Review IFA 2024: Business as usual?


Whilst IFA Berlin may have changed considerably since 1924, some may think that 2024 was a déjà vu experience – despite the all-new logo and branding. Daniel Todaro reports…


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announcements showcasing the key trends to look forward to in the months and years ahead. There was a lot of Artificial Intelligence (AI) on


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offer from almost every brand, some stretching and relying on the most tenuous references to their products. But that aside, it could be considered all a bit the same. Once you’ve seen one air fryer, you’ve seen them all, and I suspect if you lined up all the air fryers on display in Berlin it would pave a crispy path all the way back to London! However, IFA remains an essential part of the


product life cycle, launching innovation that may have been talked about at CES in January but becomes reality by September for all to marvel and revel in at IFA.


The vast majority of innovation ranged from


future tech to the present day and reflected various consumer trends, old and new. Naturally, AI was prevalent, but it largely fed into the idea of user convenience, such as AI- enhanced appliances where automations are set to enhance efficiency.


Price-conscious technology The affordable premium trend also continued, with brands responding to people’s desire for maximum features and durability at a justifiable price. Categories delivering this ethos were far and wide, from AV and MDA to smart home devices, laptops and drones, with consumer- centric innovations which are vital in driving the recovery and development of the consumer electronics industry. The key trends from this year’s IFA were all tying in sustainability with convergent devices that save consumers time, energy and money


nother sold-out show celebrating its Centenary with a whole new look, paving the way for the next 100 years – IFA Berlin 2024 was once again full of exciting


– as demonstrated fabulously by the geniuses at Samsung. They presented the reality of family life in a real house with kids, pets and clutter, reflecting how time-strapped, cash-conscious consumers need a bit of help from their Samsung Jet robotic vacuum or their Family Hub


Hisense’s 8K Sonic Screen Laser TV


Game-changing technology Amongst the usual noise, IFA 2024 saw some game- changing technology from many established brands. Of note was Hisense’s 8K Sonic Screen Laser TV, which combines 8K resolution with laser projection


AI Vision Refrigerator. The latter scans the dates on produce going into the fridge so it can remind you what needs eating by when and, wait for it, it even suggests recipes using items that need to be consumed immediately – in my case, usually spring onions! It also has doors that open by voice command. This is CE embracing AI to help consumers make decisions they’d rather not have to make, facilitating our choices and enabling consumers to spend their time and money more astutely.


The new Samsung Frame Speaker was another stand-out product. It is, quite simply, a brilliant idea – connect up to five in a room and immerse yourself in truly amazing surround sound in a discreet and stylish manner.


technology. Its standout feature is the “Sonic Screen” where sound is emitted directly from the screen itself, creating an immersive audio- visual experience without external speakers. Other innovation that was teased at the show – and will undoubtedly become standard in 2025 – was wireless power, which now takes a leap from the smartphone to the smart home. The Wireless Power Consortium (WPC) announced its new Ki wireless power transfer standard; it offers a new era of wireless power for the kitchen that’s able to transfer through granite, quartz, marble and even wood. With manufacturers likely to introduce Ki- compatible wireless appliance ranges next year, it has the potential to change the way we cook and prepare food in the kitchen.


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