What to expect at CES 2019: foldable devices, phone displays with hole-punch cameras, 5G phones and laptops, and 8K TVs
CES 2019 is upon us, and The Verge is headed back to Las Vegas to bring you all of the news from the gadget-filled electronics show next week.
Context & Ripple Effects
The Verge's Las Vegas preview is now an annual ritual: last January's CES 2018 lookahead flagged energy-efficient laptops, high-end TVs, self-driving tech, and smart home devices, and this year's edition swaps in a new set of headline technologies. What stands out is overlap with what came after — the CES 2020 preview lists 5G phones and foldable form factors again, meaning the 2019 slate marks the first appearance of themes that persisted for multiple show cycles.
First-order effects
- Device makers heading to Las Vegas get their first public stage for foldable prototypes, hole-punch camera displays, early 5G phones and laptops, and 8K televisions — before Mobile World Congress and spring retail launches.
Second-order effects
- Rival manufacturers attending the show are pressured to counter-demonstrate in each hot category, and TV vendors' 8K pushes force premium-tier pricing decisions across the rest of their lineups.
Third-order effects
- If the multi-year pattern holds — 5G and foldables reappearing in the 2020 preview — CES functions as a proving ground where show-floor concepts graduate into shipping products one or two product cycles later.
The trend: CES is consolidating its role as the annual unveiling ground for display and connectivity technologies, with recurring themes like 5G and foldables signaling which demos will reach consumers within a couple of years.