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Fein-Lines: CES, IPC APEX EXPO—Excitement for the Two Biggest Shows of the Year

It’s trade show season and I’m excited. In 2023, I’m looking forward to CES, IPC APEX EXPO, and a host of others. There’s a certain energy that comes from meeting together, seeing the latest, most innovative products, and projecting what this technology means for our future. In the next several weeks, I’ll be sharing more about what to expect from these shows and how to make the most of them.

The first show in the new year—and still the largest show globally—is the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas. It’s only a couple of months until we can be part of the world’s largest  and most influential show of its kind. The pandemic meant the show was only a shell of its former self, but I see it coming back strong this year. Part of it will still be digital, but I believe it will   return to its former glory. This is the gathering place for all those in the consumer technology business. It’s the launchpad for fresh invention and technology that has altered the world for the past 50 years. You can expect to see nearly 4,000 exhibitors at this year’s CES. Now that’s something to talk about!

Since 1998, CES has called Las Vegas home, welcoming more than 165,000 attendees each year. I expect to see about 100,000 folks in-house, making it about 40% larger than the 2022 event this past January. 

As I’ve mentioned in previous columns, there is a lot of buzz about the Smart home, the metaverse, AI, robotics, vehicle technology, and incredible developments in audio and video. CES 2023 exhibitors are industry visionaries, leaders with tenacious drive and a laser focus on the future. An impressive lineup is already forming and I’m already seeing teasers regarding what we’ll see there. These are leaders in their market segment.

I always feel compelled to see what John Deere has to offer at CES. You might not think of them as a technology company at first glance, but just read this description about their upcoming exhibit: “Deere continues to demonstrate a deep commitment to innovation and technologies that help farmers improve their productivity and profitability against diminishing returns. Deere’s fully autonomous tractor, announced at CES 2022, uses advanced cameras for smoother operation and 360-degree obstacle detection within an inch of accuracy.”

Now let’s talk about smartphones. Although the Galaxy Z Fold 4 and Flip 4 have become Samsung's hottest new devices, they won't stay that way forever. The Galaxy S23 is expected to appear on store shelves in the first few months of 2023 and we can expect to see it at CES. Smart phones and Smart watches will be a big topic this year. Also expect to learn more about the metaverse as we will see more products in this arena.

Per CES, the 2023 event “will shine a spotlight on how technology helps people tackle the world’s most pressing problems. Human Security for all will be a theme throughout the show, from conference programming to keynotes, highlighting innovation and products improving the lives of people around the world.”

IPC APEX EXPO
While there are dozens of smaller yet worthwhile shows popping up around the country, they don’t compare to CES or IPC APEX EXPO. These really do deserve the attention they get. The electronic design, manufacturing, and assembly, raw materials, processes, and standards that are shown, discussed, and demonstrated at this trade show enable the amazing technology products that we will see at CES in future years. It’s because of what we discuss, plan for, and exhibit at APEX EXPO that makes CES possible. I wholeheartedly encourage you to attend IPC APEX EXPO for all the reasons I just mentioned. Come with an open mind and be ready to receive—you won’t be disappointed. This is all about what is and what’s possible.

For me, these two events are the most exciting part of the year, and I am looking forward to seeing what is new.

I expect we will soon start to hear more teasers from exhibitors in the coming weeks for both CES and IPC APEX EXPO, in particular the full list of keynote speakers. This will give us a hint regarding which companies will make major announcements. I’ll also be writing more about IPC APEX EXPO, which I’m fully confident will make a huge splash, so stay tuned.

Dan Feinberg is an I-Connect007 technical editor and founder of Fein-Line Associates.