The Big Innovations from CES 2020

OnePlus showcased their concept smartphone with the cool trick of disappearing or invisible rear camera. Co-branded with McLaren, the phone uses electrochromic glass on the camera module which is opaque by default and therefore hides the cameras below it. However, once you launch the camera, the glass takes 0.7 seconds to become transparent and it's only then you can see the rear camera lenses under the glass design.

The OnePlus Concept One is the first phone ever to use colour-shifting glass technology (electrochromic glass technology), giving it an “invisible camera.” (Source: OnePlus)

Thankfully, the glass isn't just for this single function, it also acts as an ND polarizing filter for the camera when used in Pro mode. No other details were announced about the concept smartphone and being a concept phone, it is unlikely we will see it being launched soon.

If you have seen the Nintendo Switch, you can already see the resemblance with Dell’s concept personal computer. Just like the Switch, the Concept UFO has removable gamepads and the option to dock it with a TV for large screen gaming. The device specifications are unknown at the point other than the fact that it has an 8-inch screen and runs Windows 10 with a custom user interface for games. When the controllers are detached from the screen, they can be joined together for one large controller that is great for use when connected to the TV.

Image: Twitter/@Dell

Considering the success of Nintendo Switch for handheld gaming, Dell’s experiment for a similar device and that too for the large selection of games available on the Windows platform is something that we hope becomes available for consumers soon.

Mercedes-Benz announced its concept car which is Inspired by the movie Avatar. In case you were wonder, the name AVTR is not from the movie, but stands for Advanced Vehicle Transformation. The car not only looks cool with its unique exterior appearance but even on the inside – there is no steering while, instead, there is a multi-functional control centre for driving and other functions. The control centre works via a user’s biometric scan and can track the user’s heartbeat and breathing. A menu is projected on the user’s hand for various control functions inside the car.

Daimler announces the world premiere of the Mercedes-Benz Vision AVTR concept car at the Daimler Keynote along with a sneak peek of the new Avatar 2 movie, background image, before the CES tech show Monday, Jan. 6, 2020, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

However, the coolest part is that the car can move sideways, just like a crab – front and rear axels can be driven simultaneously or in opposite using which the car can be moved towards the side while facing front. Another great thing about Vision AVTR is that it's amongst the first cars that are fully recyclable – every element of the car including its battery is bio-degradable. As there is no official confirmation on it, its safe to assume that this car might not be available to the consumers anytime soon.

A folding display is not something new for 2020 - it has already been shown in 2019 on smartphones such as the Galaxy Fold. However, when it comes to laptops, the ThinkPad X1 Fold is the first laptop to offer a foldable screen to the consumers. It has a 13.3-inch foldable OLED screen that can be used as a tablet when open or as a clamshell laptop with an on-screen keyboard when folded in half.

It even has a built-in kickstand to prop up the screen and you can use it with the optional Bluetooth keyboard to give it a compact all-in-one desktop look. An interesting bit is that Lenovo opted for Windows 10 Pro and not Windows 10X which is Microsoft’s OS optimized for folding screens. Lenovo has announced that the X1 Fold will be priced at $2,499 onwards and will be available later this year.