CES 2011: A Year of Incremental Innovation, But Signs of a Surge in Digital Living Rooms

Strategic Insights -

At the annual Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, over 125,000 attendees are converging on the tech gadget confab, where the world's top tech innovators are showcasing the latest in consumer technology. Despite the absence of Apple Inc., the iPad maker that famously stole the spotlight at a rival convention in 2007, the show is buzzing with activity as companies like Motorola, Lenovo, and Toshiba prepare to unveil their iPad killers.

Key Takeaways:

  • The tablet market is expected to surge to over 50 million units in 2011, with companies like Motorola, Lenovo, and Toshiba set to show off their iPad killers.
  • Analysts expect spending to be cautious this year, with businesses less willing to take chances than in 2007.
  • The battle for the connected living room is heating up, with companies like Google, Netflix, and Apple vying to make their technology the standard.
  • 3D televisions, which were declared the focus for 2010, are expected to see prices cut and technology retrenched by the end of the year.
  • Internet connectivity on small screens is expected to be a major focus, as companies look to address the decade-old unfulfilled promise of connecting TVs to the web.
  • CES will feature a major presence from heavyweights like Sony, Microsoft, Intel, and Samsung, showcasing products like connected TVs, tablets, and PCs.
  • Consumer electronics revenue in the United States is expected to rise 3 percent in 2010 to $174.9 billion, and climb another 4 percent in 2011.

Statistics:

  • Over 125,000 attendees are expected at CES 2011.
  • The tablet market is expected to surge to over 50 million units in 2011.
  • 3 percent increase in consumer electronics revenue in the United States in 2010, reaching $174.9 billion.
  • 4 percent increase in consumer electronics revenue in the United States in 2011.
  • Over 1.5 million square feet of show floor space at CES.

Sources:

  • Reuters
  • NPD analyst Stephen Baker
  • Longtime tech analyst Roger Kay of Endpoint Technologies
  • Jason Oxman, senior vice president of the Consumer Electronics Association
  • CEA estimates of consumer electronics revenue in the United States for 2010 and 2011