Smartwatches: One of the Stars

The "CES 2016," one of the world's largest consumer electronics shows, was held from January 6th to 9th in Las Vegas, USA, attracting 3,800 exhibitors and organizations.

Since 1967, this show has been the stage for the debut of epoch-making products such as the videocassette recorder, laser disc, and plasma TV. This year, one of the main attractions was the "smartwatch."
It could be said to be the successor to the popularity of wearable devices and drones in recent years.

New smartwatches from Samsung and Huawei far surpass previous models in terms of operability and the diversity of graphics displayed.

Casio Smart Outdoor Watch

Casio's "Smart Outdoor Watch" is also outstanding. While featuring a stylish case, it has passed the durability tests of the U.S. Department of Defense. In "Timepiece Mode," which uses only the watch function, it boasts a battery life of over a month. In fact, by the second day of the show, many attendees cited it as "this year's biggest topic."

Automotive Brands Increasing Their Presence at Consumer Electronics Shows

Speaking of CES, the presence of automotive brands has been remarkable over the past few years.

This year, Ford exhibited its autonomous vehicles and electric assist bicycles for urban mobility, while also featuring a hypnotist during its stage show. They even created a performance that made the audience feel as if they were cruising the Las Vegas Strip in a "Ford GT" under hypnosis. It was a festive atmosphere, even more so than at an auto show.

However, the primary objective for each manufacturer is, of course, to showcase their advanced technologies, and the suppliers urging them to adopt their own technologies are equally enthusiastic.

The trend in 2015 was "Autonomous Driving." It's still fresh in our memory how Mercedes-Benz exhibited its autonomous concept car "F 015 Luxury in Motion," and Audi drove its continuously tested autonomous vehicle into the press conference venue.

BMW i Vision Future Interaction

Volkswagen Budd-e

Meanwhile, various advanced technological approaches were observed this year as well.

One of these is gesture control. BMW unveiled its concept car "i Vision Future Interaction," which incorporates a 3D recognition system, evolving from the technology adopted in the new 7 Series.

Toyota demonstrated its "learning artificial intelligence," which it is researching in collaboration with NTT and others. Over 30 minutes, 1 hour, and 2 hours, the collision and contact avoidance capabilities of a model car simulating a Prius were observed to improve.

At the same time, this year also focused on "integration with the cloud and smart homes."

A prime example of this is Volkswagen's "BUDD-e" concept car, a world premiere.

While adopting the MEB platform, which will be used in its future EV strategy, it also integrates with LG Electronics' smart home appliances. Users can check if they've forgotten to turn off the oven or see who visited while they were away via the doorbell camera. The rear bumper, which slides out like a drawer, functions as a "drop box" for receiving deliveries while parked.

Will Advanced High-Tech Lead Back to the Analog?

Returning to the consumer electronics booths.

The "Snap" exhibited by Polaroid is a digital camera with the brand's iconic rainbow stripe on its body. Instead of a display, it has a built-in printer, and when you press the shutter, a "print photo" emerges in about ten seconds.

Looking at the actual printed photos, they are far from today's high-quality standards.

However, photos that can be physically held and enjoyed with friends still seem to captivate people. It was impressive, drawing as many attendees as the aforementioned Casio smartwatch.

There's a mindset here, reminiscent of classic American cars, that prioritizes approachable simplicity over ultra-advanced features.

Faraday Future FFZERO1

The design motif of the aforementioned "Budd-e Concept" is inspired by the first-generation VW "Transporter," once a symbol of hippie culture. Will young Americans embrace the Budd-e Concept, its descendant, as "cool," or will they, like their grandparents who rejected existing social values to become flower children, eventually abandon high-tech in favor of Polaroid Snap-like friendliness? With the revival of analog records and cassette tapes, isn't this a rather interesting question?

Continued to Part 2