The Consumer Electronics Show (CES) is packed this year, yet its relevance seems increasingly in decline. Microsoft is bailing, no iconic products launched this year, and Apple’s presence can be felt everywhere even though they don’t exhibit at the show. In this episode of Fly or Die, TechCrunch Gadgets editor John Biggs (who is running our CES coverage) joins me remotely from Las Vegas to discuss the big question: Does CES have a future?
There are certainly plenty of announcements. There are thin Android phones galore, even waterproof ones. Lenovo’s got its agile YOGA laptop/tablet. Makerbot unveiled its latest 3D printer. Samsung is trying to make smart TVs its stronghold in the home. But it’s not a place that defines the world of gadgets and digital electronics anymore because release cycles are defined by software and the web, not hardware. (To see some of these devices in action, watch our Gadgets Show).
CES is certainly not going anywhere. It is still an important trade show for electronics manufacturers. But does anyone win at CES? Listen and tell us what you think.