The industry is still innovating, analysts say, but just in a different way. Consumers should expect to see more services rather than gadgets coming out of this year's show, with products that offer them hardware and software systems rather than flashy gadgets.

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Take smart-home technology, for example. This area has been a highlight for several years, but is expected to make some of the biggest splashes in this year’s show.

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Samsung has already teased a robot vacuum cleaner that will work with Amazon's Alexa so you can cleanup using just your voice. Whirlpool is touting a smart garbage can that can compost your trash in one day. Lightbulb company Sylvania announced a smart lightbulb that won't require its own app to work, but will instead integrate completely with Apple's Siri and Home app. So you'll be able to say "Hey Siri, turn on my lights at 7 p.m." and save some storage space on your phone.

This approach is good for companies in the long run, because it makes them more useful to their customers’ lives, analysts say. But it’s harder to sell in a flashy way.

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“The specs are easier to point to and say, ‘it’s 20 percent faster,’ ”said Accenture analyst John Curran. “But the end-to-end innovation is perhaps more exciting in the long-run because they can transform how they’ve gotten things done and create some new experience that was never before possible.”

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There still will be some eye-popping gadgets to note, even if the top trends that analysts say to watch this year are much like in years past — Internet-connected appliances, drones, robotics, artificial intelligence and wearable devices.

LG already previewed a levitating speaker that’s supposed to stay floating for up to ten hours. Under Armour is showing off a new line of smart shoes, which will track your steps and also offer some insight on muscle fatigue. There are also new areas of the floor devoted exclusively to smart energy tech and sleep tech. Sleep Number will be showing off its new smart bed that continuously adjusts itself to make your sleep more comfortable.

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A lot more car news is also expected to be coming out of the show, with many automakers showing off their latest ideas for ways to make our vehicles into rolling living rooms — complete with entertainment options, self-driving technology and Internet connections. Ford will use the show to debut its new autonomous driving system. There even will be a car by Honda that is supposed to understand our emotions and develop its own emotions too.

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The increased presence of automakers and other nontraditional tech companies illustrates how the show itself is growing, said Gary Shapiro, chief executive of the Consumer Technology Association — the trade group that hosts the convention each year. The CES is also highlighting more nontraditional companies, he said. For example, Carnival Cruise Line chief executive Arnold Donald will talk, in a keynote speech, about how his firm is using connected devices to run its ships like self-enclosed smart cities.