IFA Insider #1

September brings autumn leaves, a return to school and, most importantly, IFA. Despite being one of the oldest consumer electronics shows in the world, it’s renowned for showcasing the latest releases and offering insights into the trajectory of modern technology.

This year’s event is set to have big announcements from even bigger brands and we’ll be here with you every step of the way with the latest news and announcements… starting (logically!) with the highly anticipated day one.

TV

So far, IFA 2017 has been another cracking year for the Silver Screen, with some of the big names in tech launching next gen TVs. One of the most impressive announcements so far was the launch of Philips’ first Quantum Dot TV, with massive 55 and 65-inch versions that can even project colours onto the wall behind it.

Never to be outshone, Samsung launched a smaller version of the stunning ‘Frame’. While there has been no mention of price, we expect it will retail for a bit less than the standard $1,999 version.

Wearables

First out of the blocks on the wearables front was Fitbit announcing its first smartwatch – Ionic. The new Fitbit covers all the basics while “beefing up workouts with new activities and, most interestingly of all, a dynamic on-watch coach”. The watch runs on a new operating system supporting third-party apps and can even be used for payments!

Samsung also came to IFA armed with some impressive new wearable tech. Determined to stick to the more standard workout theme, Samsung announced its new Gear Sport watch. Do not be fooled by its stylish yet minimalistic face, underneath the watch is a dual-core processer, up-to-date Tizen software and a whopping 4GB of storage.

VR and AI

The news that Panasonic has launched the SC-GA10 speaker with built in artificial intelligence is a sure fire way to get the attention of the geeky types among us! While some may say it is a little late to the party, Panasonic has found a way to enter the market and challenge the likes of Alexa.

Another big brand trying something new this year is Dell, announcing the launch of ‘The Dell Visor’ – its first mixed reality headset. Built on a Microsoft platform, Dell hopes to gain some fans with what it sees as an affordable entry level product. 

Phones

Sony is leading the way with smartphones, launching three new Android devices. The Sony Xperia XZ1 and Xperia XZ1 Compact represent two new flagship devices, along with the Xperia XA1 Plus, which Sony has deemed a “super mid-ranger”.

Anyone who still enjoys using a physical keyboard on their phone will be pleased by the BlackBerry KeyOne Black Edition. The device is an upgrade of the previous silver version of the phone, increasing ram from 3GB to 4GB, and internal storage from 32GB to 64GB. While it’s very similar to the older device, it gives those physical phone-keyboard users another option to choose from.

Watch out for our weekend wrap-up on Monday as the shows announcements continue to stream in.