CES 2015: what to expect at the world's biggest tech show

It's Janaury and that means it's time for one of the biggest events in the tech calendar - the International CES in Las Vegas. But, what is CES, we hear you say? The Consumer Electronics Show (or CES, for short) is an annual event held just off the Las Vegas strip where the biggest names in tech converge to show off their latest gadgets.

Owned and produced by the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA), this year's showcase runs 6-9 January. As always, Apple, Microsoft, Google and Amazon probably won't be there, preferring instead to stick to their own events, but everyone else from Sony, Samsung and LG to Panasonic, HTC and Toshiba will be in attendance. Here's a rundown of what we expect to see at CES 2015...

TVs

As with 2014's lineup, the new batch of TVs at CES look set to be packing ultra high-definition 4K technology, though this year, the products will get more affordable.

As always, Korean tech giants LG and Samsung will be battling it out for headlines with both makers already confirming 'quantum dot' 4K LCD TVS. This new tech is desinged to improve picture brightness and colour reproduction.

It's possible that we could see more curved TVs, while LG is also rumoured to be launching its second-gen curved phone - the LG Flex 2.

We also expect to see several brands launching panels with Google's Android TV built in. So far, Google hasn't had much luck with its TV-based endeavours but the popularity of its recent Chromecast streaming stick could be a good sign for its next attempt.

[ How to fix a broken MacBook Pro by baking it in the oven ]

Samsung has already confirmed that its new smart TVs for 2015 will run on the its Tizen platform, as it tries to move away from Google's Android, while LG has stated that it will unveil webOS 2.0 -  an updated version of its existing smart TV tech.

Wearables

CES 2014 was packed with wearable technology, and this year looks set to see even more. With the Apple Watch due to launch in just a few months' time, we expect to see a selection of rival smartwatches unveiled at CES.

Going head to head with the likes of the Moto 360, we're likely to see a range of devices toting Google's watch-centric Android Wear software, and no doubt there will be a host of news fitness trackers unveiled that are designed to work with Apple's new iOS 8 Health app and Google's Fit app for Android.

Smartphone maker HTC is rumoured to be launching a wearable at the show, though details are thin on the ground. While it could be a smartwatch, reports suggest that it's something completely different. Could it be some form of wearable camera, following on from the launch of the periscope-shaped HTC Re camera in 2014?

It's likely that we'll see some development in virtual reality headsets, like Samsung's Gear VR and the Facebook-owned Oculus Rift, while a rumoured glasses-mounted unit from Sony could go up against Google Glass.

It's also likely that we'll see more collaborations with fashion companies - good news for those who think the current selection of wearables are too ugly to wear.

Internet of Things

The disasterously named Internet of Things (or IoT) is a catch-all term for gadgets and appliances that are connected to the web, and often controlled by an app. Smart home technology isn't exactly new, but manufactuers are still working to make it a viable, and useful, option for the mass market, rather than simply a gimmick.

We've already seen how internet-connected thermostats like British Gas's Hive and EDF's partnership with Neatatmo can save consumers money on their bills - but the tech brands still have some way to go in convincing the punters that they need this connected technology at home.

With 900 exhibitors due to show connected gadgets, we can expect to see more web-enabled devices than ever before including TVs, kitchen appliances, speakers, lighting and health and fitness gadgets. British brand Smarter has already confirmed that it will be showcasing a Wi-Fi coffee machine.

Car tech

CES has an entire hall devoted just to car tech and 2015 will see some big unveils. A huge number of car makers will be there - including Audi, Ford, Honda and BMW - with plenty of in-car gadetry to show off.

One thing that's due to arrive is Hyundai's new Display Audio in-car entertainment system which is said to be compatible with both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

[ Physicist builds Star Trek ‘Warp Drive’ in his garage ]

We expect to see at least one demo of a driverless car, like those recently announced by Google, but these are unlikely to be on sale for some time yet, if at all.

High-res audio

The show will feature a new high-res audio 'tech zone' to exhibit the latest gadgets, while rock legend Neil Young will be at the show with his crowd-funded company PonoMusic, presumably to show off their Toblerone-shaped high-res audio PonoPlayer.