Most Exciting Tech Trends at CES 2014

Posted on Jan 6th 2014

The International CES Show is taking place in Las Vegas this week and CAFL will be there to make sure we are on top of the latest tech trends and new product announcements. From new smartphones and accessories to cutting edge technology, we’ve run down some of our favorite trends and products at this year's CES.

Curvy Screens

Both LG and Samsung are rumored to be releasing the first curved-screen smartphones at CES next week – the G Flex and Galaxy Round, respectively. While you may think curved screens are just a gimmick, the design reportedly provides a more immersive media-viewing experience. Initial reports also indicate that the slight curvature of these phones make them much more comfortable to hold and pocket – which is a welcome feature considering the ever-ballooning sizes of smartphones.

Cable-Free Charging

Wireless Charging is expected to be another big accessory trend at CES 2014. The industry saw a resurgence in popularity in 2013 as more manufacturers included wireless charging as an out of box smartphone feature. The TYLT Vu was named a CES 2014 Innovations Honoree for their Qi-enabled charging stand. A company called ConvenientPower also announced that it will debut a Qi wireless technology that can charge a device up to 18mm away. While that sounds small, this could be a major improvement that will allow wireless charging of many more smartphones and devices (including those with rugged cases installed).

Better Bluetooth

2013 was the first year that US adults spent more time consuming media on smartphones and tablets than they did on laptops and computers. Companies are doing everything they can to release products that improve this experience – and one such area is Bluetooth audio. AptX is a relatively new Bluetooth technology that delivers audio quality equivalent to CDs so users can enjoy high-quality sound without having to plug their phone into audio devices and sacrifice portability. We expect to see a slew of aptX-compatible audio products, such as wireless headphones and speakers as well as smartphones that will provide better Bluetooth audio quality.

Stylish and Functional Cases

As smartphones and tablets become more essential to business and our everyday lives, there will of course be developments and improvements in case protection that will combine style with functionality. We expect to see new case designs from all of the most popular companies – including Otterbox, Speck, Incipio and more.