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Home - Kagan: CES 2020 down, MWC 2020 to go
Analyst AngleOpinion

Kagan: CES 2020 down, MWC 2020 to go

by Jeff Kagan January 13, 2020
written by Jeff Kagan January 13, 2020 Share
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Once again, the annual Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas blew the roof off and got everyone salivating on what is being introduced and what is coming. Let me share with you some thoughts about what I learned at CES 2020, about certain companies and technologies, and what I am expecting at MWC 2020 Barcelona at the end of February.

At CES, there were so many different consumer electronics and technology products and services. The amazing part of this story is how so many of these new products and services use wireless, 5G, AI and IoT at their core.

CES 2020 says top two key themes are AI and 5G wireless

In fact, in an email sent by the CES after the show, they said the top two key themes at this years CES 2020 was… you guessed it… AI and 5G. Artificial Intelligence and 5G mobile connectivity.

Sound familiar? That is exactly what I predicted in my recent column from December 30, 2019 titled, “5G wireless is center of CES 2020 universe”. That’s also what I told the media in several interviews leading up to the show.

The press release mentioned wireless companies like Verizon, AT&T, Sprint, Nokia and Ericsson. It also discussed the latest advancements in 5G speed, reliability and efficiency.

Verizon, AT&T, Qualcomm, Ericsson, Apple, Google, Samsung, Synchronoss

As a matter of fact, there are so many top companies in the 5G space like Qualcomm, Huawei, Nokia, Apple, Google, Samsung, Synchronoss and more. In fact, the list is longer than you can imagine from companies in the networking side, handset side and so much more.

Plus, other companies from other industries are rapidly moving into the world of 5G wireless, AI and IoT as well.

Let’s face it, consumer electronics is a vast industry with many different technologies. However, they all need certain things. Going forward they will all need 5G wireless connectivity and artificial intelligence or AI, IoT and more.

In fact, industries like digital healthcare, automotive, retail and many others are all moving rapidly into this space to transform their products and services.

What industry analyst, columnist, influencer learned at CES 2020

You know me as an Industry Analyst. I follow wireless, telecom, pay TV, AI, IoT, Digital Healthcare and so much more. I always share my thoughts with the media as they regularly call for comments on their stories.

As a columnist, I share my opinion on changing industries, products and services, companies, competition and more in my writing.

As an Influencer, I learn about what’s happening and what’s interesting and help spread the word in my columns, with the media and on social media like Twitter and LinkedIn.

So, I follow this space quite closely and share my opinions on a daily basis. That being said, I learned quite a bit at CES 2020. Always do. What’s coming next and what we can expect going forward.

Executives reach out to get on the radar of marketplace

Companies and executives from around the world introduced themselves to me at the show. In fact, I will be visiting many of them in coming months to get a more in-depth briefing. That way I can get to know them better and share my opinion about them. To better understand them, their industry, their competitors and the direction things are heading.

In fact, I spoke with many companies in digital health and healthcare, automotive, retail, sales and countless others who are either using or will be using 5G and wireless technology and AI to transform and expand their company and their industry leadership.

Wireless playing role in digital healthcare, automotive, retail, fintech and more

I expect the same thing at MWC 2020 in Barcelona next month. There will be so many companies and every one of them want to get on the radar of the marketplace. So, they will be trying to brief as many key industry influencers and players as they can.

The reason is simple. If they don’t get recognized, they won’t succeed. Period. The noise in the industry is loud and companies must rise above the noise and be discovered.

The way I look at the world is whether a company is growing, cresting or falling. Every company fits somewhere in that mix.

This is important for every worker, investor and user to learn and to understand.

The growth wave: Rising, cresting or falling

Some companies and industries are focused on continual and rapid innovation and change. They are typically on the rising side of the growth wave.

At other companies, growth has slowed. This often puts them on the cresting top end of the growth wave. They need to do something quickly to jump start their growth and excitement before they start to decline.

Still, other companies are on the falling side of the growth wave. This is the hardest part to recover from. Companies on the falling side often never recover.

That’s why it’s so important for every company to keep stoking the fire and keep adding new technology to your offerings. Keep the fire burning.

It is important for every company to stay hot. To stay relevant. To innovate and excite the user base. To stay on everyone’s radar. This will keep the company growing and keep investors, workers and customers happy.

Every company must stay on rising side of growth wave

If they can do this, they can stay on the rising side of the growth wave. They must continue to reinvent their products and services.

At the same time, every company must not move ahead so quickly they leave their customers behind in the dust. They must strike the right balance.

At CES 2020 there was no shortage of companies reinventing themselves. I expect the same at MWC 2020 Barcelona.

This is the exciting part of what I do. I get to visit with and talk about some of the really exciting and interesting companies, products, services and ideas. I even get to uncover some newcomers who could change their industry and in fact the entire marketplace. Companies like Apple with iPhone and Google with Android ten years ago.

Expect 5G wireless, AI and IoT to continue to grow

Bottom line, CES 2020 was an incredible show. Full of innovation and excitement. And 5G wireless, AI and IoT are playing a huge role in so many different industries, products and services. And we are still in the very early years. Expect everything in our world to continue changing.

I fully expect MWC 2020 in Barcelona next month to be just as exciting as CES 2020. I’ll meet with executives and companies and set up more in-depth briefings over the next few months.

Wireless, 5G, AI and IoT are some of the most amazing core-technologies that are both exciting and breath taking. They will change our world. They will change industry after industry.

This is an exciting time for all of us. Whether you are an executive, investor, worker or user, this is a time of change, innovation and reinvention that will be a historic period, and we are living in it today.

Yes, it’s great to be sitting in the center of this evolving and exciting whirlwind, learning about what’s coming next and telling the world about it, one column, one media interview and one social media post at a time.

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Table of Contents

  • CES 2020 says top two key themes are AI and 5G wireless
  • Verizon, AT&T, Qualcomm, Ericsson, Apple, Google, Samsung, Synchronoss
  • What industry analyst, columnist, influencer learned at CES 2020
  • Executives reach out to get on the radar of marketplace
  • Wireless playing role in digital healthcare, automotive, retail, fintech and more
  • The growth wave: Rising, cresting or falling
  • Every company must stay on rising side of growth wave
  • Expect 5G wireless, AI and IoT to continue to grow
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Jeff Kagan

Jeff is a RCR Wireless News Columnist, Industry Analyst, Consultant, Influencer Marketing specialist and Keynote Speaker. He shares his colorful perspectives and opinions on the companies and technologies that are transforming the industry he has followed for 35 years. Jeff follows wireless, private wireless, 5G, AI, IoT, wire line telecom, Internet, Wi-Fi, broadband, FWA, DOCSIS wireless broadband, Pay TV, cable TV, streaming and technology.

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