Even if the show hasn't technically started quite yet, that's not stopping the companies from jumping on the early bandwagon as usual. Just like we've seen in so many previous years, stealing the show before it starts is part of the fun for the Consumer Electronics Show, and today we saw what LG has in store for the general consumer in 2014 (and beyond). Now that their event has wrapped up, I can't help but wonder if LG started off 2014 with a bang, or a whimper.
I've got my eye trained on LG for specific reasons, and most of that newfound attention this year is because of the G2 last year. That device came out of nowhere (not counting all the leaks and rumors, obviously), and it put LG back on a map that they've been missing from for quite some time. It makes sense that after the G2, people would want to see what the company has in store for consumers moving into the New Year.
The G2 wasn't the last bit of mobile they had for 2013, though. The G Flex, with its curved display, managed to slip into some people's hands across the globe while skipping the United States in its debut. The G Flex is a combination of both mid-range display (according to some people) and high-end everything else, and there's no doubt that some folks out there wanted to get their hands on it that couldn't.
That could be changing here soon, though.
During LG's event, the company announced that the G Flex would be releasing on three U.S.-based carriers within the first quarter of this year. Those three carriers? Sprint, T-Mobile and AT&T. We had seen some leaks that suggested the G Flex would be landing on these carriers in the past, so it wasn't that big of a surprise. However, with the Big Red carrier missing from the flock, that doesn't necessarily mean it isn't launching for Verizon at a later date. It could just get a name change, after all.
Maybe a different color (or two, or three...).
That isn't all, though. LG also unveiled a piece of wearable technology, too, just to make sure they put a checkmark next to all the expected products a company is supposed to launch this year. The Lifeband Touch is a wristband that features an OLED touchscreen, and it's designed to keep you up to date with all your fitness and health needs. You'll be able to track your calories, the number of steps you've taken, as well as the distance you've gone and how fast you've done it all. The touchscreen will turn itself on and off based on the position of your wrist, thanks to the algorithm that LG included.
I think LG did exactly what they wanted to do at CES, and didn't leave much room for disappointment or missed expectations. The G Flex arriving on U.S. shores in 2014 is what we all expected to happen. There was no way the G Flex was staying away from U.S. carriers, or more consumers in general. Especially not with a design that LG expects to become mainstream this year, and well into the next. They want to be the first manufacturer to offer a curved display in 2014, and the G Flex is the way to do that. Of course, with Samsung's Galaxy Round out there in existence, it's certainly possible that Samsung announces something today to beat LG to the punch. We'll just have to wait and see.
As far as LG goes, I think we can expect big things from the company throughout 2014. With a device like the G2 to build on, and with the G Flex and Lifeband Touch their first efforts for the New Year, they're working on some pretty good momentum. Let's just hope they can keep it going all the way to the end of the year.
