CES 2020 buzzword of the show: Streaming

After every CES, I like to pick the buzzword of the show. The buzzword is usually a marketing term that companies throw around with abandon at CES. Sometimes it’s a hot technology term. Other times, it is a theme that stands out.
For CES 2020, I’m picking “streaming” as the buzzword of the show. The importance of streaming video and music at CES was too big to ignore this year.
If I went just with what wording was used most frequently in press conferences and in exhibitor booths, the buzzword would be either “smart” or “AI.” Both of those terms were tossed around with practically every new product at the show. We had smart toilets, smart showers, smart faucets, smart mirrors, smart toothbrushes, smart bathroom mats, and that’s just in the bathroom.
Frankly those terms could have been used as the buzzwords for the past several CES conferences.
CES 2020 will be remembered as the coming-out party for a host of streaming video services, including Quibi, NBCUniversal’s Peacock and WarnerMedia’s HBO Max. Also at the show were The Trade Desk and other companies involved in placing advertising in streaming video services.
Plus, streaming music services, including Spotify, Amazon Music, Apple Music, iHeartMedia and SiriusXM, had a major presence at CES 2020.
If I had to pick a runner-up for buzzword of CES 2020, I’d pick MicroLED. The display technology is gathering steam and could soon be rival OLED as a next-generation display.

CES buzzwords through the years:

2010: Green
2011: Smart
2012: Ultra
2013: Super
2014: Curved
2015: Wearable
2016: HDR (high dynamic range)
2017: Voice
2018: AI (artificial intelligence)
2019: 5G
2020: Streaming

Photos: Quibi Chairman Jeffrey Katzenberg introduces his mobile video-on-demand service (top); NBCUniversal executive Linda Yaccarino leads a panel discussion with special guests including Terry Crews, Ester Dean, Kate del Castillo, Mandy Moore and Natalie Morales. (CES)

Related reading:

CES 2020 news in review (Jan. 11, 2020)

Celebrities at CES 2020: Alicia Keys, Shay Mitchell, Terry Crews and more (Jan. 12, 2020)