The annual Consumer Electronics Show in Los Vegas last week showed off more gadgets than anyone could own in a lifetime…but just a handful will set the tone for what’s to come over the next 12 months.
According to Sony Australia, trends for 2013 in home electronics will include big screen TVs getting bigger, approaching an average size of 55 inches…and Smarter so throw away your TV guide.
Sony also predicts the continued popularity of high quality still and digital cameras will see more of us taking up photography as an ‘adult hobby’ and watching and sharing our own HD home movies.
Here’s the full list Sony’s top 10 tech predictions for the year. (supplied by Sony Australia)
1. 4K: the next frontier – Just when you thought Full HD was full enough, 4K (or ultra high definition with four times the resolution – or pixels – than Full HD) will make its way into Australian homes, with plenty of lounge room sized TVs available; more 4K capable broadcast cameras available to capture content; Hollywood movies will continue to be made in 4K and we expect we’ll be capturing more of our own images and videos in 4K.
2. More connected TVs and forget about the TV guide – 2013 will see us connecting our TVs to the internet as a normal part of setting up a new TV. This will mean huge growth in watching streamed on-demand TV content, changing the way we watch TV forever with less appointment viewing.
3. One touch simplicity – Near Field Communication (NFC) may sound ‘techy’, but it’s actually the ultimate in simplicity. NFC will be featured in many different devices from smartphones and wireless speakers to personal and home audio systems. This will make connecting devices as simple as touching them together. Listen to music in the car? One touch! Listen to music at home? One touch. Pay for something at the checkout? One touch. From the car, to the shops, to the office, to the living room, things will work the way you wished they would, with no more complicated wireless set-ups.
4. The photographer emerges from within – As high quality, professional photo capture becomes more accessible in terms of camera size, quality, price and features, the growth in photography as an “adult hobby” will continue with the ‘Digital SLR’ and ‘Compact System Cameras’ growing in popularity.
5. More “home movies” – We’ll be creating and watching more videos than ever with high quality personal videos being captured mostly through DSLR cameras and small, compact point-of-view cameras, rather than a standalone video camera. Furthermore, DSLR and POV footage will continue to find its primary home on video sharing sites, rather than on shelves at home.
6. Snap apps on cameras – Apps we’ve come to know on our phones and tablets will pop up in more devices like cameras so you can personalise and enhance your photography.
7. The big screen gets bigger – On average, Australia has the biggest homes in the world, which drives our love affair with the big screen TV. Not only will we see the average size of the family TV approach 55 inches, but the former living room flat panel TV will make its way to the bedroom.
8. The personal screen reigns supreme – For the first time, in 2013 the collective sales of smartphones and tablets will overtake the rest of the electronics categories combined, demonstrating just how important our ‘personal’ screens have become to us.
9. Our world without wires – Always connected will be our norm. Wireless connectivity will continue to expand across all parts of our lives making information and entertainment more available and personalised than ever. Imagine, wireless light bulbs where you can set the mood/colour from your smartphone while streaming your favourite music or movie to your connected TV, all instantly.
10. A new reality at home – More interactive games aimed at families will transport people into alternative universes with augmented reality technology connected to our games consoles.
