CES 2025 Highlights: Expanding OS Capabilities with AI

While this year’s scale felt smaller compared to previous editions, the innovation on display at CES 2025 was anything but. From augmented reality to cutting-edge AI advancements, the show highlighted trends that are shaping how we interact with content across screens—and beyond. Amidst the buzz of innovation, we could also see the growing fragmentation of connected TV operating systems. With more players entering the market, this increasingly complex ecosystem poses critical challenges and opportunities for video companies and OTT platforms.

Here’s a round-up of the most exciting announcements and their implications for OTT streaming services:

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LG: Pioneering AI and webOS integration

LG showcased an impressive array of advancements that demonstrated its commitment to AI and user-centric technology. The transparent OLED TV was a visual standout, offering a glimpse into the potential for futuristic home setups. 

At the core of LG’s innovations was the evolution of webOS, now featuring AI-powered search, recommendations, and audio-visual enhancements. The introduction of advanced voice control and a new AI button on remotes further enhances usability. With LG AI TV leading the charge in smart content curation and personalization, webOS continues to be a robust platform for OTT providers aiming to deliver tailored experiences that captivate audiences.

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HiSense: Big on brightness and AI

HiSense brought a strong focus on AI-driven functionality, integrating it deeply into its VIDAA OS and other products. The company also doubled down on display innovation, showcasing 4K short-throw projectors with 3,000 ANSI lumens of brightness. HiSense showcased the first RGB Mini LED TV—a 116-inch TriChroma marvel with local dimming—and its super-slim microLED displays less than an inch thick, illustrating their commitment to offering premium viewing experiences. 

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TCL: Bigger screens, smarter glasses

TCL focused on scaling up display technology while advancing its AR ambitions. The company’s AR Ray Neo Glasses were a highlight, demonstrating their continued investment in augmented reality. 

Meanwhile, TCL’s larger QD-Mini LED TVs, equipped with bidirectional 16-bit backlight control and increased brightness, set new benchmarks for display quality. Strengthening its partnership with Google TV, TCL reinforced its position in the content ecosystem as a top tier hardware maker.

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Samsung: Expanding the smart ecosystem

Samsung’s presence at CES 2025 emphasized ecosystem integration. The SmartThings platform expanded its reach, connecting homes, cars, boats, and even healthcare systems. 

Samsung TV Plus made waves with its integration into Android Automotive OS, pushing the boundaries of in-car entertainment. 

The company also expanded Vision AI, which builds on last year’s AI-driven picture improvements by adding in-video content detection and search capabilities. 

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Google: Integrating Gemini

Google highlighted the integration of Gemini throughout their OS platform. This includes generating content summaries for news events and general content as well as better support for natural language search for content showing their focus on improving lean-back experiences.

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XReal: Ultra-light AR glasses redefine portability

XReal’s latest "Real Pro" model made a significant impact at the show. With a 57-degree ultra-wide field of view, these AR glasses offer an immersive experience that allows users to either place the screen in virtual space or have it follow their head movements. With 2K streaming quality and Vision Pro-inspired hand tracking and pinch controls, XReal is redefining how we interact with augmented reality and opening exciting new possibilities for AR-enhanced OTT services.

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Our overall observations

AI/AR takes the stage

From what we took in at CES 2025, it’s clear that AI remains the driving force behind many innovations, from content search and recommendations to advanced visual and audio processing.

Augmented reality also made waves, with over 10 major AR demonstrations from various firms showcasing new ways to integrate AR into everyday life. Additionally, we noticed how environmental considerations are beginning to influence decisions and processes across HiSense, LG, TCL, and Samsung. 

Another interesting trend? Many brands are following Samsung’s lead with Frame-like TVs that double as art displays, signaling a shift toward multifunctionality in home entertainment devices.

CTV fragmentation: What does it mean for video streaming services?

The connected TV (CTV) operating system battlefield continues to grow more crowded. With 16 distinct TV OS options already on the market as of 2024, this year’s show unveiled even more players vying for dominance in the living room.

For video companies, this fragmentation of platforms brings both opportunities and challenges. Should companies keep up with the expanding CTV landscape, and if so, how? The answer isn’t straightforward. New business cases, such as The Trade Desk’s Ventura OS, suggest that TV OS platforms are becoming more than distribution partners; they’re evolving into strategic business collaborators. But expanding into new platforms requires careful evaluation—balancing the benefits of reaching new audiences with the operational costs of managing a fragmented ecosystem.

While no one can predict exactly how this landscape will unfold, the portability of technology stacks and streamlined quality processes will be critical factors for navigating it. Media companies must carefully weigh their options, ensuring that any platform expansion aligns with long-term business value.