CES 2015: What a smarter world means for brands
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CES 2015 showcased a range of tech trends including intelligent cars, advancements in virtual reality, and smart home devices. These innovations suggest a shift towards a 'connected class' of consumers who will rely on brands to provide personalized experiences and leverage collected data. As technology evolves, brands will face new demands for customized offerings and must adapt to immersive content and interaction methods.
CES 2015: What a smarter world means for brands
- 1. CES 2015 The world is getting smarter: Tech trends and their implications for brands
- 2. There were far too many new products at CES 2015 to mention all of them.
- 3. But let’s take a look at some trends and begin piecing together what it means for brands…
- 4. Cars become intelligent and more connected Self-driving Audi kicked-off CES with their self-driving technology, taking an A7-based car on a trip from San Francisco to Las Vegas while BMW, Hyundai and Volkswagen all showed self-parking features that could just make reverse parallel parking a thing of the past. Better connected BMW showed its iDrive ‘infotainment’ interface, while Apple CarPlay and Android Auto featured prominently as car brands sought to demonstrate their ‘devices’ will not stand alone in the connected world. These connections seem to be useful first and foremost. BMW demoed headlights that respond to their environment via GPS, while Mercedes promised quality life in a private space through their tech-empowered concept car. Watch: Audi shows off its self-driving Prologue concept (htttp://bit.ly/1y9J7W3) Watch: BMW’s intelligent headlights demo (http://bit.ly/1FPEvcK) Read: Volkswagen’s Trained Parking is a robotic valet for your home (http://cnet.co/14uRUVY)
- 5. VR gets closer to the killer product it needs Oculus Crescent Bay Oculus Rift gave a hands-on experience of its latest product, sparking overwhelmingly positive reactions from journalists and gamers. It also appears to have won over the sceptics, cementing the brands reputation as a leader in the space. VR goes open-source Razer are developing an open-source hardware and software platform for VR, aiming to take it to the masses and a whole new audience of creators. Samsung dives into VR headsets Samsung demoed Gear VR and its partner content service Milk VR, in a key move to convince consumers that they’ll actually have something to watch on their headset. Read: How virtual reality goes beyond geeky (http://cnet.co/1zShiS5) Watch: Oculus Crescent Bay demo (http://bit.ly/1Bi6NIz) Watch: Interview with Razer CEO (http://bit.ly/1CduAaT) Read: Hands on with Milk VR (http://tnw.co/1FqOiFJ)
- 6. Everything got a little bit smarterBeauty, fitness and health categories get the tech treatment Smart mirrors Panasonic unveiled a mirror that can spot skin flaws and augment your reflection with make-up and stylish ‘looks’ that can be stored and recalled according to your calendar. Integration will begin in a retail environment presenting beauty brands with a big opportunity. Connected toothbrushes Oral-B launched a bluetooth toothbrush that can track behavioural data and update healthcare professionals, facilitating feedback and more accurate care on a daily basis. Healthy backs Hocoma announced a wearable device that can assist in reducing, or even preventing, lower back pain by tracking your movements and recommending appropriate exercises. Read: Panasonic mirror hands-on (http://engt.co/1wdKXl8) Watch: Oral-B’s interactive toothbrush (http://cnet.co/1wTXgSJ) Read: Wearable tech for a healthy back (http://cnet.co/1su2ojU)
- 7. Samsung goes big on connected devices Samsung put last year’s purchase of connected devices startup SmartThings front and centre at CES. The promise: by 2017, 90% of their products will be connected to the internet. Coffee machines that talk to your smartphone Smarter’s £100 coffee machine is controlled by a mobile app that allows users to program everything from wake-up coffees/alarms to alerts when it needs a refill. Ooma builds on Nest technology Ooma is building on Nest’s platform to let consumers better communicate with their home: from phone calls when the smoke alarm triggers, to alerts when a family member doesn’t arrive at home when planned. Read: The open door to the connected home (http://cnet.co/14NhMgR) Read: Coffee machines get smarter at CES 2015 (http://cnet.co/14Vao2p) Watch: Ooma and Nest put a new twist on home smarts (http://cnet.co/1IGEofH) Homes become better connected to us (and to themselves)
- 8. Intel Curie wearable tech chip Intel wants to make it easier for creators to build on the wearables ecosystem. Curie is a wearable tech chip that features a combination sensor with an accelerometer, gyroscope and Bluetooth Low Energy support. The platform is designed to have all the features that are necessary for developers to build their own wearable devices. Invisible wearable tech A minority of companies showcased subtler wearables which keep the gadgetry well hidden. Heart rate monitors for athletes in training, insoles that analyse performance and ‘fashion merged’ smart shirts were all on show among the rings, smartwatches and fitness bands. Watch: Intel’s new wearable tech chip unveiled (http://bit.ly/1CdJrSK) Read: Wearable tech becomes invisible (http://bbc.in/1w3mmxa) Read: Smartwatch and wearables round up (http://bit.ly/1BZ9r3K) (Almost) invisible wearables
- 9. LG Flex 2 There were a range of mid to budget range phones on show from the likes of Samsung and HTC. LG was the only smartphone manufacturer to launch a high-end device at CES with other major players holding out for Mobile World Congress in February. LG’s follow up to the curved/bendable Flex 1 features a 5.5” screen that can be bent flat and a host of impressive specs. Polaroid and Kodak announce new devices The two former giants of imaging both launched mid to low end smartphones that designed to capitalise on the nostalgia that exists for their respective brands. Polaroid’s ‘selfie’ phone features a rotating camera for capturing those all important pics. Kodak’s failed to impress with their IM5. Read: Smartphone showing at CES a preamble for a huge MWC (http://cnet.co/14vVsr0) Read: Best smartphones of CES (http://bit.ly/1HZjkT9) Read: Kodak and Polaroid square off again, this time with smartphones (http://engt.co/1C3b4xx) Smartphone manufacturers hold back their flagship devices for MWC
- 10. 3D printing at CES 2015: more materials, (a little) less hype The volume of companies delivering 3D printing solutions rose this year, though they weren’t as hyped as in the last edition of CES. The range of materials grew too: wood, stone, metal and ceramics will all play a part in what has been dubbed the ‘filament wars’. HDR could be the next evolution in TV Samsung, Sony, LG and Panasonic all had their latest TVs on show. Samsung launched their SUHD range, designed to compete with LG’s OLED models. The world’s number one TV manufacturer also launched its latest OS – Tizen. HDR was positioned as the next big leap in TV picture quality by delivering better contrast performance, while content providers including Netflix, Warner Bros and Dolby are all poised to deliver HDR content soon. Read: Five big 3D printing trends to shape the year ahead (http://tek.io/1AIkQXz) Read: High dynamic range arrives at CES (http://cnet.co/1ALADUo) 3D printing slowly matures, TVs continue to evolve
- 11. Impressive tech, but what does it mean for brands?
- 12. Adoption of smart, connected devices will free our time and energy The Internet of Things is edging closer to everyday reality. As we’ve seen, new products and services aiming to connect multiple elements of our lives are being launched with increasing speed and this technology is set to replace some of the time and effort that goes into many of our tasks and thought processes. • Smarter homes = your new butler • Smarter cars = your own personal transport consultants • Smarter wearables = real-time doctors, fitness coaches and much else What does this mean for brands? A ‘connected class’ of consumers will emerge. They will live lives freed from many daily tasks and will have even more time on their hands. These consumers will be not only be attracted to brands who can entertain and inspire them during their downtime, but will also emerge as increasingly influential due to their increased exposure and knowledge.
- 13. Greater knowledge about ourselves will empower purchase decisions Connected devices will create data on more aspects of our lives from our driving habits to our beauty regime, all of which will inform and inspire brand preference and purchase decisions. Contextual data, collected and shared explicitly by the user, will trump big data impacting many categories: • Automotive > data on our driving habits will inform our next car purchase (and our insurance premiums) • Fitness > data from our fitness bands will be shared with sports brands and gyms (and insurers) • Health > wearable sensors will guide our eating habits and alert us (and insurers) to medical conditions What does this mean for brands? There will be a greater onus on brands to help people leverage the data they collect about themselves and to be ethical with that data. Consumers meanwhile will come to expect brands to deliver a customised purchase process, tailored products and personalised user experiences.
- 14. Growth of the ‘creator’ audience intensifies demands on our precious attention Technology will enable new generations of ‘creators’ – people building things, real things, in bedrooms and sheds all across the world. • Intel’s wearable tech platform will allow creators to begin experimenting with more connected devices • Diversification of 3D printing materials will open up new opportunities for creativity • Adoption of high quality video capture and virtual reality will transform content experiences What does this mean for brands? This offers brands a huge opportunity to collaborate with consumers in wildly new and interesting ways. While one output will be increased competition for attention in social feeds, the ever growing opportunities will allow brands across all industries to find something new and innovative that is relevant to them, their audience and their values.
- 15. Evolution of TV screens, VR and AR will necessitate new content formats and discovery strategies Gesture recognition, voice control, Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) will give people new, more sophisticated methods for consuming and interacting with content. VR is in a prime position to add an experience layer similar to what social media has been doing so far, building on top of real-life events but extending them in more complex and exciting ways. What does this mean for brands? Social will be more immersive than ever, with the expected integration of VR to core services in existing platforms such as Facebook (which owns Oculus). Marketers must prepare to learn how screen experiences will change, as mobile might move from being a destination device to acting as a ‘bridge’ to other connected experiences.
- 16. Thank you Any questions, let us know! Allen Hull Insight and Strategy Director allen.hull@1000heads.com © 1000heads 2015