The 8 Biggest Rumors Ahead Of CES 2015

That Time Of Year

While it's the holiday season and the turn of the New Year, it's also time for the biggest annual tech event ever. CES 2015 kicks off the first week of January, and the presence of some of the biggest names the tech world has to offer has fueled a great amount of buzz heading into the event.

The tech show, held in Las Vegas, will feature expos and keynotes from some big-name brands, including Samsung, LG, Sony and many, many more.

Vendors will have some big announcements, and some whispers of what those announcements may include are already consuming tech circles.

Here are the biggest rumors to keep tabs on heading into CES 2015.

Samsung To Show Off Galaxy S6

Samsung, the largest smartphone vendor in the world, will have a major presence at CES this year, and there is a lot of buzz around what the Korean tech giant has up its sleeve.

After releasing the Galaxy S5 in April, it is being rumored that the company may at least announce the Galaxy S6 ahead of a later release date.

Samsung usually launches the Galaxy S smartphones at Mobile World Congress, which will be in March this year, so teasing the device at CES would definitely be a change of strategy.

The company will have exhibits for other devices at the Vegas event, but it also is inviting members of the media to an off-site keynote address surrounding the IoT on Monday, Jan. 5. Expect to have more answers then.

Nikon D5500 To Get Refresh

Nikon is expected to release an upgraded version of its most popular consumer camera.

Typically, Nikon releases the new version of this camera line once a year, and it has been a little over a year since the last release.

The new camera may include an upgrade in resolution, picture quality and more. One hot rumor is that Nikon will include a touch screen as the back display, keeping up with some of the competition.

The camera may also feature a more compact version of its high-quality lens.

LG G Flex 2

LG is expected to announce its new smartphone at CES.

Originally, it was believed that the company would launch the G Flex 2 prior to the turn of the calendar but, apparently, LG would rather make its announcement in Vegas at CES.

The unique, curved device is expected to get a boost in display resolution, but may lose a little length on its 6-inch display.

The G Flex 2 also is expected to run Android Lollipop right out of the box, but not much else is known about the new device. It is safe to say that a boost in internal specs and battery life are in the cards.

Sony Xperia Z4

The Sony Xperia Z3 is considered by many in the mobile world to be one of the top Android phones out there. Now Sony is rumored to be ready to announce the Xperia Z4 at CES. Whether or not Sony does actually do this, of course, remains to be seen as the company has been mum. If Sony does not launch its new flagship phone in Vegas the first week of January, it would be a huge surprise to not see it at Mobile World Congress in March.

The specs of the new device are not yet known, but it is expected to be even thinner and have a 20.7 MP camera. Expect an even more impressive display, as rumors suggest a 5.2-inch screen with 565 PPI.

Xiaomi To Enter The U.S. Market With Mi5 Launch

Xiaomi is the top smartphone vendor in China, the largest smartphone market in the world, but the company has no presence in the United States as of yet. Despite this, the Chinese company is still the fourth-largest smartphone vendor in the world.

Expect that to change at CES as the company is rumored to be preparing to launch its first smartphone for the U.S. market.

The new phone is expected to feature a 5.7-inch quad HD display, which hides behind it a Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 Octa-core processor. The Mi5 also will feature a 20.7MP camera. Xiaomi has made its name bringing high-end products at competitive price-points, so expect the same here as it enters the United States.

ASUS ZenFone

ASUS has released a teaser video of the new ZenFone that is expected to be officially announced at CES 2015. The device looks like it will feature a metal body and two rear-facing cameras, similar to the HTC One (M8, pictured).

The phone is expected to have dual LED flash, but the tagline of the device is, "see what others can't," suggesting that the camera brings a truly unique capability to the table. We'll see what the company has up its sleeve on Jan. 5.

Dell To Launch World's Thinnest Tablet

Dell is expected to launch the thinnest tablet in the world in the Venue 8 7000. The tablet is believed to measure in at 6mm thin. That is almost a full millimeter thinner than the new iPhone 6, and this is a tablet with an 8-inch screen.

Speaking of the display, it is expected to have impressive numbers in terms of high-quality resolution coming with 2,560-x-1,600 pixels. We'll find out more about the specs at the event.

LG G Watch R2

Wearables are expected to be a huge theme this year at CES. Expect to see many at the show in Vegas, including a new one from LG.

Just three short months since the launch of the G Watch R, LG is rumored to release the G Watch R2 at CES. The major difference between the two LG smartwatches is that the new device will feature a 4G LTE radio, which will put it in direct competition with the Samsung Gear S.