also on our radar. With higher-end wearables that can do more, like the LG G Watch Urbane LTE, Samsung Gear S2 and Moto 360 (2015), coming from nearly every major and minor tech company on the planet, and with second- and third-gen iterations arriving at a rapid clip, new wearables, including never-before-seen concepts, are very likely to show their faces at CES 2016.

Expect a lot of fitness trackers at CES 2016, too, as we do know that companies such as FitBit will be exhibiting in January. Fitness trackers will need to take on smartwatches, which include a lot of fitness-tracking features already but in a more fashion-forward package.

But since smartwatches aren't known (yet) for their accuracy when it comes to fitness-tracking, we would like to see increased accuracy as a focus for both standalone fitness trackers and smartwatches.

CES 2016 rumors and predictions continuedVirtual reality

Virtual and augmented reality are inching ever closer to the mainstream, and some headsets are even heading out to consumers soon. We already know VR will be a main focus at CES 2016, but what exactly do we expect to see?

While we haven't heard about any headset specifically coming to CES 2016, we wouldn't be surprised to hear word on the HTC Vive (which may be getting Half-Life 3), Oculus Rift, PlayStation VR, Samsung Gear VR and more.

And who knows – feeling the pressure to bring its HoloLens out of the shadows, Microsoft could take along its AR viewer and demonstrate its real-world applications beyond gaming.

There's also the matter of smaller firms getting into the VR and AR space, and with more room to roam this coming year, look for inventive headsets and all-new experiences from companies you've probably never heard of.

Of course, with all these VR and AR hardware options, we expect there to be more in the way of 360-degree video capture, with GoPro likely to lead the way. GoPro has created its own 360-degree VR video rigs, while third parties will likely have more of their own options, too.

As one of the fastest-growing spaces in tech, it feels only right that VR and AR would have a healthy presence at CES 2016. We want to see how the already-announced headsets continue to grow in usefulness and power, as well as the new devices that lesser-known names are cooking up.

TVs

If someone asks you what tech is at the heart of CES, the answer is easy: TVs. Just about all the big names try to outdo one another with the latest and greatest in television innovation.

How can we forget the LG 77eg9900 4K Flexible OLED TV? It was bold, it was big and it was expensive (all very suited to Sin City). Or Samsung's new SUHD curved TV, if only for its unique name?

Previous years made a big fuss over curved and folding displays, and the perennial favorite 4K. 2015 was all about Quantum Dots, like the LG UF9400, and weird acronyms à la Samsung's JS9500 SUHD 4K TV.

It won't surprise us to see more bendy sets in 2016, and probably at a lower price. We'll likely see TVs pushing 8K and HDR tech, with SUHD tech mixed in as well, even though 4K television content has only just started to become more available, with companies like Netflix beginning to shoot shows in native 4K.

Either way, model names will probably be very long, very confusing and full of acronyms at CES 2016.

While we can expect some next-level hardware innovations, perhaps CES 2016 is the best time for TV services and streaming boxes to shine.

We saw a plethora of streaming services and set-tops at CES 2015 and throughout the year – Sling TV, Amazon Fire TV, Razer Forge TV, Nvidia Shield, Showtime, and HBO Now just to name a few. The popularity of Google's Chromecast has brought a deluge of new streaming sticks, too.

Sony has also stepped into streaming with its own in-house service, PlayStation Vue, which is now available on the PS3, PS4 and Amazon devices. The Xbox One also now has Sling TV.

Could the next CES see even more from players not already in the game? If they don't show up by Christmas, then 2016 is where we'll see 'em.

Laptops

Laptops tend to show up to CES in droves. 2015 saw the debut of a beautiful entry from Dell – an updated Dell XPS 13. It seems the company is headed in a bright direction by moving towards nearly bezel-less screens and excellent all-around design, which is something we're expecting to see again on the 2016 show floor.

Lenovo's LaVie Z was also a hit earlier this year, weighing practically nothing and claiming to be the 'world's lightest laptop'. We were impressed, although not bowled over because of its meagre battery life and price. Still, at 1.72 lbs (0.78 kg) it's lighter than the new MacBook, which comes in at 2 lbs (0.9 kg).

Speaking of the new Apple laptop, the buzz over one USB-C port is sure to reset the market in a meaningful way. Thin, lightweight and portable design is in more than ever with laptops, and it will be a race to win against the featherweights at this coming show.

The most influential computing advancement released in the lead-up to CES 2016 is Windows 10, so we're guaranteed to see numerous laptops launch at the show sporting Microsoft's latest OS. We're likely in for some tablets and 2-in-1s that aim to dethrone the Surface Pro 4 and Surface Book as the most premium and potent W10 productivity machines as well.

A nice surprise would be a new Lumia phone from Microsoft. With Windows 10 Mobile inching ever closer to release, why not debut a new phone at the biggest tech show of 2016? Just sayin'.

Source link

Read more on this >> Tecspot Media Blog

Original source: Updated: CES 2016: Everything you need to know before the big show.