ARLINGTON, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Consumer Electronics Association (CEA)® announced today that more than 300 attendees from top technology companies gathered at the 2012 Industry Forum this week in San Francisco. Keynote addresses by Peter Sheahan, founder and CEO of Changelabs; Alexis Ohanian, co-founder of Reddit and Dean Kamen, stood as event highlights, along with the CE Hall of Fame Dinner and a variety of CEA market research announcements.
“This year’s Industry Forum was more robust than ever, with beneficial events and educational sessions, from tours of local innovative technology companies, to great keynoters highlighting major trends to a compelling mix of new CEA market research,” said Gary Shapiro, president and CEO, CEA. “It was Innovation Month in San Francisco and CEA’s Industry Forum felt right at home. This event helped showcase all the exciting innovation throughout the CE industry and was a terrific opportunity for CEA to do what it does best: bring the industry together for education and networking.”
The event began on Monday, Oct. 15, with a riveting panel discussion on the Five Technologies to Watch. This session provided a glimpse into five technology trends to watch over the next two to five years that will shape the technology industry. This year’s technologies to watch included 3D printing, next-generation TVs and displays, audio equipment, mobile tech in Africa and technology in education.
Peter Sheahan, founder and CEO of Changelabs, was the keynote speaker at the Monday luncheon. Sheahan shared tips with attendees on how to find new opportunity and increase competitive advantage. He referenced Burberry’s digital shopping experience and how it brings big data offline and into the store. Sheahan encouraged attendees to “flirt with your obsolesce instead of waiting for someone else to do it” and summed up his keynote by telling the audience to “question assumptions, think about how you do not just what you do, collaborate.”
On Tuesday morning the 19th Annual Holiday Purchase Patterns Study was unveiled at the popular Holiday Sales and Forecast presentation. Shawn DuBravac, chief economist and senior director of research, CEA, and Steve Koenig, director, industry analysis, CEA, announced research findings key to the holiday season. DuBravac and Koenig predicted that tablets will dominate the holidays and stated that a quarter of holiday buyers intend to purchase a tablet. They told attendees that September is the new December and discussed how holiday sales are being pushed back.
During the CEA Annual Member Meeting luncheon on Tuesday, Shapiro announced that the CE industry’s annual revenue is expected to surpass $200 billion for the first time in history. Shapiro discussed the importance of the upcoming presidential elections and elaborated on the many successes CEA has had on the government affairs and policy fronts by leading the charge against SOPA and PIPA, while pushing forward spectrum allocation, strategic immigration reform and eCycling efforts. During the Membership Meeting, CEA held the election of its 2013 Executive Board and Board of Industry Leaders.
The session concluded with a keynote address from Alexis Ohanian, Co-founder of Reddit. Ohanian explained the importance of importance of web startups and how they could impact the American economy. Ohanian told attendees, “The kind of innovation that is helping this country get its swagger back is happening all over the nation.” He also stressed the importance of “innovation, not legislation” and “word of mouth” promotions.
The 13th Annual Consumer Electronics Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony closed day two of CEA’s Industry Forum. The CE Hall of Fame honors consumer electronics industry leaders who have shaped the advancement of innovation. Among this year’s inductees were company founders and inventors, those who passionately move technology forward, marketing geniuses, retailers that bring products to consumers and journalists who write about the industry. Twelve consumer electronics pioneers for their contributions and a list of all the inductees can be found here.
Wednesday showcased the CEA Research Summit, where Shawn DuBravac, Steve Koenig Brian Markwalter, senior vice president, research and standards, CEA and Rhonda Daniel, manager, market research, CEA, presented their latest findings to the 2012 CEA Industry Forum audience. The research summit include research updates on the current state of consumer tech, the new generation of shoppers, what the future of consumer tech investments holds, trends creating new media and the future of consumer technology.
An informal straw poll of CEA members in attendance at Tuesday’s Industry Forum lunch showed support for a Romney presidency, with 60% of the vote; in a similar poll four years ago, members in attendance supported then-Senator Obama.
About CEA:
The Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) is the preeminent trade association promoting growth in the $206 billion U.S. consumer electronics industry. More than 2,000 companies enjoy the benefits of CEA membership, including legislative advocacy, market research, technical training and education, industry promotion, standards development and the fostering of business and strategic relationships. CEA also owns and produces the International CES – The Global Stage for Innovation. All profits from CES are reinvested into CEA’s industry services. Find CEA online: www.CE.org and www.DeclareInnovation.com. Follow CES at www.CESweb.org and through social media: http://facebook.com/InternationalCES; http://twitter.com/IntlCES; http://blog.ce.org/.
UPCOMING EVENTS
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CES Unveiled STOCKHOLM
October 29, 2012, Stockholm, Sweden
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CES New York Press Preview featuring CES Unveiled NEW YORK
November 12, 2012, New York, NY
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CES Unveiled LONDON
November 15, 2012, London, UK
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2013 International CES
January 8-11, 2013, Las Vegas, NV