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What to expect from IFA 2017, and how to watch major live-streamed announcements

IFA 2016
Rich Shibley/Digital Trends
IFA (Internationale Funkausstellung Berlin) is a consumer tech show in Germany that’s widely considered the CES of Europe. This year, we’ll almost certainly be treated to great products including new smartphones, smart home and Internet of Things devices, laptops, and more.

The show runs from September 1 to 6, but press conferences from major manufacturers, like Samsung, begin on August 30. Here’s everything we expect from the show.

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Acer

Acer Aspire 5 review logo
Mark Coppock/Digital Trends
Bill Roberson/Digital Trends

It’s unclear what Acer will show off at IFA 2017, but the company has scheduled a press conference for August 30 at 10:30 a.m. CEST (4:30 a.m. ET). Intel recently launched its 8th-gen Core processors, it’s possible Acer will launch a new laptop or computer line that makes use of these new chips. It could also launch a PC with Nvidia’s Max Q tech.

Watch the Acer live-stream here

Asus

Asus Transformer T304 review logo
Mark Coppock/Digital Trends
Mark Coppock/Digital Trends

Asus always makes a big show at IFA, and it’s likely we’ll see the full official launch of the Zenfone 4 smartphone series. These have already been announced in Taiwan, but IFA could see the global launch. What we’re really excited about, though, is Asus’ new gaming gear, monitors, and laptops. There’s also a chance the company will launch the ZenWatch 4 Android Wear smartwatch, given that it launched the ZenWatch 3 at last year’s show. The press conference is scheduled for August 30 at 1 p.m. CEST (7 a.m. ET).

Watch the Asus live-stream here

Lenovo/Motorola

Lenovo Yoga Book
Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends
Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends

Motorola has largely kept quiet about its IFA 2017 plans, but there is a press conference by its parent company Lenovo on August 31 at 2 p.m. CEST (8 a.m. ET). From Motorola, there have been rumblings about a new device in the Moto X lineup — the Moto X4. It will likely be a flagship phone, like the Moto Z series, but without any modular features. Lenovo has already offered a sneak peak of what to expect, including refresh its Yoga line of laptops, some type of smart speaker, virtual reality headsets — potentially with some Star Wars tie-in. We’re not sure if there’s a live-stream yet, but check back on the company’s YouTube page closer to the event.

Watch the Lenovo and Motorola live-stream here

LG

LG V20
Andy Boxall/Digital Trends
Andy Boxall/Digital Trends

There’s no speculation here — LG has outright confirmed it will be launching the new V30 at IFA 2017. The phone itself is tipped to be an absolute powerhouse, offering the latest and greatest Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 processor, along with a bezel-less design. The South Korean company will likely unveil some of its new TVs, which will pack huge 4K and 8K resolutions, as well as gaming monitors and home products. The LG IFA press conference is on August 31 at 9 a.m. CEST (3 a.m. ET).

Watch the LG live-stream here

Panasonic

Image used with permission by copyright holder

Panasonic has a press conference scheduled for August 30 at 3 p.m. CEST (9 a.m. EST), but there’s no word yet on what we’ll see. It’s highly likely that we’ll see new TVs or cameras from the company, and we may see some ultra HD Blu-Ray players as well.

Watch the Panasonic live-stream here

Philips

Bluetooth Mesh Philips Hue Wi-fi
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Philips will launch a range of new products at IFA, including a new connected toothbrush, as well as some other appliances. It’s also very possible that we’ll see new additions to the Philips Hue range, adding to the growing list of connected lights. Check back on Philips’ website during IFA to see what’s new.

Philips IFA

Samsung

Samsung Gear S3 Frontier review
Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends
Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends

Samsung recently announced the Galaxy Note 8 smartphone, but now it’s time to turn to the company’s wearables. There’s a Samsung press conference scheduled for August 30 at 6 p.m. CEST (1 p.m. ET), and the company has teased a new entry to its Gear S smartwatch line. We may also get a new fitness-focused wearable from Samsung, which could be the Gear Fit 2 Pro, as well as smart home products. Rumors suggest Samsung may also show off prototypes of its foldable phone, which is codenamed Galaxy X. There’s no live-stream available yet, but head over to the Samsung Newsroom to catch the action when it starts.

Samsung Newsroom

Sony

Image used with permission by copyright holder

Sony hasn’t been too quiet about its IFA plans — it seems as though the company is preparing a few new smartphones for launch at the show, including the new Sony Xperia XZ1 and Xperia XZ1 Compact. These are expected to be flagship-tier phones packing some pretty high-end specs. Sony will also want to show off its latest televisions, many of which will take advantage of new 4K and even 8K technology, as well as new entries in the audio space.  The press conference is on August 31 at 1 p.m. CEST (8 a.m. ET).

Watch the Sony live-stream here

There are certainly far more companies with announcements we haven’t mentioned here, but we’ll keep you posted on all the latest and greatest tech from IFA. Keep an eye on this page for all IFA 2017-related coverage.

Christian de Looper
Christian de Looper is a long-time freelance writer who has covered every facet of the consumer tech and electric vehicle…
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