The world’s leading manufacturers have now taken to the stage at IFA 2019 in Berlin, Germany, to showcase their latest innovations. Here’s what you need to know about this year’s show, including how long it will run for (it’s still ongoing), where it’s held, who’s participating, and all the announcements we’ve seen from the likes of LG, Sony, Samsung, and more.
First off, the Internationale Funkausstellung — otherwise known as IFA — is an annual public trade show at the Messe Berlin, where brands come together to show off everything from refrigerators and microwaves to smartphones and tablets. Seriously, whether you’re into voice-controlled washing machines or 120-inch 8K TVs, there’s something for everyone at IFA.
IFA 2019 commenced on September 6 and will run through September 11, although most of the big announcements — such as the revamped Samsung Galaxy Fold — took place at invite-only events on September 4 and September 5. Below, we’ve rounded up all the biggest news from each company, like the Amazon OLED Fire TV and the LG G8X ThinQ Dual Screen.
Acer at IFA 2019
Acer was the first manufacturer to take to the stage at IFA 2019 and it didn’t disappoint, announcing a revised Predator Triton 500 gaming laptop with a ridiculous 300Hz refresh rate, a new ConceptD line of creator-orientated machines, including the Microsoft Surface Studio-esque RTX Studio ConceptD 9 Pro, refreshed models of the Swift 3 and Swift 5, and more.
- Acer’s new thin-bezel, lightweight Chromebooks come in all sizes
- Acer’s refreshed ConceptD Pro notebooks bring serious gaming power to creators
- Acer’s Swift 5, Swift 3 get powerful with Intel’s 10th-gen Ice Lake processors
- Acer Predator Triton 500 is an unstoppable gaming laptop with a 300Hz screen
- The 300Hz Predator Triton 500 is complete overkill, but we love it anyway
Asus at IFA 2019
Asus had a lot to show off at its event on September 4, with the ROG Phone 2, ProArt StudioBook One, and StudioBook Pro X headlining the show. It also unveiled a wave of new gaming laptops with 300Hz screens and a ProArt Display, which just so happens to be the first to support HDR 1600 and a variable refresh rate that can range between 48 and 120Hz.
- Asus amps up the ROG Phone 2 with new 1TB Ultimate Edition
- Asus ProArt StudioBook One rivals desktop power with its Quadro RTX 6000
- Blink too fast and miss it: New Asus gaming laptops feature 300Hz displays
Amazon at IFA 2019
Well, we didn’t see that coming. Amazon announced nothing short of an onslaught of new hardware on September 3 ahead of IFA 2019, including an OLED Fire TV Edition and Fire TV Edition Soundbar, a new 65-inch Toshiba Fire TV Edition with Dolby Vision HDR, and a refreshed Fire TV Cube, as well as new partnerships that will see the Fire TV sold in more markets.
BMW at IFA 2019
IFA is a hotbed for car-related announcements. IFA 2018 saw Mercedes showcase the remodeled interior for the A-Class, and many were expecting BMW to use IFA 2019 as a platform to showcase an autonomous vehicle with 5G baked in. Unfortunately, that wasn’t the case, with the automaker instead using its stage time to tease how 5G will revolutionize its vehicles.
LG at IFA 2019
Being the consumer electronics titan it is, LG delivered a mixed bag of goodies at IFA 2019, with the highlights being its second dual-screen smartphone, the LG G8X ThinQ, and a voice-controlled washing machine. However, contrary to the various rumors that surfaced in the run-up, it didn’t take the wraps off a new 4K TV or updated Cinebeam projectors.
- LG G8X ThinQ Dual-Screen hands-on review: Double the fun
- The LG G8X ThinQ has an ASMR mode for your tingly YouTube debut
Hisense at IFA 2019
Budget manufacturer Hisense stunned the media with the surprise announcement of a massive 85-inch 8K TV (which is also available in a 75-inch configuration, for those short on space) and three new Laser TVs on September 5. Sadly, there was no information about pricing, but hopefully it will be a tad cheaper than LG’s $42,000 88-inch 8K OLED TV.
Huawei at IFA 2019
Despite facing a ban on trading with North American companies, which would mean it couldn’t bundle the Google Play Services-supported version of Android on its devices, Huawei brought along a new version of the Huawei P30 to IFA 2019 that’s available in two new colors and ships running Android 10. It also announced its AirPods clone competitor and Kirin 990 processor.
- Huawei’s Kirin 990 processor has 5G, A.I. overload, and 10 billion transistors
- The Freebuds 3 are Huawei’s answer to the AirPods with built-in noise cancellation
HMD Global (Nokia) at IFA 2019
Nokia, under the wing of HMD Global, had no shortage of hardware to announce at IFA 2019, ranging from the flagship Nokia 7.2 to the budget Nokia 110. But it was the Nokia 800 Tough that the media flocked to see. After all, the Nokia 3310 was about as indestructible as can be, so the firm’s first official foray into the rugged market had to be be something special.
Philips at IFA 2019
Like usual, Philips brought an awful lot of tech to IFA 2019, including a host of new Philips Hue bulbs and accessories, which are set to hit the shelves in the near future, a pair of Bluetooth speakers that are nothing short of works of art, and without a shadow of a doubt the most stunning OLED 4K TV we’ve ever seen (although, sadly the television isn’t headed to the U.S.).
- Philips launches the most stunning OLED 4K TV we’ve ever seen, but there’s a catch
- Philips unveils a pair of Bluetooth speakers that are works of art
- Upcoming Philips Hue lights to add Bluetooth connectivity, filament bulb options
Samsung at IFA 2019
Samsung’s event on September 5 was a bit underwhelming, with the firm reiterating the (re)launch date for the fabled Galaxy Fold and announcing a 55-inch QLED 8K TV, which was somewhat of a strange move considering the television has been on sale in select markets for a short while now. It also showcased some customizable refrigerators, because why not?
- Samsung Galaxy Fold hands-on: The Fold feels fabulous — and flies again
- Samsung takes on home appliances with its Ikea-like modular fridge and more
- Samsung’s biggest IFA 2019 announcement is its smallest 8K TV
- Samsung’s Galaxy Fold to launch in the ‘coming weeks,’ include Premier Service
Sony at IFA 2019
Sony’s didn’t steal the show at IFA 2019. In fact, far from it. It kicked off with the announcement of the the Sony Xperia 5 and a new noise-canceling processor, before moving on to a new set of in-ear headphones and a funky new Walkman. Unfortunately, we never saw the WH-100XM3 successor we were hoping for, nor did a new 4K TV make an appearance. Sigh.
- Sony updates its wireless headphones with new noise-canceling processor
- The compact Sony Xperia 5 brings a smaller footprint to Sony’s flagships
- Sony’s colorful retro headphones are a match for its funky new Walkman
TCL at IFA 2019
TCL bet big on IFA 2019, introducing an incredible new Dolby Atmos soundbar and a trio of new headphones (two true wireless models, which look like a cross between the Apple AirPods and Samsung Galaxy Buds, and a pair of over-ear cans with noise-canceling, to be precise), while also showing some prototypes of its first foldable smartphone to the press.
- TCL launches an incredible new Dolby Atmos soundbar at IFA 2019
- TCL takes on Apple and Samsung with new true wireless headphones at IFA 2019
- The inside story of TCL’s display-driven, slow-burn plan for phone supremacy
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