Here are my first thoughts on key trends we'll see in Vegas. What are the top five trends you are expecting at CES?
Smart TV rebounds as Android TV as Manufacturers Race Against Apple
Over a year ago Eric Schmidt claimed that by the summer 2012 “the majority of televisions will have Google TV embedded .” Google TV was panned as a flop as Google struggled to integrate and launch fully baked services with partners. CES 2012 will show Schmidt was right, but not in the way he expected.
Google has become a force in TVs and other home consumer electronics through the embedded Linux community’s adoption of Android. Most major manufacturers will debut Android powered HDTVs—but still little to no Google TV 2.0 design elements.
The companies debuting smart TVs at CES are racing against Apple’s long-rumored move into TVs. If Apple is in fact releasing a smart HDTV product in 2012, these companies will be ready with their own models built around Android.
Voice
With Nuance snapping up Vlingo, and Siri dominating the iPhone4GS story, voice interface will be a big story at CES.
Tablets Redux
As iPad continues to dominate the tablet space, we will continue to see every manufacturer seek to create demand through feature innovation. Look for examples such as the Asus Eee Transformer as Tablets continue to take over the netbook, ultra portable, and lower-end laptop segments. Manufacturers will emphasize dockable keyboards, slim casing, quad-core, and ICS.
A notable exception is Amazon. The Kindle Fire currently getting all the attention, and CES may also see the introduction of other content-subsidized device models.
What else have I missed?
