The hottest mobile trends from the 2016 Consumer Electronics Show (CES)

The 2016 Consumer Electronics Show was held in Las Vegas, wrapping up four days of exciting new technology demonstrations and products. The show, which has been held annually since 1998, always attracts large crowds hoping to see what the next new breakthrough will be.

This year was no exception with more than 150,000 attendees being amazed and enthralled by 3,600 vendors. Obviously that’s a lot to absorb in such a short amount of time, but a few mobile technology trends stuck out for me:

1. The Internet of Things (IOT) is still very much alive and well. One example of this is the Family Hub refrigerator from Samsung. Serving as the family digital command center, it features a digital screen that allows you to post, share and update family calendars, pin photos and leave messages from your smartphone. You can also use it to order groceries via an app or, if you prefer to shop for yourself, it has three cameras inside to show you the current contents so you can use your phone to see what you need to buy.

2. Mobile Payment Options. Following the ground-breaking efforts of Apple Pay and Android Pay, others will likely start to jump on the digital wallet bandwagon, providing consumers with greater choices and better options. This should be an interesting trend to follow as it blossoms.

3. Digital Wearables. Fashion and function are coming together to help you monitor everything from your own vitals statistics to keeping a close eye on your baby’s activities and even tracking what your pet is doing during the day (and recommending how much more additional activity is needed based on the animal’s size, age and breed).

Of course, these and other mobile trends are all about convenience, and it is exciting to watch how these new technologies are shaping our lives. I look forward to seeing what else 2016 has to offer and what will be the new trends for next year and beyond.