IFA Berlin preview: 15 things we're hyped for including Lunar Lake, gaming tech, and AI
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IFA Berlin 2024 might be the only place in the world where you can see new chips from Intel, smart glasses, and flying cars all at once.
IFA (Internationale Funkausstellung Berlin 2024) is one of the world's largest consumer electronics expos, where big tech brands gather to show off the new gadgets they've been working on and what innovative solutions they're implementing.
This year is special, as it's IFA's 100th anniversary. To celebrate, IFA is curating a 100-year exhibition with "exclusive pieces that represent the core focus of IFA over the years," created by eight artists.
While we'll surely browse through and take photos of the 100-year-old exhibition, we're also excited to see quite a bit of tech.
IFA Berlin will kick off September 6 and last through September 10. Because we're still a month out, some brands haven't teased which products might be showcased or announced, but thanks to the exhibitors list, we know which brands will be in attendance.
Here are the top 15 things we're most hyped to see at IFA Berlin 2024:
1. Lunar Lake laptops
Intel announced an upcoming livestream for Tuesday, September 3, at 12 p.m. Eastern, during which the company will announce all the juicy details on its newest Lunar Lake chips.
These chips promise "breakthrough x86 power efficiency, exceptional core performance, massive leaps in graphics performance, and the unmatched AI computing power that will drive this and future generation of Intel products."
It doesn't take exceptional detective skills to assume we'll see Lunar Lake laptops in all their glory at IFA Berlin, set to kick off only a few days later on September 6. It's unclear. Yet, which specific laptops will we see on display? Several big laptop brands, including Samsung, Acer, and MSI, will attend.
2. OpenRock open-ear earbuds
All of OpenRock's earbuds are designed with an open-ear design, which is honestly underrated in the world of earbuds. They're more comfortable to wear, and you're more aware of your surroundings while still being able to enjoy your music.
TechRadar positively reviewed the OpenRock Pro earbuds, which will be showcased alongside the brand's S earbuds and X earbuds. We can't wait to test them and see if they live up to the hype.
3. Reolink security tech
Reolink makes high-quality security cameras, and at IFA 2024, the company plans to demonstrate a lot of the tech it uses, including ColorX technology for more natural light, integrated AI features, and dual lenses to expand a security camera's field of view.
According to a Reolink blog post, the company is "set to introduce its cutting-edge lineup of battery-powered cameras." Hardwiring security cameras isn't something everyone can do, especially since many people rent right now, so new AI ā and battery-powered cameras entering the market are always exciting to see.
4. Chipolo CEO speech
Chipolo is a well-known brand that helps you find forgotten items.
The company offers a small circular Bluetooth tracker called the Chipolo ONE, which is the second stronger iteration of Chipolo's original product. You can attach it to your key ring or your phone or stick it inside a bag.
On September 8, Chipolo CEO Primo? Zelen?ek will speak about how the company created the Chipolo ONE Ocean Edition ā a product among Wired 2020 "Gear of the Year" winners ā and how it inspired future products from Chipolo and other companies.
Besides the circular Bluetooth tracker, Chipolo has a card-sized tracker that can fit inside a wallet's card slot. It'll be interesting to see if the brand has any new shapes or sizes to announce at IFA Berlin.
5. The first flying car
AI might be the focus of 2024 right now, but if Alef Aeronautics CEO Jim Dukhovny's keynote speech goes well at IFA Berlin, the first flying car might trump all AI conversations.
In a conversation with CNBC in March, Dukhovny said preorder numbers for its two-seater flying car, called the Alef Model A, had "a little bit more than 2,850 preorders" and that the company "[plans] to start production of the first one by the end of 2025," if everything gets the green light.
A stationary model will be available at IFA Berlin, and footage of the actual flying car will be shown during Dukhovny's keynote on September 8.
6. Google Pixel 9 series
Google is slated to be an exhibitor at IFA Berlin, and although we'll see the company's new Pixel devices showcased in the Made by Google 2024 event on August 13, they're bound to make an appearance in-person at IFA 2024.
In addition to seeing new Pixel 9 series smartphones, we might be able to get our hands on the new Pixel Watch 3 and possibly new Pixel Buds. It's also highly likely that Google will have some type of showcase for Gemini, demonstrating how different features can be used on multiple devices.
7. New Samsung tech
At IFA 2023 last year, Samsung built a tiny home outside the venue in Berlin to "[demonstrate] how a home can generate and store its own energy." The biggest focus for Samsung at IFA 2023 was on incorporating SmartThings into the entire home and showing what it can do.
There's a lot to cover in this area, and advancements were probably made over the past year, so it won't be surprising if Samsung builds on this idea it started last year. Regardless, we know Samsung will be at IFA 2024, and the exhibit will definitely be worth checking out.
8. Garmin Fenix 8
Garmin is a consistent brand to find at IFA, and with one of the top 5 themes for this year being 'Fitness & Digital Health,' it's a no-brainer something exciting will be announced from Garmin.
Last year, Garmin revealed the Venu 3 shortly before IFA. This year, it's looking like we might see the next Fenix iteration instead: the Fenix 8. A leak reported on by Forbes indicates a September launch may be possible for this upcoming wearable, which would make it the optimal pick for an IFA 2024 showcase.
9. A new Honor phone
Last year, we were thoroughly impressed with Honor's Magic V2 foldable smartphone, giving it the 'Best Smartphone' award and pitting it against Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold 5.
The Galaxy Z Fold 6 just launched on July 24, and Honor's Magic V3 foldable may conveniently launch right before or at IFA 2024, just in time to provide some competition for both Samsung's and Google's new foldables.
Honor is calling it "the thinner, lighter, foldable" and vaguely says it's "Coming soon," but the site's URL ends in " honor-ifa," so we think the phone might debut at IFA Berlin. If it lives up to Honor's hype, perhaps the Magic V3 will earn a spot on our Best of IFA list like last year.
10. LG Future Vision AI Smart Home Tech
AI is becoming increasingly prominent in smart home tech and LG is embracing the trend. LG's Future Vision showcase at IFA Berlin 2024 is an "AI Smart Home" experience that will feature a slew of new smart home innovations ranging from pet monitoring to the LG Smart Home AI Agent.
LG is even trying to make AI a more welcome part of the home by rebranding it as "Affectionate Intelligence." The smart home tech we could see at LG's booth this year includes smart appliances, ThinQ AI TVs, and potentially smaller devices like smart home cameras or speakers.
11. Acer gaming tech and game reveals
It looks like Acer is gearing up for some gaming announcements at IFA 2024 and we can't wait to see what they have in store. Acer is hosting the IFA Gaming Area this year, where we will see some game showcases and demos in addition to new hardware.
The game studios in attendance include EA Sports, Aesir Interactive, HeadUp, My Games, and Stratosphere Games. The IFA Gaming Area will include indie games and new titles from major publishers, so there's something to look forward to no matter what kind of games you prefer.
Hardware reveals are still under wraps, but we can expect to see at least a few new pieces of hardware, which could include everything from accessories to handhelds to gaming laptops. A promo image on Acer's IFA 2024 website shows the Predator logo, so it looks likely we'll get a new device in the Predator line-up.
12. New charging gear from Anker
Anker is known for its innovative charging gear, so we're excited to see what it has in store for IFA Berlin 2024. We can expect to see new charging solutions for phones and tablets (iPhone and Android alike) and potentially also wearables and laptops. We've seen some creative and high-quality chargers from Anker in the past, so this year's innovations at IFA should be exciting.
Anker will also be providing free charging stations around the IFA lounges. Maybe those stations will include some of Anker's new charging gear!
13. ViXion auto focus smart glasses
There's been a growing wave of innovation in the smart glasses niche for the past several months with big names like Meta and Apple hinting about upcoming glasses. ViXion isn't waiting to get in on the action, though. It's showing off the ViXion 01 autofocus smart glasses at IFA Berlin 2024.
These glasses aren't mini computers for your face like most other recent smart glasses. Instead, they're designed to improve eye health by allowing your eye muscles to relax. They reduce eye strain by autofocusing and zooming in on objects and text so you don't need to squint. They also look like reading glasses from an episode of Star Trek.
14. Muon Future Ride
Flying cars aren't the only transportation tech at IFA Berlin 2024. E-bike brand Muon is unveiling its latest sustainable cycling tech. There haven't been many hints about what new products Muon has in store, but sustainability seems to be a major theme.
Muon's booth will also showcase its current e-bike line-up, which guests will even be able to test ride. The models on display will include the Bradyon, Axion, Elon, Lepton, and Fermion e-bikes.
15. AI4Good panel
A plethora of products at IFA Berlin 2024 include some type of AI tech, but innovation in AI isn't just being used for consumer tech products. Non-profits are also using it to help people all over the world, which is what the AI4Good panel at IFA Berlin is all about.
The panel will cover how AI and data science are being used to tackle some of the world's biggest humanitarian and environmental challenges. This year's speakers will include Dr. Paul Springer (pictured above), a physicist, AI enthusiast, and entrepreneur who co-founded MI4People, which researches applications for machine intelligence for the public good.
