What Great New Technology Was Revealed at IFA 2018?

If you’ve been too busy watching what’s going on at PAX West, you might be missing out on some really cool new gadgets being unveiled at IFA.  IFA is the largest technology show in Europe where the world’s leading brands of consumer electronics and home appliances will present a record number of new products.  The conference is being held in Berlin.  This year’s conference showcases new products and cutting-edge technology from brands including AKG, B&W, LG, Philips, Samsung, Sony, and Technics.  But what technology is of note?

Sony Xperia XZ3

Sony’s new Xperia XZ3 is similar to the Xperia XZ2, but brand new screen technology really gives it an edge over the competition.  The Xperia XZ3 has a vivid new OLED display and improved design that sets it apart – and certainly caught our eye with refined edges and more focus on the things that matter to consumers.

Garmin Vivosmart 4

The Garmin Vivosmart 4 was a definite standout. The fitness tracker measures your blood oxygen saturation levels using a wrist-based pulse ox2 sensor, meaning it can track your sleep quality. Arguably, even more impressive is the built-in body battery which estimates your body’s energy levels. In addition to this, the Garmin Vivosmart 4 includes a heart rate monitor, VO2 max, stress tracking and the ability to track walks, runs, yoga and strength training.

Harman Kardon Citation

Harman Kardon’s speaker range is the epitome of sleek and sophisticated design – but the exterior isn’t all that impressed us. All speakers in the range have built-in Google Assistant, meaning you can ask the smart speaker questions, use it to set reminders, control media from it and much more.  If that’s not enough, they also come with a high-resolution LCD touchscreen and Chromecast built-in – plus nice sound indeed.

8K TV Display

Is 8K really something possible?  Or is this just a ploy to get us to tune into what’s happening in the TV industry? Whatever you think, Samsung has a full range of 8K QLED sets ready for release in a matter of months, making it the most complete step in this pixel-packed direction. But LG won the show this year, launching the first OLED TV with captivating 8K resolution. Although, the TV is definitely out of the average person’s price range (starting around $25,000), the screen is undeniably stunning – providing picture clarity from every angle.

Huawei AI Cube

The Huawei AI Cube is Huawei’s first smart speaker, offering a built-in Amazon Alexa assistant which gives it similar skills to the Amazon Echo, such as the ability to answer questions, control smart home devices, play music and access a library of over 50,000 skills. While the Huawei AI Cube is pretty impressive volume-wise,  what sets it apart from the Amazon Echo is that it is both a 4G router and a speaker, meaning it can be used to connect devices to the internet.

Sony WH-1000XM3 Headphones

The latest addition to the Sony headphones family, the Sony WH-1000XM3 headphones are a huge upgrade from the previous X2 model. The audio is crystal clear, the noise-canceling technology works wonders and they have an improved design that’s more comfortable than ever.  Definitely one for those who like to shut out the noise of the world on their commute.