IFA 2015 Puts Smartwatches, Hybrid PCs, Windows 10 in Spotlight

The IFA show, one of Europe’s largest consumer electronics events, has grown as tech firms introduce at least part of their product lineups for the year ahead.

It’s not hard to find a smartwatch at IFA. In addition to Samsung’s Gear S2, several companies, including Motorola and others, have announced new smartwatches at the event. Nearly every major hardware maker is demonstrating its confidence that wearables are the future, and smartwatches are among the most prominent wearables at the show.

Sony’s new line of Xperia smartphones is getting plenty of attention at IFA. The high-end devices are designed to take on premium products from Samsung, Apple and even Huawei. But will the latest Xperia models reverse the trend of declining sales for Sony mobile devices? Time will tell.

Lenovo’s new Yoga computers are among the many two-in-one hybrids at IFA Berlin. Computer makers, listening to analysts and watching consumer demand, have determined that offering devices that combine tablet and notebook functionality have great opportunities to succeed. And Lenovo’s Yoga 260 is among the many two-in-ones trying to make a mark at IFA.

If there was any doubt that PC makers would embrace Windows 10, put it to rest now. The operating system is bundled with nearly every PC model appearing at the show, which shows Microsoft has worked hard to get manufacturers on board with the latest generation of Windows.

Surprisingly, a range of audio products made their appearance at IFA. Companies like Plantronics showed off new headphones, like the Backbeat Sense, while others unveiled new home speaker technology, better ear buds and Web-connected tweeters. Audio technology may not get much attention any longer, but it’s certainly making a splash at IFA.

Not surprisingly, some of the biggest TV makers in the world, including Samsung and LG, have lined their booths with televisions. While much of the talk is on their 4K capabilities and OLED technology, there’s also a race among the firms to see who can build the thinnest TV out there. So far, LG appears to be in the lead, but things could change at CES when TV makers tend to bring the bigger guns out.

At IFA, Samsung unveiled its first 4K Blu-ray player, which will likely lead to a long line of similar products from other companies hitting store shelves in the coming months. For now, there is little 4K content available. However, that is expected to change in the coming months, making the Samsung Blu-ray player all the more attractive.

In addition to talking about television technology at IFA, Samsung and LG showed that there is a world beyond Windows and Android. Samsung’s Tizen is running on the company’s Gear S2 smartwatch, and LG announced that its own TV operating system WebOS is getting a free upgrade. Expect to hear more about Tizen and WebOS into 2016 as they get added to more of the companies’ products.

Acer made the somewhat surprising announcement at IFA that it’s getting into the modularity game with the Revo Build Series. The technology will allow users to build a stack computer—like stacking Legos with modules containing a different component. The ability to mix and match the components will attract enthusiasts.

Samsung was arguably the most active participant, though other companies joined it in announcing a wide range of smart home improvements. Samsung announced an update to its Smart Things smart home central hub, as well as a crowd of connected devices. Other firms, including some startups, also announced devices that will turn dumb products smart. It’s nice to see the industry fully embracing the smart home craze.