Tech’s biggest week is here: CES, or the annual Consumer Electronics Show. Counterpoint Research teams are present on the spot in Las Vegas and also virtually. Day 1 started on Monday with press conferences. Check out the top five standout announcements below:
AI PCs Take Center Stage
NVIDIA’s latest graphics cards bring on-device AI for gamers at accessible prices, while AMD’s Ryzen 8000G Series introduces a groundbreaking NPU-in-a-desktop. Intel also made waves by bringing together computing leaders from Dell, Lenovo, HP and Microsoft on stage to signal the imminent arrival of AI-based PCs this year. The industry anticipates increased replacement rates due to this shift towards AI in PCs. Peter Richardson, VP of Research at Counterpoint, views this as the beginning of a new PC era with standard AI hardware.
“Lots of gaming brags, especially around the usual graphics processing. But we got our first peek into what AI PCs can deliver. Local inferencing will clearly become a game changer across a whole set of GenAI applications. If this isn’t the dawn of a new PC era, at the very least it’s the start of a new cycle where AI hardware becomes standard spec.”
World’s First GenAI Passenger Vehicle
Volkswagen and Cerence unveiled the world’s first GenAI passenger vehicle, integrating ChatGPT for an unparalleled in-cabin experience. Neil Shah, VP of Research at Counterpoint, envisions this as more than just voice control strengthening the bond between the car and the driver.
“Some might see this as a turbo-charged interactive voice control, but in-cabin GenAI will be much more. It tightens the car-driver relationship by not just adding a new hands-free channel to communicate, but something ‘real’ to communicate with.”
Display Breakthroughs
Samsung’s transparent MicroLED screens and LG’s OLED T redefine TV experiences. LG’s imminent availability stands out, potentially transforming home entertainment for the ultra-premium segment.
Jeff Fieldhack, Research Director at Counterpoint, said, “Samsung’s tech was really stunning but what is of most interest to me today is LG because it is ready now – well almost. I can see it redefining TV in the home for the ultra-premium segment.”
AI TVs Set a New Standard
Samsung’s NQ8 AI Gen 3 processor-enabled TVs and LG’s comprehensive AI strategy across devices showcase content upscaling advancements.
Maurice Klaehne, Senior Analyst at Counterpoint, said, “For those expecting ChatGPT for the TV, Samsung’s lineup comes closest. But TVs still seem to be a step behind as the software catches up to the hardware.”
Hydrogen Powers Fuel Dreams
Hydrogen fuel cells took the spotlight with Bosch Mobility’s powertrain in production and Hyundai Motors’ comprehensive strategy from production, storage and transport to utilization. Neil Shah, VP of Research at Counterpoint, acknowledges challenges but emphasizes a closer reality for hydrogen fuel cells as a standard.
“There is still a lot to solve around infrastructure, efficiency, costs and the like, but announcements from these big powerhouses really bring the reality of hydrogen fuel cells as a standard a lot closer.”
