This year in tech, the summer can only end with the IFA 2018, or Internationale Funkausstellung, the top Berlin event for technology lovers. Smartphone, wearable, and smart home manufacturers are ready to show us new (hopefully) innovative devices aimed at improving our everyday lives. What do we know about the event so far?
Dates and tickets for IFA 2018
Just like last year, the convention will be at the Berlin Messe, which makes 20 thousand square meters available for innovation. You can stroll through the fair stands from 31 August to 5 September, from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Yes, because the IFA, unlike the Mobile World Congress, allows not only manufacturers and journalists, but also curious visitors and technology enthusiasts to take part.
For journalists, however, the doors generally open two days earlier when the new products of the most famous brands are made official and then put on display at the fair. Of course the ReadInBrief editorial staff will be present in the field, ready to update you on all the most interesting news.
In case you want to make a jump to IFA, the daily ticket costs 13 euros (about $15) and you can also buy it online from the official website as of June 28. And if you need any additional information about the German capital (accommodation, transport, restaurants, etc.), the IFA organising team will provide you with some useful links.
Artificial intelligence will kick off the show
The opening keynote of IFA 2018 will be held by Jo Seoung-Jin, CEO of LG Electronics, and Dr. I.P Park who will illustrate the benefits of the presence of artificial intelligence in the electronics products we deal with every day. On August 31, the South Korean brand will announce its ThinQ Artificial Intelligence strategy developed at the end of 2017 to identify LG appliances, consumer electronics products and other services that use artificial intelligence
Think Wise, Be free, Living Freer with AI, with a title like this the keynote immediately draws attention to AI, a term that is increasingly present in your everyday life and sometimes wrongly called into question. It is on the integration of artificial intelligence that the future, or rather the present, will be built, and the IFA can only be the best opportunity to launch new partnerships.
The most anticipated devices
LG V40: the storm at the end of summer
The novelties that will be shown at IFA are still shrouded in mystery but past experience can help us imagine some of the devices that will be unveiled. Among the most anticipated in the smartphone field, is the LG V40, the successor of the V30 presented in Berlin last year. After all, the famous Evan Blass leaker suggested back in April the arrival of the V40 at the end of summer.
Samsung: time to wear?
The Note 9 will be presented at the beginning of August in New York, but Samsung will not miss IFA 2018 anyway. Or at least, that is what we expect. After Gear Sport and Gear Fit2 Prowere present last year, it may be time for two new wearables (Gear S4 and Fit3) that point to different needs and pockets. Will Tizen be the protagonist at the software level? Probably yes!
The manufacturer could also present a new generation of earphones Gear Icon that aim once again at lovers of physical activity.
Sony won’t blow us away
Too early for Xperia XZ3 and XZ3 Compact? Maybe yes, considering that the Xperia XZ2 Premium is not among us yet, but from Sony we always have to expect something. Last year, moreover, it also unveiled the Xperia A1 Plus, a mid-range device, in addition to the LF-S50G smart speaker.
In any case, the appointment with Sony has already been set:
Press conference schedule
| BRAND | DATE | TIME | PLACE |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sony | August 30 | 1 PM | Messe Berlin |
Motorola: a successor to the Moto X4?
Last year Motorola, still accompanied by Lenovo, showed us the Moto X4, beautiful in design but not powerful enough to justify a price of 399 euros and be able to stand out from the competition. IFA 2018 could allow the American brand to give a new attempt to the Moto X, which sounds appealing according to the rumors.
Not only smartphones: smart home, wearables, VR and AR
Smartphones are not the only protagonists of the Berlin fair – quite the contrary. Lenovo, HMD Global, Philips, Acer, Asus, Panasonic, Razer, Fitbit, Huawei, Honor, Wiko, Harman and other well-known brands are ready to show us new devices, notebooks, headsets, smart speakers, smart bulbs and so on.
We will update this article with the official conference schedule and new rumors about brands and products coming to IFA 2018. Stay tuned and let us know in the comments which devices and manufacturers are most interesting for you!