Everything from headphones to marine products, plus the usual suspects like smart TVs, electric vehicles and digital health devices, will be on display at a rejuvenated CES 2023 technology trade show, kicking off Tuesday in Las Vegas.

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This year, the largest tech expo in the US is drawing not just Silicon Valley, but a broad cross-section of industries that are wading into the tech waters. Originally known as the Consumer Electronics Show, it still showcases the latest audio and video products and personal electronic devices. It has now expanded into a full-spectrum technology conference, including automotive, commercial, and industrial companies.

Companies as boat manufacturer brunswick (BC) and construction equipment giant Caterpillar (CAT) will be available. And along with a keynote presentation from the chipmaker advanced micro devices (AMD), others who took the podium include top executives from the farm equipment giant John Deere (DE), and car manufacturers bmw (BMWYY) and stellantis (STLA).

“The show is very big and people leave with different impressions,” said Gary Shapiro, executive director of the Consumer Technology Association, the trade group that runs CES. Those impressions are based on each attendee’s areas of interest, he told Investor’s Business Daily.

Since CES makes people think about the year ahead, executives at the show are also likely to talk about the economy and the possibility of a recession, Shapiro said.

More exhibitors, more attendees

CES, a critical event on the tech industry’s timeline, is expected to set the tone for the industry by 2023. The show officially runs from January 5-8, but kicks off Tuesday in Las Vegas with media events prior to the event.

More companies are showing up at the show and much higher attendance is expected as the effects of Covid continue to weaken. More than 3,100 exhibitors have signed up for CES 2023 versus 2,279 at the last show. And the organizers expect more than 100,000 attendees, compared to 44,400 for the 2022 exhibition affected by Covid.

Additionally, CES 2023 will see the return of many traditional tech industry exhibitors who canceled their plans to attend the 2022 show due to the omicron wave of the Covid pandemic. Those companies include Alphabet(GOOGL) Google and Waymo units, Amazon (AMZN), father of Facebook metaplatforms (GOAL) and Microsoft (MSFT).

The hot topics at the fair will be electric vehicles, augmented reality and digital health. It is also part of the Web3 agenda, which includes next-generation internet technologies like blockchain, cryptocurrency, the metaverse, and non-fungible tokens, or NFTs.

CES 2023 has become a major auto show

A key element of CES 2023 will be major automakers and numerous component suppliers. In addition, there will be manufacturers of charging stations for electric vehicles, such as charging flicker (BLNK). In addition, a host of “micromobility” tech companies will show off electric bikes and scooters.

“It really has become one of the most important car shows in the world,” Shawn DuBravac, president of the Avrio Institute consultancy, told IBD. “In transportation, CES has done a great job of capturing the entire ecosystem.”

Automotive component suppliers include a large number of companies that provide sensors for advanced driver assistance systems and autonomous cars. They include manufacturers of lidar, radar and camera vision systems.

Along with that, there are semiconductors, sensors, displays, batteries, artificial intelligence, and other “ingredient” technologies.

“It’s becoming more of a B2B (business-to-business) program,” Marge Costello, publisher and publisher of Consumer Electronics Online News, told IBD. “You’ll see technology that enables consumer products.”

Metaverse continues to attract interest

Meanwhile, the metaverse was a buzzword at last year’s show and should continue to be a major theme at CES 2023, DuBravac said.

“Metaverse was one of the big surprises at CES last year,” he said. “It ended up being a much stronger theme than many anticipated. This year we’re getting more visibility into that trend.”

The metaverse is an emerging version of the next-generation internet in which 3D virtual worlds replace static websites. Facebook’s rebranding as Meta in late 2021 sparked interest in the concept.

CES 2023 will also see a variety of vendors showcasing their latest virtual reality headsets to experience versions of the metaverse. They include Goal, sony (SONY) and HTC.

Meanwhile, other companies will show off augmented reality headsets ahead of the expected launch of a mixed reality headset by Apple (AAPL) in 2023. Mixed reality combines elements of augmented and virtual reality. Companies showcasing AR headsets and enabling tech at CES 2023 include Magic Leap, Qualcomm (QCOM) and vuzix (VUZI).

CES 2023: Over-the-counter headphones arrive

A new trending category at the show will be over-the-counter hearing aids, Costello said. Consumer electronics companies can now offer hearing aids at much lower prices than traditional medical devices, she said.

Last August, the US Food and Drug Administration authorized the sale of hearing aids over the counter for people with perceived mild to moderate hearing impairment. Consumers can purchase hearing aids directly from stores or online retailers without the need for a medical exam, prescription, or fitting by an audiologist. The rule went into effect in mid-October.

Headset manufacturers like Jabra and Sony have jumped into the over-the-counter hearing aid market, along with companies like ear (EAR) and Nuheara.

At CES 2023, numerous companies will promote smart home devices that use the Matter connectivity standard. Expect to hear about smart lights, locks, security cameras, and other devices that use Matter. Backers say Matter will make it easier for devices from different manufacturers to interoperate.

And as usual, CES 2023 will highlight bigger, brighter and smarter TVs from Hisense, LG, Samsung, Sony and TCL. There will also be the latest in personal computers, headsets, sound bars, portable devices, gaming equipment, home appliances and other consumer devices.

Follow Patrick Seitz on Twitter at @IBD_PSeitz for more stories on consumer technology, software and semiconductor stocks.

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