IT trade show IFA 2023 kicks off in Berlin

Flags with the logo of the IFA are at an entrance to the fair grounds in Berlin. [Photo by AFP-Yonhap]

IFA 2023, Europe’s largest exhibition for consumer electronics and information technology (IT), kicked off its five-day schedule in Berlin, Germany, on Friday.

Celebrating its 99th year, IFA is one of the world’s three major electronics and IT exhibitions, along with Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, the U.S., and Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona, Spain.

The CES covers mainly a wide range of IT and consumer technology while the MWC, the IT and telecommunications ecosystem. IFA focuses more on home appliances.

Leading electronics giants participate in the IFA to showcase a number of consumer electronics and IT products as well as new technologies, including televisions, refrigerators, and smartphones.

This year’s IFA is the largest ever, with more than 2,000 companies participating from 48 countries in the fields of consumer electronics, home entertainment, audio, telecommunications, and computing and gaming.

Organizers expect more than 180,000 visitors from more than 150 countries to visit the exhibition hall.

Out of all the companies joining the event, 1,279 are from China, the largest among the participating countries, followed by 226 from Germany and 174 from Korea. The number of Korean companies is also the largest ever this year.

In 2022, only about 200 Chinese companies took part in the show due to the pandemic-driven lockdown but the number rose this year after border reopening.

Major Chinese exhibitors are Haier Group Corp., Hisense Group Corp., TCL Technology Corp., and Ecovacs Robotics Co.

Korean companies will be represented by Samsung Electronics Co., LG Electronics Inc., Cuckoo Homesys Co., and NUC Co.

Samsung Electronics Co.’s SmartThings experience zone at IFA 2023. [Courtesy of Samsung Electronics]

Additionally, 115 Korean companies are joining IFA NEXT, a program for startups, and 45 in IFA Global Markets, a platform for business-to-business (B2B) transactions that opens on Sunday.

This year’s IFA, as in previous years, is likely to be dominated by global TV giant Samsung Electronics and home appliances giant LG Electronics.

Samsung Electronics will showcase its latest products in the fields of video displays, home appliances, and mobile at its 6,026-square-meter exhibition hall, the largest in the industry.

The company will also introduce connected experiences based on SmartThings, its integrated smart home connectivity platform, and eco-friendly technologies for a sustainable future.

LG Electronics will unveil home appliances and energy solutions for sustainable daily life at an exhibition center decorated under the theme of “Sustainable Life, Joy for All.”

The company will demonstrate home energy solutions, energy-efficient products, ultra-personalized appliances, and a range of innovative technology-based products and services targeting the European market.

The IFA exhibition space is organized in categories including audio, communication & connectivity, computing & gaming, digital health, home entertainment, home appliances, image & video, mobility, and robotics.

IFA this year, for the first time, will feature a Sustainability Village, a comprehensive conference program on sustainability best practices, to showcase the latest technologies and networking opportunities for sustainability.

The event will also feature the IFA Leaders Summit, a series of talks and discussions by innovative industry leaders on key issues including smart home, Internet of Things (IoT), artificial intelligence, and cloud gaming.