Was IFA 2024 the best yet?

Celebrating A Century of Innovation and Inspiration in Berlin. Was IFA 2024 the best yet?

IFA, the world’s largest consumer electronics and home appliances show, transforms Berlin into a hub of innovation every September. Taking place at Messe Berlin, the event draws professionals and consumers eager to explore the future of technology.

As regular attendees, we at TOO look forward to connecting with clients, gauging market trends, and getting a first-hand look at groundbreaking tech innovations. Berlin itself truly comes alive for IFA, with the event’s branding visible everywhere—from airports to billboards, and even at the city’s landmarks. The influx of attendees sporting IFA lanyards adds to the palpable excitement in the city’s hotels, hospitality venues, and public transport networks.

This year’s event, celebrating its 100th anniversary, felt bigger and better than ever before. After years of pandemic-related disruptions, IFA 2024 was a full return to form. Official stats reflected this resurgence, with attendance up by 18% year-on-year, totalling over 215,000 visitors—133,000 of whom were trade professionals. Media attendance rose by an 43%, while tech bloggers and influencers saw a 300% increase.

The fresh IFA branding, characterised by a vibrant colour palette and the new tagline “Innovation For All,” contributed to an elevated sense of excitement. Larger brand investments, more delegates, and a robust consumer program demonstrated IFA’s growing influence and reach.

Based on our two days at the event, here’s a look at some key themes that shaped IFA 2024:

AI Everything Everywhere

AI was a central focus across the event, with brands prominently featuring AI-driven innovations in their exhibits.

LG's "Affectionate Intelligence Home" stood out for its immersive brand experience and consumer-focused categorisation. Rather than merely showcasing products (notably few TVs), LG focused on AI’s potential to shape future behaviours, presenting four distinct smart home concepts including: ‘Second Youth Home’ designed to care for active seniors, managing their daily routines, health, and safety, Smart Green Home’ a vision of a more sustainable, eco-friendly way of life enabled by AI, Affectionate Home’ AI-driven care for children and pets, offering personalized support, 'Delightful Home’ AI-tailored culinary experiences and daily delights designed to suit individual tastes.

Samsung’s “AI for All” was similarly integrated and conceptual if lacking the clarity of proposition, with language clearly catering for an international audience: “Wondering if your parents far away are okay? No need to call, just open up Smarthings Family Care. Stay connected even when apart.”, “Health tracker of your dreams is here. “You just fall asleep, AI automatically activates sleeping mode.”, “Check out Samsumg Food and enjoy a smarter way to stay healthy! It manages ingredients and suggests healthy recipes.”, and most amusingly “Answer your calls with your washer. Do not bother holding your phone while doing the laundry.”

The pick of other applications utilising AI included Vestel showcased a fun innovation concept called A(I)RT TV, which uses AI to generate dynamic wallpapers that change based on the environment around the TV—a creative take on home aesthetics.

Most interestingly were broader, city-level AI applications including HiSense's Smart City Platform demonstrated how AI could revolutionise urban infrastructure by monitoring traffic, public transport, and even disaster prevention, showcasing a future of enhanced urban resilience. 

Sustainability in Focus

Sustainability was another key theme, with many exhibits embracing eco-friendly solutions. Messe Berlin’s halls featured lush indoor plantations, creating a fitting backdrop for brands showcasing their sustainability efforts.

Vestel made waves with its Biolive initiative, a biotechnology enterprise that produces bio-based plastics from olive seeds. Their concept appliances, made from 99% bio-based plastic, promise negative CO2 emissions and embody the circular economy’s principles of zero waste.

While many brands emphasized eco-responsibility, few offered substantial innovations beyond concept materials. The overarching message was one of technology-enabled efficiency, with products and solutions designed to promote sustainable living.

Wellbeing and Digital Health on the Rise

A noticeable growth area at the event was wellbeing and ‘digital health’, which accounted for several of the huge exhibition halls, with offerings from the big brands, and prevalently from dozens if not hundreds of growth innovation products and start ups in this space.

For the big brands, wellbeing and health is increasingly integrated into their eco-system of solutions – as with sustainability – helping to improve overall health monitoring and management with technology enabled solutions, such for assisting daily exercise and health maintenance. To what extent the connected OS propositions from Samsung, LG, HiSense, and the other major manufacturers operating systems are walled gardens remains to be established.

There were companies such as Yolanda that provide the system development underpinning the array health products and tools, as well as those showcasing the hardware such as Bodyfriend ‘dedicated to enhancing the lives of it’s customers by extending their Healthy Year Life by 10 years’.

Offerings ranges from massage chairs, massage guns, to smart body fat scales, to all manner of applications and smart tools for wellbeing.

TV Market Innovations

Here at TOO we are particularly interested in the TV category, we were thrilled to see the latest product launches and concepts on display.

The latest micro LED and 8K TVs boasted stunning visual depth and detail, pushing the boundaries of home entertainment.

The gaming sector within the TV market is booming, with brands unveiling products designed to enhance gaming experiences—high refresh rates, curved screens, and built-in speakers were common features. HiSense's partnership with Black Myth: Wukong continued the trend of content partnerships, bringing AAA gaming experiences to the forefront of TV innovation.

Other highlights included outdoor TVs, powerful sound bars, portable Wi-Fi-enabled TVs, and transparent micro LED screens.

The Power of In-Person Marketing

From a trade perspective, IFA reaffirmed the importance of in-person interactions for business growth. The event provided a unique opportunity for industry peers, partners, and remote teams to connect, with substantial financial investments made into the event and benefitting Berlin’s surrounding economy.

We observed a variety of exhibitor styles, from the experience-driven approaches of LG and Samsung to the product-focused demonstrations by brands like Shark Ninja. Some companies, such as Google, prioritized trade meetings over public exhibition space, highlighting the diversity of strategies on display.

Wrapping up: The Future is Integrated and AI-Driven

One of the biggest takeaways from IFA 2024 was the growing emphasis on holistic, integrated smart solutions. Whether it’s health and wellbeing, eco-efficiency, or home management, the future will be powered by AI, promising to simplify and improve our daily lives in ways we’re only just beginning to imagine.

Thanks, IFA, for another inspiring experience. Until next year, Berlin!