Pandemic to dim CES attendance, but drive tech industry growth

Consumers volition walk much than $500 cardinal connected high-tech products and services this year, and galore of them volition beryllium connected show at CES this week.

Steve Koenig, vice president of marketplace probe for the Consumer Technology Association, operators of CES, connected Monday outlined tech trends that are driving improvement and concern successful the manufacture that hosts its yearly showcase successful Las Vegas.

The three-day planetary consumer electronics amusement — cut backmost from an archetypal four-day run — opens Wednesday astatine respective normal venues crossed the metropolis and is being offered virtually.

More than 170,000 radical person attended CES successful erstwhile years, but aft respective ample tech companies backed retired of in-person attendance, it has acceptable the code for a subdued gathering this year.

COVID spurs manufacture growth

While the pandemic is expected to support thousands distant from this year’s show, Koenig said the dispersed of COVID-19 has helped thrust maturation successful the industry.

“The planetary signifier for innovation is accelerated during a crisis,” helium said.

That seems to beryllium the lawsuit successful caller years with beardown request for tech products expanding from $316 cardinal successful 2017 to $505 cardinal expected successful 2022.

The request is occurring connected aggregate fronts, helium said.

Growth is expected for notebook, tablet and laptop computers, astute appliances, astute watches and different wearable devices, astute speakers, ultra high-definition televisions and crippled consoles.

Eight online subscriptions

Research commissioned by the relation says the mean user subscribes to 8 antithetic types of online services specified arsenic streaming, wellness and manner services and nutrient transportation — each increasing arsenic a effect of manner changes caused by the pandemic.

Koenig noted that Netflix has 214 cardinal subscribers; Amazon Prime Video has 175 cardinal subscribers; Disney Plus has 118 cardinal subscribers; and Apple TV’s subscriber number is 20 million.

U.S. households proceed to acquisition much contented done online transportation platforms. Total spending connected streaming services and bundle is expected to scope $130 cardinal successful 2022, up 6 percent implicit 2021.

Spending connected video streaming services is expected to scope $47 cardinal successful 2022, up 7 percent implicit 2021.

Streaming services that connection music, audiobooks and podcasts volition spot consumers walk $12.9 cardinal successful 2022, up 15 percent implicit past year.

Consumer spending connected gaming software, including downloads, crippled streaming services and in-game purchases, volition emergence 5 percent to $53.6 cardinal this year.

Automotive rebounding

Automotive technology, 1 of respective highlights of this year’s show, is rebounding aft being slowed by a planetary shortage of microchips needed for cars.

Factory-installed automotive tech is projected to scope $16 cardinal successful shipment revenues this year, a 7 percent summation from 2021. Demand for automotive tech is expanding arsenic car manufacturers nutrient much and proceed to make precocious operator assistance systems that marque vehicles much businesslike and safer.

The accomplishment of 5G successful smartphones is expected to scope 154.1 cardinal units — $74.7 cardinal successful shipment revenues — successful 2022, marking a 3 percent maturation from 2021. The upward inclination is driven by the expanding availability of 5G, arsenic 5G handsets volition marque up 73 percent of smartphone shipments, $61.37 cardinal successful revenues, this year.

Health merchandise demand

The request for wellness products volition proceed to ascent done the pandemic, Koenig said.

Connected workout instrumentality grew importantly done the pandemic, generating astir $3.8 cardinal successful shipment revenues successful 2021. CTA projects connected workout instrumentality successful 2022 volition acquisition 17 percent maturation and scope astir $4.5 cardinal successful shipment revenue. The maturation trajectory suggests that health-conscious consumers are uncovering practicality and convenience successful exercising astatine home, adjacent arsenic gyms and workout classes reopen.

Personal EVs specified arsenic electrical bikes and scooters are besides connected the emergence arsenic consumers question alternatives to driving their cars oregon taking nationalist proscription for abbreviated trips. Electric motorcycle shipments are expected to scope astir 3 cardinal units and $6 cardinal successful revenues successful 2022.

Koenig said concern is keeping gait with request done the pandemic pivot.

He said determination were $73.2 cardinal successful woody valuations successful the 3rd 4th of 2021.

The lone things slowing tech improvement are the deficiency of microchips and supply-chain issues, Koenig said.

But helium noted that Samsung is investing $205 cardinal and Intel $95 cardinal successful caller facilities to manufacture chips which should amended proviso by the mediate of the decade.

Health and information precautions

The relation volition unfastened the amusement Wednesday with respective wellness and information precautions. Attendees volition beryllium required to beryllium they person received their COVID-19 vaccination for admittance and each attendees volition beryllium required to deterioration masks successful grounds booths, amusement facilities, keynote halls and connected each CES shuttle buses.

Monitors volition enactment to enforce disguise mandates connected the amusement floor.

The relation is asking amusement attendees to instrumentality the Abbott BinaxNOW COVID-19 Self Tests that are being provided for escaped astatine badge pickup locations.

“If you are experiencing COVID-19 symptoms portion astatine a CES venue, delight instantly sojourn a archetypal assistance country successful the venue successful which you are located to get a accelerated molecular Nucleic Acid Amplification Test,” an relation spokesperson said. “You volition beryllium asked to stay successful an isolated reflection country and volition person trial results wrong 25 minutes. If you trial affirmative with a molecular trial portion successful a CES venue, we volition supply a work to thrust them to their hotel. Per CDC guidelines, determination is simply a 10-day isolation period, truthful they volition not beryllium capable to instrumentality to CES and we volition inquire for your badge. Once they instrumentality to your hotel, the quarantine argumentation of the edifice takes effect. Each Las Vegas edifice has its ain argumentation and we promote you to cheque your hotel’s website for their policies if they necessitate further information.”

Contact Richard N. Velotta astatine rvelotta@reviewjournal.com oregon 702-477-3893. Follow @RickVelotta connected Twitter.