CES 2017: What is it and what to expect

The end of 2016 is almost upon us and that means CES is right around the corner.

The Consumer Electronics Show is one of the biggest tech events of the year, similar to Mobile World Congress, and we expect CES 2017 to showcase a lorry load of new gadgets, TVs, cars and initiatives that’ll take our breath away. It will also outline what to expect from the year ahead.

Here’s everything you need to know about CES 2017.

What is CES 2017?

CES – the Consumer Electronics Show – is a tech conference held in January in Las Vegas, Nevada, where companies hold keynotes and presentations, as well as staff show floor booths, with the purpose of announcing and demoing new tech. It’s been an annual event since 2004. CES 2016 was a record-breaking year, with a total attendance of 177,393. The exhibition space spanned 2.47 million net square feet.

When is CES 2017?

This year’s show will be held from 3 January to 8 January 2017, although most of the breaking news will occur within the first day or so. The official press days for CES 2017 are 3 and 4 January, which is when you can expect the major press conferences and big announcements.

Which companies will be at CES 2017?

Well, on 3 January, aka Media Day of CES 2017, the following companies are scheduled to give keynotes: Qualcomm, LG, Bosch, Panasonic, TCL, Hisense, Casio, Samsung, Hyundai, Intel, ZTE Corporation, and Sony.

What will be announced at CES 2017?

Virtual reality

Microsoft

Microsoft recently announced budget VR headsets were coming with support for the Windows 10 Creator Update. We therefore might see Windows 10 VR headsets from HP, Dell, Lenovo, Asus, and Acer – alongside laptops, monitors, and desktops. HTC might even unveil a standalone, wire-free version of the HTC Vive, which is codenamed Oasis, at CES 2017. 

Televisions

LG

Last year, we saw Ultra HD 4L displays from Sony, LG, Philips, Samsung, Panasonic, Hisense, and TCL, so we expect to see these same companies refresh their ranges for 2017.

Automobiles

1. We founded a company. #FaradayFuture2. We created a concept. #FFZERO13. We joined a race. #FormulaE4. We unveil the future. #CES2017 pic.twitter.com/TVk3gZ2Dey

— Faraday Future (@FaradayFuture) October 19, 2016

Similar to televisions, cars are usually a big hit at CES, with last year’s show bringing us concepts from BMW, Volkswagen, Chevrolet, and more. Faraday Future is already teasing a few concepts it might unveil at CES 2017.

Drones

Pocket-lint

Drones made a big splash at the last show – especially the fixed-wing, autopilot Parrot Disco. We therefore expect to see more drones this year.

Smartphones

Pocket-lint

We saw the reveal of the Huawei Mate 8 at CES 2016, but the Chinese firm has already previewed the Huawei Mate 9. It’ll be interesting to see what other companies plan to use CES 2017 to announce new phones, if any.

Wearables

Samsung and Fitbit could use CES 2017 to update their wrist wearables. We’ll know more in the coming weeks.

Want to know more?

Follow our CES 2017 hub for all the latest.