International Consumer Electronic Show (CES) in currently going on in Las Vegas. It is one THE biggest platform for Electronic companies to show off what they have to offer. The show itself is going great with new and unique products being highlighted. In fact, even the latest products that were showcased prior to CES were noteworthy (including Ubuntu for Mobile). Barring a few companies like Apple, Microsoft and Google most companies participate and come with the best they have.
The only problem that I see with CES is that it is not what people will get but what the companies have to offer. Now this may seem like one and the same thing but they are not. Companies are always researching and innovating and thus every month they will have a better product than the last. This is bound to happen and is the basis on which we are getting such good products in a small span of 3-4 years.
The problem is that once you are showcased something you want it. Unfortunately though, the products shown in CES belong to two categories.
- The prototypes.
- The finished products.
Now, it is OK for the prototype to be unfinished. In fact, it is not even expected to be launched in the same year (it mostly is not). The finished products though are a different deal. You expect them to launch soon. The problem is that companies take CES as a platform to show the new products but rarely launch them along with.
There are of course exceptions but mostly the launch, even if it occurs, is delayed at best and thus loses much of its charm. For example, when Apple launches a product, a date is defined and on date the product is available. Barring any logistical error, this will happen without fail. CES rarely has a bound timeline.
The promises by companies showcasing at CES are more on the lines – soon, in next quarter or worst, this year. These are hollow and do no good for the product itself.
All this for the US market! Add to that the time difference some of the products take to reach Indian shore after getting launched in US and somehow CES becomes just a show to enjoy and forget rather than being what it actually is – A pedestal for companies to be their best.
Maybe this is because companies like to have their own shows to launch their products or maybe they do believe that CES is just to show off what they can do in the future, but in my opinion for the products that are going to be launched this does more harm than good.
For technology that is going to come in the future, it is a great show!
