Tag: CES 2023

This Week’s MPN Podcast: ‘The Menu,’ ‘Glass Onion’ Reviews; Streaming to Get More Expensive; CES Debuts New VR Headsets; Netflix Cancellations

 

On this week’s episode of the Media Play News podcast, hosts Charles Parkman and Charlie Showley dissect several articles from the industry that have emerged in the past week, as well as offer up a couple of quick reviews for new movies they’ve caught on streaming. First up, Charlie has finally watched The Menu which is now streaming on HBO Max. It’s a great satirical take on the pretentiousness surrounding high-end luxury dining and well worth a watch. Charles recaps the first Knives Out and shares his thoughts on its recent Netflix-exclusive sequel Glass Onion.

From the latest salvo in the streaming wars, Warner Bros. Discovery CFO was quoted as saying the prices of streaming platforms are “… overall priced too low,” which is troubling considering the merger of Discovery and WarnerMedia (with HBO) have led to many shows and movies being written off and removed from the streaming lineup. One prominent casualty was Batgirl, a completed $90 million film that will now never be released. This, coupled with Netflix’s penchant for canceling shows after only a season or two, implies that not long from now streaming subscribers will be paying more for less content. Speaking of Netflix, Charlie and Charles have a back-and-forth discussion about how Netflix may be setting itself up for failure by consistently canceling its original programming. The cancellation of “1899” last week (after a single season) led to a lot of negative feedback online, and more recently the cancellation of the animated comedy “Inside Job” has Charlie starting to turn more and more bearish on the service. It appears that Netflix subscribers are conditioned to wait until a show completes its entire run before becoming invested in it, which could lead to a negative feedback loop of initial low viewing numbers, leading to more cancellations, leading to even lower viewing numbers.

The last piece of newsworthy content from the industry was CES and a metaverse-oriented showcase that had taken center stage during the convention. Both hosts own VR headsets and spend some time commenting on the VR-specific tech announced at CES. Most things, like a headset containing cartridges that allow the user to smell certain odors during use, come off as obviously dead on arrival while others, such as a new headset from HTC to compete with the Meta Quest 2, are intriguing. The hosts recommend buying a VR device regardless, because watching movies on a giant virtual screen is a great experience.

Technicolor Showcases Advanced HDR Tech at CES

Executives representing Advanced HDR by Technicolor — a collaboration between Philips, InterDigital and Technicolor — showcased their new technology during CES. Advanced HDR by Technicolor automates SDR to HDR and HDR to SDR content conversion, providing both signals in a single stream for live TV and post-production operations.

The automated conversion process of Advanced HDR by Technicolor is especially beneficial for producing live outdoor sports programming and events, according to Technicolor. Solutions from Advanced HDR by Technicolor enable operators to dynamically manage lighting conditions throughout the day without human intervention, delivering optimal color and image quality, the company reported.

“The broadcast and streaming industries are in the process of making the transition from SDR to HDR,” Rick Dumont, senior director of business development of HDR video for Philips, said in a statement. “The single-stream solution from Advanced HDR by Technicolor — included in the ATSC 3.0 standard — plays a critical role in delivering both video formats in a cost-efficient and technically effective manner.”

During the show, Hisense, Sinclair Broadcast Group and Advanced HDR By Technicolor demonstrated the technology. Sinclair Broadcast Group delivered HDR content broadcast over the air to Hisense TVs that have integrated Advanced HDR by Technicolor solutions.

Today, 36 NextGen Broadcast (ATSC 3.0) stations owned by Sinclair transmit over-the-air content in HDR using Advanced HDR by Technicolor solutions.

Subscribe HERE to the FREE Media Play News Daily Newsletter!

“The integration of Advanced HDR by Technicolor into Hisense TVs — a brand that is rapidly growing in the United States — means more viewers will be able to enjoy vibrant HDR content offered by leading broadcasters, such as Sinclair,” Tony Bozzini, head of business development for Advanced HDR by Technicolor at Philips, said in a statement.

“Hisense is committed to providing the best possible picture quality to consumers. With leading broadcasters, like Sinclair, offering a growing array of HDR content, especially live sports, Hisense ensures those in service areas of Sinclair’s increasing number of deployed NextGen Broadcast stations can access and enjoy the full visual benefits offered by the latest technological innovations,” David Gold, president of Hisense USA, said in a statement.

“For broadcasters who put the customer experience at the top of the list, delivering the best visual image is essential. This is especially true when it comes to broadcasting live sporting events. That is why Sinclair Broadcast Group is ensuring that stations implementing ATSC 3.0 do so with Advanced HDR by Technicolor,” Mark Aitken, SVP of technology for Sinclair Broadcast Group and president of ONE Media 3.0, said in a statement.

CES 2023 Ends With Higher-Than-Expected Attendance of 115,000

LAS VEGAS — CES 2023 ended Jan. 8 with a total attendee count of more than 115,000, exceeding even the most optimistic projections of the Consumer Technology Association (CTA), which produces the annual technology show.

In the weeks leading up to the show, which ran from Jan. 5-8 at the Las Vegas Convention Center, the CTA had expressed hope that attendance would reach 100,000, more than twice the 45,000 who turned out for last year’s show, which was scaled back by a day amid a rash of exhibitor pullouts due to a winter COVID-19 surge.

This year’s CES also had more than 3,200 exhibitors, about 1,000 more than last year.

“CES 2023 was the great reconnection and rocked by every measure — from attendance to the keynote stage to press conferences and product debuts on the exhibit floor — showing the entire world that in-person events are back!” a jubilant Gary Shapiro, president and CEO of the CTA, said in a statement. “The innovation unveiled [at the show] will drive economic growth and change in meaningful ways to improve our lives and create a better future for the next generation.”

Subscribe HERE to the FREE Media Play News Daily Newsletter!

Shapiro notes that the show’s footprint was 70% bigger than CES 2022, with nearly 2.2 million net square feet of exhibit space.

Of the estimated 115,000 attendees, more than 40,000 came from outside the United States, representing more than 140 different countries.

This year also marked the first time that CES had a theme: Human Security for All. CES partnered with the United Nations Trust Fund for Human Security and the World Academy of Art and Science on the Human Security for All (HS4A) global campaign to foster food security, access to health care, personal income, environmental protection, personal safety, community security and political freedom.

Also for the first time, CES 2023 had a dedicated Metaverse area on the show floor, highlighting cutting-edge sensory technology building immersive, interactive digital worlds. A Web3 Studio, produced by CoinDesk, was the focal point of the Web3, Metaverse and Blockchain area at CES.

And while automotive and mobility, digital health and sustainability were all dominant show trends, the show’s legacy consumer electronics roared back in a big way, with LG Electronics bringing back its signature video monitor “wave” and, along with other big CE manufacturers such as Sony, Samsung, TCL, Hisense and Panasonic, displaying impressive lineups of new televisions, many of them aimed at video gamers.

Even turntables were back, led by Japan’s Audio-Technica Corp., whose turntables played a key role in the vinyl resurgence that began several years ago. Even Panasonic displayed a new Technics turntable and CD player.

One of the top attractions on the CES 2023 show floor was a replica of the cabin from the new Universal Pictures M. Night Shyamalan movie Knock at the Cabin (debuting theatrically Feb. 3), which Canon USA, a digital imaging solutions provider, used as the setting for an immersive movie experience in which visitors could try out various new technologies aimed at dissolving the limits between real and virtual worlds.

Opening Shots From CES 2023

CES 2023 opened Jan. 5 at the Las Vegas Convention Center on a rainy Thursday, and it was pretty much business as usual for the show, which due to COVID-19 was held virtually in 2021 and in a scaled-back fashion last year. Here are some shots from the pre-show Pepcom media preview party and from day one of the show. (Media Play News staff photos)

Long Lines, Many Handshakes and Few Masks: It’s Business as Usual at CES 2023

LAS VEGAS — Long lines, lots of handshakes and hardly any masks: It’s pretty much business as usual at CES 2023, which officially opened Jan. 5 at the Las Vegas Convention Center.

The show floor was packed throughout the day, and the social distancing signs and accommodations that were prevalent at last year’s show were conspicuously absent.

LG was back with its flowing video wall showing everything from tigers to whales, from oceans to spectacular sunsets.

See more photos from CES 2023 here

Sony, Panasonic, Samsung and TCL also had enormous booths, showcasing everything from the latest TVs to new technologies in the worlds of gaming, health tech and smart everything. One of the centerpieces of the LG booth was “the world’s first wireless OLED TV,” while Sony trumpeted its video game properties and displayed a wealth of new PlayStation accessories, from wireless controllers to a new VR system.

A Technics CD player and turntable on display at the Panasonic booth at CES 2023. (Media Play News staff photo)

Panasonic, in a twist, had a special display for new Technics turntables and CD players, both throwbacks to the 1980s when the Las Vegas confab was known as the Winter CES, as opposed to the Summer CES in Chicago.

Lines snaked through the show floor. Top draws were the immersive Knock at the Cabin (Universal Pictures) movie experience at the Canon booth, where various new technologies were demonstrated in the context of M. Night Shymalan’s latest movie; a parade of football greats, including Detroit Lions running back Barry Sanders, signing autographs and posing for photos at the TCL booth; and free skateboards being handed out by Element Case, a leader in premium phone cases and accessories. TCL was recently named an official partner of the NFL, which affords the Chinese electronics company access to the league’s massive fan base for its line of big (up to 98-inch) TV screens.

Football great Barry Sanders signs an autograph for a fan at the TCL booth on Jan. 5, 2023, opening day of CES 2023. (Media Play News staff photo)

Commitments to sustainability were everywhere, including a huge wall at the LG booth outlining the company’s carbon-neutral objectives and a flashing screen in the Panasonic booth promoting green power generation and net zero C20 factories with which the company hopes to create “a world that’s greener, healthier and more equitable.”

Even Targus, known for its cases, promoted laptop bags and backpacks made from recycled plastic water bottles. The bottles are shredded for pellets, which are then converted and spun into yarn, which in turn is then threaded and died into fabric.

In tandem with the show floor opening, the Consumer Technology Association (CTA), which produces the annual CES, released its second International Innovation Scorecard, an assessment of policies and practices around the world that fuel tech innovation or stand in the way of progress.

A record 24 countries earned the highest ranking of “Innovation Champion” — Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Japan, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the United States — as well as the European Union (EU).

“The 2023 Scorecard captures a surge in entrepreneurship since the last release in 2019, as innovators around the world harnessed advanced technologies to develop vaccines with incredible speed, deliver medical care across borders, create online tools for commerce and education, and navigate complex supply chain challenges,” said Gary Shapiro, president and CEO of the CTA. “This year’s Innovation Champions embrace policies that unleash innovation and empower diverse communities to bring new technologies to life and to market, improving the lives of millions.”

Subscribe HERE to the FREE Media Play News Daily Newsletter!

The Scorecard measures 40 indicators across 17 categories, including tax friendliness, environmental quality, trade policy, broadband access, and cybersecurity. The 2023 edition expanded to include nine additional countries, assessing a total of 70 nations spanning the globe, including all members of the EU and G20.

CES 2023 Opens Today in Las Vegas Amid Speculation on How Big the Show Will Be

LAS VEGAS — CES 2023 opens today (Jan. 5) at the Las Vegas Convention Center amid much speculation as to what final attendance figures will be, given the fact that this is the first show in three years to be relatively unaffected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The 2021 event was held virtually, and last year’s CES came amid a winter COVID surge that saw the show scaled back by one day and impose mandatory mask and social-distancing restrictions. Attendance numbered just over 45,000 people, compared to 170,000 for the 2020 show, while the number of exhibitors fell by more than half the record high of 4,400 set in January 2020, prompting the closure of the South Hall at the Las Vegas Convention Center.

This year, CES has no restrictions of any kind, and before the show’s opening the Consumer Technology Association (CTA), which produces the annual event, said the show’s footprint will be 50% bigger than the January 2022 CES. The CTA said there would be at least 2,400 exhibitors, 1,000 of them newcomers, and set an attendee goal of 100,000.

Subscribe HERE to the FREE Media Play News Daily Newsletter!

In late November, CTA president and CEO Gary Shapiro in a statement said he’s “thrilled with the show’s momentum.”

Over the next four days, we’ll see how it all plays out.

For the first time ever, CES has a theme: how technology is addressing the world’s biggest challenges. The show’s legacy consumer electronics focus has long ago taken a back seat to mobile tech, health tech and smart homes, while home entertainment — remember the days when most of the talk was about the latest DVD players and 3D Blu-ray devices? — is limited to a handful of streamers and dozens of service providers that hope to do business with them.   

According to the CTA, the automotive sector is bigger than ever, making CES one of the largest auto shows in the world, with nearly 300 exhibitors in West Hall. Global launches and keynotes from BMW and Stellantis lead into exhibits featuring the latest in self-driving tech, electric vehicles and personal mobility devices for land, air and sea.

Digital health also remains big, with exhibitors showcasing advancements in digital therapeutics, mental wellness, women’s health tech and telemedicine. CTA’s Digital Health Studio, presented by The American College of Emergency Physicians, is presenting the latest in technology for diagnostic and treatment functions as well as the importance of remote connectivity for accessible healthcare. Key exhibitors include Abbott, LOTTE Healthcare, MedWand Solutions and Omron Healthcare. 

On the sustainability front, global brands such as John Deere, LG, Samsung and Siemens are showing how innovation can conserve energy and increase power generation, create more sustainable agricultural systems, power smart cities, and support access to clean water. 

And for the first time, CES 2023 has a dedicated Metaverse area on the show floor. Exhibitors are showcasing groundbreaking sensory technology building immersive, interactive digital worlds. A Web3 Studio, produced by CoinDesk, is the focal point of the Web3, Metaverse and Blockchain area at CES.

The CTA also announced that in partnership with the United Nations Trust Fund for Human Security, it is supporting the global campaign Human Security for All (HS4A). The HS4A campaign serves to cultivate collaboration and innovation across all industries, all countries, to improve the human experience.

“CES is the world’s most exciting technology event, from startups in Eureka Park to global brands on the main stages. We are thrilled to spotlight thousands of innovative companies at this year’s show,” said Shapiro. “Tech advances are helping to solve the world’s greatest challenges, and CES 2023 will set the agenda for the year ahead.” 

CTA Tech Trends: Gaming Growing, Services Ascendant

LAS VEGAS — Gaming is increasingly taking over leisure time for the average gamer, said Steve Koenig, VP of research at the Consumer Technology Association.

Speaking during the opening “Tech Trends to Watch” presentation Jan. 3 on the eve of the CES event, he noted that in 2019 the average gamer spent 16 hours a week gaming.

“Today it’s a full day. 24 hours. 24 hours a week,” he said.

Why are people spending so much time gaming?

It’s for escapism, entertainment and competition, but it’s also for socializing, he said.

“Increasingly, it’s about connection and socialization,” he said. “The game is really a construct for socialization.”

After the pandemic, consumers signed up for more services and “consumers really are sticking with those,” he said, showing a chart that indicated the level of video streaming services would remain stable from 2021 through an estimated 2022 and 2023.

It’s “more about services and less about the hardware itself,” he said, adding “I think the whole ad-supported business model” will help extend the entertainment streaming business.

He presented CTA research that showed that 59% of consumers planned to use video streaming more post-pandemic, with 36% planning to use it about the same and only 5% planning to use video streaming services less. As for video game services, 50% indicated they planned to use them more, 39% about the same and 10% less.

Source: CTA

Subscribe HERE to the FREE Media Play News Daily Newsletter!

LG Electronics Unveils 2023 TV Lineup, Headlined by OLED TVs

LG Electronics has unveiled its 2023 TV lineups, headlined by advanced OLED TVs.

“With premium self-lit picture quality, powerful image processing technologies, and an enhanced webOS platform offering even more smart features and services, the company’s latest OLED TVs elevate the viewing experience as only LG OLED can,” according to an LG press release.

The company’s OLED TVs have been recognized at the CES Innovation Award for 11 years in a row, the press release noted. 

“LG’s self-lit technology has enabled the company to create unprecedented, visually-stunning TV form factors, including market-firsts such as the rollable LG Signature OLED R, and the bendable LG OLED Flex. A double honoree at the CES 2023 Innovation Award, LG OLED Flex won Best of Innovation in the Gaming category,” according to the press release.

Spearheading LG’s 2023 OLED lineup are the latest Z3, G3 and C3 OLED evo series TVs. The upgraded, new models provide higher brightness and color accuracy as well as clarity and detail thanks to the precision and performance of LG OLED evo technology and the new α9 AI Processor Gen6, according to the LG press release.

The latest Alpha series processor utilizes LG’s AI-assisted Deep Learning tech to ensure outstanding picture and sound quality, according to LG. AI Picture Pro now offers improved upscaling for better clarity, and enhanced dynamic tone mapping, which helps reveal the depth and detail in every frame. AI Picture Pro also integrates a picture processing technology that detects and refines important objects, such as people’s faces, to give them a more lifelike HDR quality. In addition to fine-tuning image reproduction, the α9 AI Processor Gen6 powers LG’s AI Sound Pro, delivering virtual 9.1.2 surround sound from the TVs’ built-in speaker system.

Another upgrade applied to this year’s OLED evo G3 series is LG’s Brightness Booster Max technology, which incorporates new light control architecture and light-boosting algorithms to increase brightness by up to 70%. Brightness is mapped and controlled on a pixel-by-pixel basis, resulting in sharper, more realistic images, according to LG.

LG’s 2023 G3 OLED evo models also boast an aesthetic upgrade via the introduction of the One Wall Design, leaving no visible gap when wall mounted.

Also, 2023 LG OLED TVs are designed to be kinder to the environment, from production all the way through to disposal creating sustainable cycles, according to LG. LG OLED TVs have no backlighting unit, meaning each TV requires fewer materials to produce than a conventional LED TV. They also employ many components made from recycled plastics, and are shipped in eco-packaging made from recyclable materials and featuring single-color printing. Easier on viewers’ eyes, all of LG’s 2023 model OLED TVs have been certified low blue light by TÜV Rheinland, and flicker-free by UL Solutions.

Subscribe HERE to the FREE Media Play News Daily Newsletter!

LG OLED is also introducing a more personalized user experience in 2023. Featuring the latest version of webOS, this year’s models present All New Home, a redesigned user interface (UI) that offers personalization options. The new “Quick Cards” offer users easy access to the content and services they use the most — all grouped into logical categories such as Home Office, Gaming, Music and Sports. LG’s more advanced webOS makes it easy for everyone using the TV to enjoy personalized recommendations tailored to their own preferences which are determined based on viewing history and viewing habits, according to LG. Furthering the personalized user experience on LG OLED TV is AI Concierge, which provides each user with a curated list of content choices based on their past usage and search inquiries, and provides a selection of trending content for them to browse.

LG OLED TVs continue to support the image- and audio-enhancing capabilities of Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos. This year’s LG TVs offer seamless integration with the latest LG soundbars, delivering outstanding multi-channel surround sound with Imax enhanced quality powered by DTS:X. LG TV and soundbar also combine to offer the WOW Orchestra3 feature, which takes advantage of both products’ audio channels to produce stronger, more immersive sound.

LG’s 2023 OLED models support a wide range of features compliant to HDMI 2.1a. They are also the first TV sets to be certified by the HDMI organization for the recently announced Quick Media Switching VRR (QMS-VRR), according to LG. QMS-VRR can eliminate the momentary “black screen” that sometimes occurs when switching between content played from different source devices connected via the TV’s HDMI 2.1a compliant ports, according to LG.

LG’s self-lit OLED TVs boast a 0.1 millisecond response time, low-input lag and up to four HDMI2.1a compliant ports. LG OLED TVs are also equipped with the Game Optimizer, allowing users to quickly select and switch between gaming-specific features, such as game-genre display presets. Settings for G-SYNC Compatible, FreeSync Premium and variable refresh rate (VRR) are easily accessible from the Game Optimizer as well, according to LG.

LG’s state-of-the-art 2023 OLED TVs will be on show during CES 2023 from January 5-8 at the company’s booth (#15501, Central Hall, Las Vegas Convention Center).

LG to Unveil New Gaming-Optimized OLED Displays at CES

LG Display will unveil its 45-inch ultra-wide OLED and 27-inch OLED displays optimized for gaming at CES 2023 in January. 

LG Display’s new gaming OLED displays boast the fastest response time of 0.03ms, making them the first-ever OLED displays for monitors to provide a refresh rate of 240Hz per second which permits the clearest picture quality and smoothest movements, even during fast-paced action, according to an LG press release. 

LG Display’s gaming OLED displays also minimize external light reflections by applying a special polarizer designed for gaming, according to the press release.

“This allows the display to achieve perfect black under any environment, adding depth to the image quality and delivering an accurate color depiction,” the press release states. “What’s more, the revolutionary gaming OLED displays bend up to 800R, or a curvature radius of 800mm, allowing gamers to experience the optimal curve for every genre of content.

“In addition, the company’s gaming OLED panels emit the lowest level of blue light in the industry compared to premium LCD displays of the same size and this allows gamers to enjoy, flicker-free gaming experiences with less eye fatigue.”

Subscribe HERE to the FREE Media Play News Daily Newsletter!

LG Display will start mass-production of the 27- and 45-inch gaming OLED displays this month and the products are set to be used in premium monitors for several global tech companies including LG Electronics, Asus and Corsair, according to the press release.

“LG Display’s gaming OLED is the ultimate display solution for gamers in terms of picture quality, response times and eye comfort”  Tai-jong Lee, head of solution customer experience Division 2 at LG Display, said in a statement. “We will continue to expand our gaming OLED panel lineup based on the needs of gamers across multiple genres to take the customer experience we provide to new heights.”

CTA: CES on Track for Record Post-Pandemic Growth

The Consumer Technology Association Nov. 30 reported that the 2023 CES show is on track for record post-pandemic growth.

Owned and produced by the CTA, CES 2023 will take place in Las Vegas on Jan. 5-8, 2023. 

As of Nov. 28, the CTA reported: 

  • 2 million-plus net square feet of exhibits (50% bigger than CES 2022)
  • nearly 1,000 new exhibitors and more than 2,400 in total
  • one of the largest global auto shows
  • a record 2,100 CES 2023 Innovation Award entries
  • a 100,000 attendee goal with one-third from outside the United States
  • sold out Media Days on Jan. 3-4
  • 3,000-plus media registered

 

“The growth of, and excitement for, CES 2023 continues as we get closer to the moment where the world’s most influential technology innovators meet in person with customers, media, investors and policymakers,” said Gary Shapiro, president and CEO of the CTA. “We are thrilled with the show’s momentum and look forward to opening the halls of innovation in January. We’ll learn about emerging global economic trends, what’s next in healthcare, automotive, Web3/metaverse and see the nexus of technology for good.”

Subscribe HERE to the FREE Media Play News Daily Newsletter!

Adena T. Friedman, president and CEO of Nasdaq and the first woman CEO to lead a global stock exchange, will join Shapiro for a Great Minds session, “What’s Next for the 21st Century Economy,” on Jan. 6.

CoinDesk is the title sponsor and producer of the “CES Web3 Studio Presented by CoinDesk.” The company will curate a half-day Web3 conference program, and the studio will feature interviews with some of the most influential Web3 voices. It will cover the latest cryptocurrency and blockchain news and innovations from CES. The show will also feature Web3 programming by the Blockchain Association.

Dozens of conference tracks and 200 sessions will cover the key show themes that include digital health, Web3/metaverse, sustainability and human security for all. Registration is open and prices increase on Dec. 5.