IFA, Europe's biggest annual technology show, takes place this week. It's back in its usual Messe Berlin exhibition centre residency after a year's hiatus due to Covid. Indeed, the show controversially took place in September 2020 at the height of the pandemic, but unsurprisingly it was a compromised affair owing to travel and social restrictions. This year's event sees a welcome return to relative normalcy in the technology calendar.
Later this week, officially from Friday 2nd September to Tuesday 6th September, over 30 exhibition halls within the grounds will be packed with displays and demos from some of the world's biggest technology brands, including Huawei, LG, Panasonic, Samsung and TCL – and smaller ones too, of course. Brands that are not officially attached to IFA typically use this week to get in on the act of launching new products, too, so mark our words, there will be plenty going on.
Qualcomm will kick the show off with an opening keynote on Friday, and from then we can expect a barrage of new and exciting technology reveals over the following four days. We should see everything from cutting-edge 8K TVs to state-of-the-art Dolby Atmos soundbars to wireless and high-end headphones with a big chunk of connected smart home and autonomous car tech thrown in for good measure.
Whether officially part of the show or doing their own thing on the sidelines, manufacturers far and wide will very soon be pulling the cloth off hoards of new hardware. In fact, they are already starting to... and What Hi-Fi? is dutifully on the ground reporting on the highlights...
IFA 2022 news so far
Toshiba unveils QLED TVs with HDMI 2.1, Dolby Atmos and sound by Onkyo
Toshiba has announced a new line-up of smart TVs for the UK, including models with quantum dot technology plus a choice of operating systems from Amazon, Google and Linux.
Read the full Toshiba Quantum Dot TV story
Headphone 3.0? How a computer in your ear could change headphones forever
They call it ‘Headphone 3.0’ – an evolution of the headphone. It will, they say, give control back to the user via a headphone-based operating system, enabling a new world of headphone apps that go far beyond the mere musical.
Read the full Headphone 3.0 story
Sennheiser's unveiled a new Ambeo soundbar
The Ambeo Soundbar Plus is Sennheiser's second Dolby Atmos soundbar. It's smaller and cheaper than the original Ambeo Soundbar and includes up-firing speakers and an auto-calibration feature to help optimise set-up.
Read the full Sennheiser Ambeo Soundbar Plus story
Loewe's new Bluetooth subwoofer promises to boost any TV's audio
Loewe's klang sub1 is a new wireless subwoofer that can connect to TVs using Bluetooth. Its grey fabric finish and circular shape stylistically continue the footstool aesthetic seen on last year's sub5. Inside there'[s a pair of 4-inch woofers and four passive drivers, with power rated to 160W.
Read the full Loewe klang sub1 story
Metz and Roku have teamed up for a new range of very cheap 4K TVs
German brand Metz has announced its first TVs for the UK, and there are two important things to know: they feature the app-packed Roku smart platform, and they're very cheap, with the 4K models starting at just £229.
Read the full Metz Roku TV story
Jabra brings hybrid ANC to mid-tier affordable earbuds
The new Elite 5 wireless earbuds feature hybrid and adjustable ANC, long battery life (seven hours in earbuds, 28 from charging case), excellent connectivity with all devices, and are available in two finishes at just £149.
Read the full Jabra Elite 5 story
Tesla makes debut at IFA with robot vacuums, washing machines... and QLED TVs
Tesla – the Serbian appliance maker, not the US car giant – has unveiled its latest QLED TV. The 55-inch K925 runs webOS, comes with a Magic Remote and promises to pump out decent audio (you can even listen to music when the screen is off). Read the full Tesla QLED TV story
Audio Technica launches two Bluetooth turntables and a high-end cartridge
One of Audio Technica's new Bluetooth decks is the successor to the AT-LP3, which we rated as one of the best automatic turntables ever. It also announced a "breathtakingly innovative" phono cartridge that Audio Technica claims can go toe-to-toe with non-magnetic core cartridges.
Read the full Audio Technica story
Sony has announced the mid-range Xperia 5 IV smartphone
Sitting between the flagship Xperia 1 IV and budget Xperia 10 IV, the new Xperia 5 IV could be the performance-per-pound champ of Sony's 2022 smartphone range. It features a 6.1-inch 1080p HDR OLED display that Sony claims is 50 per cent brighter than the previous iteration.
Read the full Sony Xperia 5 IV story
Xgimi gives a European debut to its crazy Magic Lamp projector
If you've ever wanted a projector, wireless speaker and ceiling light in one convenient package, then you're in luck. The Magic Lamp ticks all these boxes and it's made its way over to IFA to wow the crowds.
Read the full Xgimi Magic Lamp story
Philips' 2022 TV range includes new OLEDs and Mini-LED Ambilight models
Philips has taken the wraps of a number of new TVs at IFA including models with Bowers & Wilkins speaker systems and OLED EX panels claiming up to 1300 nits of peak brightness.
Read the Philips 2022 TV range story
Philips also unveiled a Dolby Atmos soundbar and Ambilight wireless speaker
2022 appears to be the year of the Dolby Atmos soundbar and Philips has added its own offering to the market at IFA. We were also taken with its Fidelio FS1 wireless speaker with built-in Ambilight.
Read the Philips Dolby Atmos soundbar and Ambilight wireless speaker story
LG reveals a Flex OLED gaming monitor based on its formidable C2 TV
Strictly speaking, the excellent LG C2 is a TV that can be used as a (great) gaming monitor. If you'd prefer a gaming monitor that can be used as a TV, though, LG now has a solution for you – the slightly whacky, curvy, flashy Flex.
Read the full LG OLED Flex story
JBL releases a range of Dolby Atmos soundbars for every budget
All the soundbars in the new four-strong JBL Bar Series include support for Dolby Atmos, wireless music streaming via AirPlay 2 and Google Chromecast, and Alexa voice control. The Sonos Arc-rivalling JBL Bar 1000 is the brand’s new flagship model with 7.1.4 channels...
Read the full JBL Dolby Atmos soundbar story
Sony also reveals a new Dolby Atmos soundbar – the HT-A3000
The 3.1-channel soundbar features Sony's spatial audio solution, 360 Sound Mapping, which promises to deliver an "ultra-wide listening area". The A3000 also natively supports Dolby Atmos and DTS:X, though doesn't include any dedicated up-firing speakers.
Read the full Sony HT-A3000 Dolby Atmos soundbar story
B&O unveils a Dolby Atmos soundbar – The Beosound Theatre
The high-concept soundbar has a customisable modular design that can be paired with any TV as both a stand-alone system or part of a wider set-up up to 7.1.4 channels.
Read the full Beosound Theatre soundbar story
JBL's flagship Tour PRO 2 wireless earbuds have the world’s first smart charging case
Both new flagship headphones from JBL feature Spatial Sound, adaptive and customisable ANC, long battery life and the promise of better sound, but it's the Tour PRO 2 earbuds' unique smart charging case with a touch screen display to access all of the app's settings that catches our attention.
Read the full JBL wireless headphones story
Harman Kardon's new Bluetooth speaker wants to sound good and help save the planet
The Onyx Studio 8 is a portable Bluetooth speaker with eight hours of battery life, but more notably it is made of recycled plastic and a mix of other sustainable materials. Even the ink used on the packaging is of the eco-friendly soy variety.
Read the full Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 8 story
Philips' new wireless headphones are designed for sports
Featuring an open-ear, bone conduction design, Philips' new sports headphones have a nine-hour battery life, IP66 rating and a red LED strip so people can see you when you're running or cycling at night.
Read the full Philips A7607 sports headphones story
MORE:
Our pick of the best OLED TVs
And the best Dolby Atmos soundbars
