Apple rumoured to showcase HomeKit at CES 2020

For the first time since 1992, we know Apple will be making its appearance at the Consumer Electronics Show 2020 in Las Vegas. We know Apple Senior Director of Global Privacy Jane Horvath will be speaking at the consumer privacy panel on January 7. But on top of that, there are rumours that Apple will be showcasing its HomeKit smart home system at CES. Some companies will also supposedly show off new products for the home that work with Apple's Siri. Apple itself reportedly won't be showcasing new hardware, though. Amazon and Google are expected to showcase new software capabilities for its internet-connected devices alongside its voice assistants. 

Source: MacRumors

LG's new rollable TV will descend from the ceiling like a projector screen

LG has been refining its rollable TV concept for years, and we're given a taste of what's coming next at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas happening. At this year's CES, which starts on January 7, LG will showcase a new prototype that descends from the ceiling, similar to a projector screen. Since it's a television, it wouldn't need a projector. The idea also plays into LG's concept of reducing the space your TV needs to take up—by putting it up on the ceiling, it all but eliminates the TV stand. LG hasn't shown yet how this concept will work, but we're going to learn more about it in the next few days. We'll also find out then if LG plans to bring this concept to the market.

Source: The Verge

Apple tipped to launch a premium, gaming-centric MacBook or iMac at WWDC 2020

At this year's Worldwide Developer Conference (WWDC), Apple is reportedly gearing up to introduce a premium gaming-optimized MacBook or iMac. Taiwan's Economic Daily News didn't go into detail about what the machine could be, but it suggested that the gadget will cost up to $5,000. The device will also supposedly be aimed at esports players or those in the competitive video gaming field. The report must still be taken with a healthy dose of skepticism as the publication has a mixed record of getting rumours right. Apple holds WWDC every June, so there's still a lot of time until then.

Source: MacRumors

Netflix's 'The Witcher' helped boost popularity of 'The Witcher 3' on Steam

With the recent release of Netflix's adaptation of The Witcher, the game based on the original novel experienced some record-breaking highs on Steam. Marcin Momot, global community lead of The Witcher game series developer CD Projekt Red, shared on Twitter that the four-year-old game The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt surpassed 93,000 concurrent players on the platform in December. This number was a 93 percent increase from the number of players who played the game at the same time the month before. In the New Year, the game has peaked at over 100,000 concurrent players, as shared by Wario64 on Twitter. 

It's an impressive number, given how old the game is already. We also don't know how many more are playing the game on other platforms, since Steam only takes into account PC players. The Witcher 3 is also available on the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and the Nintendo Switch. The Witcher web series, on the other hand, is an eight-episode show starring Superman actor Henry Cavill. Both the game and the show are based on The Witcher novels by Andrzej Sapkowski.

Source: Kotaku