CES 2019 is one of the best media opportunities you’ll have all year. You can gain broad national and international exposure, and it can kickstart momentum that can carry your PR and content plans well into the year.
One of the most tried-and-true strategies for media coverage at CES is to place your company and your product smack dab in the middle of a trend, especially one that’s already on the media’s radar.
With that in mind, we scoured the CES previews popping up from TechCrunch, CNET, Digital Trends, and other major tech media to compile a list of the trends and storylines we can expect to see at CES 2019. How can your company position itself among these trends?
1) 5G goes from hype to reality
CNET:
- “There is little doubt that 5G … is the key game-changing technology for 2019. But just how many 5G-compatible devices will we see in the new year, and how disruptive will it really be?“
- “In fact, I anticipate that’s going to be the big story here: 5G’s role beyond mobile. The big carriers — AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile and Sprint — are intent on demonstrating how the faster technology will keep us gulp more connected than ever. That’s going to apply to everything from enterprise products to health-monitoring wearables and smart home devices.”
- “I don’t expect to see too many 5G-enabled gadgets at the show … but I do expect to hear concrete plans from the giants leading the charge in 5G, including companies like Qualcomm and T-Mobile. … This ain’t hype anymore, folks.”
Opportunity: If you have a 5G-compatible device or are planning one, you have what’s set to be the story of the show.
2) Privacy and security fall under the microscope
CNET:
- “CES isn’t a security conference per se, but the show is awash with devices that rely on ubiquitous connectivity, always-on microphones and face-recognizing cameras — to name just a few — to work their magic.”
- “The industry is great at making these devices and services must-have products in tens of millions of homes — but is it actually doing anything to protect this trove of data it’s amassing?”
Tom’s Guide:
- “Companies will, or should, stress the privacy and security of their smart home devices; expect these companies to emphasize that their products won’t snoop on you or allow others access or insight as to what you’re doing in your home.”
Opportunity: Nail down a privacy and security policy that’s a step above the rest of the industry.
3) Smart home devices continue to multiply
TechCrunch:
- “From door locks to cameras to microwave to wall clocks — if you can name it, there will be a smart version at CES this year.”
Tom’s Guide:
- “While there will be plenty of smart plugs, switches, robot vacuums and appliances, expect to see a greater emphasis on the AIs behind these devices and how those smarts can make all those devices work together. And what benefit will these assistants provide to the consumer?”
Opportunity: It’s a crowded space, and whether it’s with integration or another avenue, you have to set your device apart.
4) Gaming gets even more immersive
Business Insider:
- “Many companies are attending CES 2019 with the intention to make games bigger, better, and more immersive.”
- “Expect plenty of companies talking about new ways to experience games, including virtual and augmented reality, as well as new components to make playing easier and smoother, like new chips and accessories.”
- “Gaming laptops were also a big trend at CES 2018, so expect even more of them this year.”
- “The annual Las Vegas conference has become home to all sorts of PC gaming announcements. It’s where we get to see the results of beefier graphics, conceptual and experimental PC designs, and ever-bigger and more beautiful 4K displays.”
- “Facebook’s Oculus, HTC Vive and Magic Leap announced or unveiled major products in 2018, making significant updates this month unlikely. However, we may see incremental advances, including better tracking hardware as well as third-party VR and AR accessories — think gaming blaster guns and exercise equipment.”
Opportunity: While a lot of the big gaming announcements come out of E3 and other major gaming shows, AR and VR advances have been a consistent draw at CES.
5) Up-and-coming companies show off what’s new
CNET:
- “Look to scrappy companies at startup-heavy Eureka Park and vendors at Tech West at the Sands Expo Center to infuse the 2019 CES with an energy that may well be lacking at the megabooths of the Las Vegas Convention Center, where bigger names are more likely to punt product launches to their own events later this year.”
Opportunity: You don’t need a big name to get big coverage. You do need a great product and an introduction to the right reporters.
Other perennial CES favorites you can expect to earn coverage include health tech, AI, car tech, and massive new TVs, among others.
We’ll be on the show floor helping clients connect with media, creating content, and otherwise boosting their presence at the show.
If you have any questions about how to get your company into more news stories in 2019 or want to talk through your post-CES PR and content plans, drop us a line and we’ll see if we can meet up at the show.