The annual technology show is typically a hotbed for the latest television sets, robots and fitness gadgets, but new entertainment options fueled by technology are joining the mix. TV stalwarts such as
CES, formerly known as the Consumer Electronics Show, starts Sunday in
Beyond streaming, expect to see artificial intelligence-infused home appliances, security cameras and cars, new gadgets that show what faster 5G cellular service can offer and, as always, the newest in robots and souped-up TVs. Speakers this week include
As technology increasingly infuses our lives, more traditional companies are showing up for the
It's not the first time television and entertainment companies have used CES to set out a road map for TV. During the 2015 show, satellite TV company Dish announced a cheaper, cable-like package of TV channels delivered over the internet as fewer people, particular younger ones, sign up for cable and satellite subscriptions. Offerings from Sony, DirecTV, Google, Hulu and others soon joined Dish's Sling TV.
But five years later, instead of saving the television industry from “cord-cutting," these online alternatives have been struggling, raising prices and in the case of Sony's PlayStation Vue, shutting down altogether.
So it's on to Plan B: Owners of television channels and producers of their shows are selling
But they face competition from tech companies also seeking to replicate and encroach on
“Bets have been made and billions of dollars have been spent on content,” said
Katzenberg and Quibi CEO
Short for “quick bites,” the mobile-first service is designed to be watched for a just a few minutes at a time. Video programs are broken into 10 minute “chapters” — ideal for on-the-go viewers with limited attention spans.
Innovations to be shown at CES include allowing full-screen viewing regardless of how the phone is held. Normally, there's wasted space when the phone is held vertically because video is typically horizontal. Quibi says viewers will be able to switch back and forth seamlessly, even in the middle of the program. Quibi also plans to automatically adjust a video's lighting and bring up subtitles with a quick tap.
“We want to take a phone, a device that was not actually designed to watch video on, and make it into a great watching device,” Whitman said in an interview. “At CES there is a long history of technology enabling new ways to tell stories.”
Quibi will also preview some of its 20 new shows, including “Chrissy's Court,” a
“Audiences don't differentiate by screen anymore," said
As television companies experiment with making more shows available in more ways, they'll also accumulate data on viewing habits far beyond what they got with over-the-air and cable channels. That will help them target advertising to viewers' interests and make recommendations for other shows to keep viewers glued.
Companies will also test different pricing models in 2020, as they try to figure out how and how much consumers will be willing to pay. Is there a limit to how many services consumers will pay for? Will they adapt to separate prices with and without ads? Or will they flock to free services like
The downside? “Too much choice and too much technological change all at one time could slow down people so they stick with what they have," he said.
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