Analysts from our Wireless Device Strategies (WDS) research service are at the CES trade show this week in Las Vegas, US, from Sunday 5th to Thursday 9th January, 2014.

These are three key trends and important device models we have identified at the event on Day 1 (Monday):

1. The LG G Flex will launch in the US at 3 of the top 4 carriers this year (e.g. AT&T). This is a good win for LG, in its battles with Samsung and Apple. Curved phones are a useful differentiator for device vendors, as identified in this previous blog before CES.

2. The Alcatel Idol X+ is a feature-packed, 8-core phablet. Alcatel is clearly "stepping up" its product quality and pricing. As identified in this published report during 2013, Alcatel is little known in the US, but it is a rising global star and one to watch for 2014.

3. Wearables are creating a major buzz at the show. Smartwatches and smartglasses are the main products on offer. But there is definitely a long tail of other niche wearables emerging. Everything from smart-socks to smart-sneakers to smart-medical devices. Many of them will not catch on, of course, but it does illustrate how innovative the sector is right now. 

Please check back here, every day, to our blog pages for further blogs and daily updates from CES this week.