Technological breakthroughs can be a source of dread for digital marketers. “What do we have to change? How much will it cost? Do we have to scrap everything and start over?” But sometimes it’s better to set FOMO aside and simply marvel at our collective ingenuity. That’s exactly what the Consumer Electronics Show does best.
CES 2020 drew tech enthusiasts, brand innovators, and even celebrities from around the world to Las Vegas. The halls of Sin City’s Convention Center revealed a glimpse of the future, exhibiting tantalizing tech that consumers—and maybe even marketers—will get their hands on in the not-too-distant future. Let’s take a whistle-stop tour through the top four tech trends heading our way in 2020 and beyond.
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Brainwave technology 🧠
There were several brainwave tech demonstrations on the floor of CES 2020, each of which invited guests to channel the power of their mind to manipulate objects. From fully functional prosthetic arms to “focus”-controlled RC cars, there’s a big future for this technology and a wide range of untapped opportunities to explore (should we start optimizing for searches in brain-controlled web browsers…?).
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AI and robotics 🤖
AI and robotics are (and have been) improving with every generation, bringing convenience and human-like interactions between man and machine. From robotic food staff to automaton ping-pong opponents, this technology is offering both automation and personalization at scale—much like our tailored Enterprise-to-Local digital marketing strategies.
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AR/VR haptics 🔮
With the explosion of augmented and virtual reality technology in both homes and retail environments, we’re all closer to experiencing a sense of immersion that’s truer to life. We were especially impressed by gloves that simulate the grip of a virtual object in your hands as well as panels that take your body measurements to simulate certain styles of clothing on you, potentially revolutionizing ecommerce for fashion brands.
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Smart homes 🏠
Our homes haven’t insulated us from successive waves of technological change in recent years. In fact, the home has been the focal point of many of these innovations—and the rise of smart devices showed no signs of slowing at CES 2020. Samsung’s Ballie, for instance, demonstrated how a cute, BB-8-style robotic personal assistant could roll around stably, interact with smart home gadgets, recognize people, and understand some voice commands.
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Piqued your interest? Check out our highlight reel below, and don’t forget that you can always check in with our forward-looking analysts, strategists, and math geeks to understand how tech breakthroughs like these unlock new possibilities in marketing.
