IFA is one of the largest technology exhibitions in the world and certainly the largest in Europe. This year, the largest exhibition center in Berlin is hosting hundreds of companies in the industry, as well as thousands of products in its endless aisles.

But let's take a look at what stood out for us from IFA 2023 and what we can expect in the near future.

Sustainability and... economy

Yes, okay, you might cringe at the word "sustainability," but if it is combined with economy and smart automation, then we think you will see it differently. And that's because similar solutions were seen in almost all major manufacturers' exhibits, where they showcased even entire houses (see LG) that incorporate modern energy and money-saving products.

In particular, LG focused on its ecosystem called ThinQ, allowing visitors to explore a two-story studio with various such solutions. The company emphasized creating a comfortable space that offers maximum efficiency, with the smallest possible energy footprint.

In its ecosystem, Samsung also emphasizes the SmartThings, which serves as the company's relevant standard, offering useful automations and making the life of the device owner easier. Refrigerators, washing machines, kitchens, and of course, televisions, are part of this ecosystem, which extends to many other product categories, such as smartphones and tablets.

A common denominator of the above solutions is the HCA (Home Connectivity Alliance) standard, a new standard for the smart home that "unifies" all relevant platforms under a new standard supported by major companies in the industry. This is the first time that such collaboration exists in the industry and is expected to accelerate the creation of "smart homes," as consumers have more options than ever before.

TCL is also part of the equation, incorporating the concept of #TCLGreen in all aspects of its business, from building green factories to optimizing its green industrial supply chain. Based on specific examples, the company's 23.8-inch FHD screen achieved a 45% reduction in energy consumption compared to conventional products, while the TCL Technology department reduced energy consumption by 2.7 billion kWh and saved a total of 45.33 million cubic meters of water in 2021, utilizing innovative solutions such as the installation of photovoltaic panels on the roof and water recycling systems.

In addition, TCL announced that it is entering the energy market, offering solutions for installing photovoltaics in a home and energy storage using batteries. Similar proposals were also made by Ecoflow, which we knew until now for its portable power stations, but now expanding its activities to include energy storage solutions for an entire home.

Smartphones & wireless charging

The announcements of new smartphones were certainly limited at this year's IFA, however, some stood out. In direct relation to sustainability, the presentation of the Fairphone 5 was something different in the industry. You may remember that we saw something similar in February from Nokia at MWC 2023, but here things are more interesting, with the same manufacturing company presenting a modular model that the user can easily change the screen, the central chipset, the battery, and the cameras without having to visit an authorized repair center.

The technical specifications of the Fairphone 5 classify it in the mid-range category, while the promise of 10 years of free Android updates by Fairphone is impressive, increasing the device's durability over time.

Honor had perhaps one of the most interesting presentations at this year's IFA, focusing on the unveiling of its new foldable smartphone, Magic V2. The device stands out not only for its top-notch technical features but also for its appearance, possibly having the thinnest thickness for a smartphone with the corresponding form factor. However, the company didn't stop there, as it also brought along the Honor V Purse, which is a foldable that resembles a... purse, and comes with various accessories, including a strap.

Another standout smartphone was the TCL 40 NXTPAPER 5G, which incorporates the NXTPAPER technology developed by TCL itself, for easy screen reading even under bright sunlight, without reflections (unlike most smartphones). Users can use this smartphone for many hours without straining their eyes, as TCL significantly reduces blue light emissions.

In this section, we should also mention wireless charging, which more and more smartphones support. At IFA, leading companies in the mobile accessories industry, such as Belkin, Baseus, Anker, and others, announced their first implementations of wireless chargers that support the new qi2 standard, which was finalized earlier this year. 

The new wireless chargers are expected to be faster, while also featuring the magnetic capabilities found in Apple's MagSafe chargers for better device placement.

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Although we are used to seeing many new televisions at IFA, this year is an exception. It is indicative that one of the top companies in the field, LG, brought only one new model to its exhibition space. Of course, this can be considered unique. With the name StandbyMe Go, it is essentially a 27" screen, placed inside a suitcase, for super portability. So, as soon as the user opens the suitcase, the built-in stand reveals the screen at an ideal angle.

On its part, Samsung showed us its latest series of televisions, covering a wide range of technologies. Televisions based on Neo QLED, OLED, and even micro LED technologies, which for now are an unattainable dream, make up the arsenal of the South Korean company.

In the Neo QLED series, Samsung also announced a 98" model, with exceptional colors and capabilities, beyond its enormous size. Additionally, it had a special announcement for Disney fans, presenting The Frame - Disney100 Edition, a special edition of the well-known television series, commemorating the giant's 100 years of operation in the entertainment industry.

Finally, Samsung announced the successor of the Freestyle Projector, its portable mini projector, which can be placed in multiple locations. The new version supports, among other things, the company's Gaming Hub for playing games from gaming streaming services, such as Xbox Games Pass, without the need for a console.

Of course, at Samsung's exhibition space, we also saw the other parts of the company's ecosystem, including the Galaxy Z Fold5, Galaxy Z Flip5, and Galaxy Tab S9 Series, which were released a few days ago.

And TCL also had many new things to show, showcasing the new QD Mini-LED series (X955, C955, C755), which feature models with sizes up to 150”, offering exceptional colors.

HISENSE had a strong presentation, showing us the first laser projector that supports 8K resolution, supporting all the top image and sound standards such as Dolby Atmos, HDR10+, and Dolby Vision.

...and now, the surprises!

And this year, there were also some surprises among the announcements. Among them, we place the Legion Go, the portable console from Lenovo for PC games, with the company entering a category of great interest.

The proposal from Lenovo stands out from the competition, such as the ROG Ally and the Steam Deck, as it features detachable controllers, supporting the FPS mode that makes a gamer's life easy in games like Fortnite, Call of Duty, etc.

In the field of sound, we highlight the Authentics series by JBL, a collection of three speakers of different sizes and capabilities, with a common element being the retro design, as well as simultaneous support for digital assistants from Google and Amazon. JBL has even introduced the Soundgear Sense, a pair of headphones that feature hooks and an open design, allowing the user to maintain contact with their surroundings.

Something else we liked in the sound department is the Malibu, a portable Bluetooth speaker from Urbanista that supports solar charging, without the need to connect it to power!

These are the highlights from this year's IFA, while we are already preparing for CES 2024, which will take place in Las Vegas in early January. Stay tuned for more tech news!