CES 2021 trends to look for in TV streaming, fitness apps, video chat software and

This story is part of CES, where our editors will bring you the latest news and the hottest gadgets of the entirely virtual CES 2021.

CES 2021 will be a different tech show during a very different year. Most of us have had to forgo everything from movie theaters to gyms to bars in favor of streaming services, fitness apps and video chat platforms — giving software and services a place closer to the top of the tech innovation pyramid. That evolution will be on display at the virtual conference.

While no one will be walking the Las Vegas floors trying out new products that promise to consolidate your TV streaming, use your brain waves to dispel anxiety and improve your sleep, the apps and services that have been the center of our entertainment, exercise and work and social lives will play a big role at this year’s CES, often taking advantage of the virtual environment that they operate in naturally. 

Here are a few services, apps and software trends we expect to see at CES 2021. 

Read more: The top 6 trends to expect at CES 2021

Streaming services grapple with the closure of movie theaters

Though there will be far fewer major media companies present at CES 2021, we’ll likely get a glimpse at how some of the pivots from movies to streaming services are faring, as CNET’s Joan Solsman reported. The head of Warner Bros. will take part in a keynote called Entertainment Transformed, and will likely discuss the company’s plans to release all of its new movies this year for streaming on HBO Max the same day they hit theaters, starting with last month’s Wonder Woman 1984.

Other CES panels will include executives from Amazon, Starz, Pluto TV and more discussing the massive increase in streaming service subscriptions since the start of pandemic lockdowns last March.

Though we aren’t expecting announcements from major players like Netflix or Hulu, it’s likely that 2021 will continue the surge in streaming service subscriptions, especially as more shows and movies change hands or premiere. The arrival of The Office on NBC’s Peacock likely boosted subscriptions this month, for example, as Wonder Woman 1984 did for HBO Max. 

The pandemic brings home entertainment, video chat equipment to the forefront

With many parts of the world dealing with surges in coronavirus cases and lots of people still working and entertaining themselves from home, home entertainment vendors will have tons of new TVs, soundbars and streaming devices on display at CES 2021.

We’ve already gotten a glimpse of new Sony TVs that boast massive, brighter OLED screens and run the new Google TV streaming system. Samsung will also have a ton of new home entertainment products to show off, including huge MicroLED TVs that let you watch four shows at once, QLED TVs that come in 4K and 8K resolution and soundbars with subwoofer microphones to upgrade your home theater experience. 

On the video chat side, we’ll see a number of vendors looking to improve your experience on Zoom, Microsoft Teams or your service of choice, for work or for socializing. Companies like Owl Labs, j5create and Labpano will show off 360-degree cameras and related software, while Crew in a Box claims to offer a professional-quality plug-and-play remote video production solution. 

It remains to be seen whether any of these will catch on as widely as popular smart home tools like the Amazon Echo Show, Google Nest and Facebook Portal, which all support Zoom and other video chat platforms now. But many people will continue working from home until a COVID-19 vaccine is widely available, these products will likely garner some interest. 

Fitness apps, services and products explode in popularity