Samsung brings largest-ever showcase, Lenovo takes over Las Vegas Sphere for keynote

From next-gen displays to neural wearables, here's everything to expect at the world's biggest tech show

The Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2026 is set to kick off January 6-9 in Las Vegas, promising another landmark event that will define the technology landscape for the year ahead. With over 140,000 attendees at last year's show—40% from outside the United States—CES remains the premier global stage where tech giants and ambitious startups alike unveil their most innovative products and concepts.

Major Players and Marquee Events

Samsung is bringing its largest-ever CES showcase to this year's convention, signaling the Korean tech giant's ambitious plans across multiple product categories. Meanwhile, Lenovo is making a bold statement by taking over the iconic Las Vegas Sphere for its keynote presentation—a move that could rival Delta's spectacular event at the venue last year.

One of the most anticipated reveals will come from Sony Honda Mobility, the joint venture between the Japanese electronics and automotive giants. The companies will unveil the preproduction version of the Afeela 1 electric vehicle, which is scheduled to go on sale in California later in 2026. This marks a significant milestone in Sony's push into the automotive sector.

Volvo is also set to hold a keynote at CES 2026, underscoring the growing importance of automotive technology at what was once primarily a consumer electronics show.

Three Mega Trends: AI, Digital Health, and Mobility

The Consumer Technology Association (CTA), which organizes the event, has identified three major trends that will shape CES 2026: artificial intelligence, digital health, and automotive technology/mobility.

AI dominated CES 2025, and this year will be no different. However, the focus is shifting from AI as a buzzword to AI as a genuinely useful technology that elevates products and devices. Chip companies including Arm, Intel, AMD, Qualcomm, and Nvidia are expected to be at the forefront, particularly in advancing on-device AI capabilities that promise better performance without cloud dependency.

Digital health is emerging as a major theme, spanning both devices and services. Companies such as Withings, Samsung, and Ultrahuman are expected to showcase significant developments in personal health technology, from advanced wearables to comprehensive health monitoring ecosystems.

The automotive and mobility sector continues its transformation, with connected vehicles, autonomous driving technology, and even air mobility solutions commanding significant attention on the show floor.

TV and Display: Brighter, More Colorful Than Ever

Television technology is poised for significant advances at CES 2026, with two key improvements taking center stage: better brightness and better colors.

The newest Dolby Vision 2 specification, along with Samsung's HDR 10 Plus Advanced, will push TVs to unprecedented brightness levels—in some cases, more than twice as bright as current models. OLED technology will also receive a boost, with LG expected to expand its four-stack OLED technology that essentially layers two OLED panels for dramatically improved brightness.

Color reproduction is set to reach new heights, with TVs achieving 100% coverage of the BT.2020 color standard—a milestone that hasn't been reached until now. Manufacturers will accomplish these improvements through new LCD backlights, advanced color filters, and Samsung's Micro RGB technology that debuted last year.

In the audio space, while established players like the Harman group (now owned by Samsung) will showcase new soundbars and Bluetooth speakers, some of the most exciting innovations often come from smaller, emerging companies presenting multiroom audio systems, desktop speakers, and personal music players at pre-show events.

PCs and Laptops: The Panther Lake Revolution

CES has become a surprisingly significant venue for PC announcements, offering something for everyone from ultraportables to gaming powerhouses. This year, the spotlight will be on Intel's new Panther Lake processors.

Expect to see the first laptops featuring these next-generation chips from major manufacturers including Acer, Asus, Dell, HP, Lenovo, MSI, and Samsung. According to industry leaks, Panther Lake-powered laptops will deliver a compelling combination of thin-and-light form factors, exceptional battery life exceeding 24 hours, and significantly improved graphics performance—all without the additional cost or heat of a discrete GPU.

Gaming handhelds may also benefit from these new chips, potentially bringing console-quality gaming to portable devices with improved efficiency.

Mobile: The Thin and Foldable Revolution Continues

Two key descriptors have defined cutting-edge smartphones over the past several months: thin and foldable. This trend will accelerate in 2026.

Phone makers from Samsung to Honor to Huawei have debuted remarkably slim handsets, and Apple's iPhone Air has helped legitimize the ultra-thin category. But these companies are just getting started.

Samsung is expected to unveil its Galaxy Z TriFold, featuring three display panels instead of two—similar to Huawei's Mate XT Ultimate Design. More tri-fold concepts will likely appear at CES, with some potentially reaching consumers while others remain tantalizing glimpses of future possibilities.

And of course, mobile AI integration shows no signs of slowing down, with companies continuing to push the boundaries of on-device intelligence.

Smart Home and Robotics: AI Comes Home

Advanced AI continues to drive home technology innovation. Last year's CES introduced the first robot vacuum with a robotic arm, and this year promises even more sophisticated home robotics designed to assist with everyday chores including laundry, cleaning, cooking, home security, and general smart home management.

Large appliances are becoming smarter, with refrigerators, ovens, and washing machines featuring more advanced hub screens and smarter app integration. While a consumer-affordable laundry-folding robot may not be ready for primetime this year, the technology is advancing rapidly.

AI-powered security cameras with more intelligent video scanning will be prominent, along with conversational voice assistants that can operate from doorbells, help establish home routines, and make smart home management more hands-off. Presence sensing technology, which uses Wi-Fi signal disturbances to map activity patterns around the home, is another trend to watch.

Smart Glasses and Wearables: The Next Computing Platform

The smart glasses space is heating up now that Google and Samsung have committed to releasing products in 2026. CES will serve as a showcase for numerous other companies demonstrating evolving ideas and improved internal technologies.

Expect to see next-generation displays, wearable interfaces including rings and watches, and new products from companies like TCL, Rokid, and Even Realities. A wide range of wearable AI accessories in various forms—wristbands, pendants, and camera-equipped devices—will compete for attention.

Neural technology is particularly intriguing, especially following Meta's introduction of its EMG-based neural band. This technology, which reads electrical signals from muscles, could represent a fundamental shift in how humans interact with devices.

Automotive: AI Takes the Wheel

Car technology is shifting into high gear at CES 2026, driven by language-based AI that is rapidly transforming the dashboard experience. Expect smarter vehicles that can predict driver habits and needs, identify maintenance issues, and enable natural language conversations.

AI in cars extends beyond the dashboard to significantly enhance safety and self-driving technology. Advanced driver assistance systems and major announcements about autonomous driving and robotaxi services will compete for attention.

Air mobility is also gaining momentum, with more "flying car" prototypes and detailed information about testing and rollout of electric air taxi services in major cities. Consumer electronics announcements focusing on dashcams and aftermarket automotive gear will round out the automotive coverage.

Key Dates and How to Follow

While the official CES 2026 dates are January 6-9, the action begins earlier. Some side events are scheduled as early as January 3, with Monday, January 5 serving as the first major day of press conferences where the biggest names in tech unveil their latest innovations.

As the technology industry converges on Las Vegas, CES 2026 promises to deliver a comprehensive preview of the products, platforms, and paradigms that will shape our digital lives in the year ahead.Claude is AI and can make mistakes.
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