The Consumer Electronics Show, or CES, is one of the biggest and buzziest tech events of the year, offering a first look at next-generation TVs, laptops, smart home gadgets, cars, and more. In 2026, the event is being held in Las Vegas from January 6–9, and The Verge will be on the ground covering it all. Follow along here for the biggest news from the show floor.
You’ll soon be able to browse through third-party integrations that can add more features to your camera. Meld, for example, uses your Ring camera to analyze your dog’s behavior and alert you to anything concerning, while PoolScout can send real-time notifications before an unattended toddler or pet reaches your pool.
Ring says the new store will be available within its app in the “coming weeks.”
Aqara’s new U400 smart lock is the first to use Apple’s UWB-based hands-free unlocking, and it works every time, even with full hands.
Google enlisted Xreal to bring Android XR to life in a compact set of AR glasses, resulting in Project Aura. They’ll launch in 2026, but Google is already locking down Xreal’s hardware chops for another couple years. It’s now designated as a lead hardware partner for Android XR.
I love how flashlights have evolved in the past decade with powerful LEDs, lithium-ion batteries and USB-C charging, and while this Olight ArkPro is way pricier than my Wuben X4, it feels way more elegant, compact, and offers both a green laser beam and UV light as well as up to 1700 lumens of white.
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I had a blast with the OhSnap MCON viral sliding gamepad, save for one teensy thing — it’s incredibly impractical to keep your phone attached to it because it’s thick and blocks the cameras. The upcoming ~$100 MCON Slim and ~$60 MCON Lite might fix that, but they don’t have the spring loaded action. The Lite uses 3DS-style Circle Pads, the Slim has touchpads. Tentatively coming September.
As a result, the D2 Pro Palm Vein Smart Lock will work with both Alexa and Google. It also offers improved palm vein recognition, which, according to TCL, “uses infrared technology to detect unique vein patterns beneath the skin,” using AI local processing to tweak recognition data each time it’s used. Along with the new D2L Fingerprint Lever Lock, it will be available in the second quarter of 2026; no price was announced.
