From smartphones, smartwatches to home audio and more, here is what to expect from IFA 2017.
IFA is among the interesting tech events worth looking forward to, and it is usually referred to as CES of the Europe. Having more prominence in the audio and television space, the event also sees smartphones and wearable announcements. IFA 2017 officially kicks off on September 1 and will continue till September 6. However, most announcements take place a couple of days ahead of the event, and this year is no different.
Sony and LG are among the major smartphone makers that are set to launch their important smartphones. Samsung, on the other hand, is expected to show off new wearable devices, whereas other companies such as Acer, Lenovo, Asus and Huawei are also set to make important announcements. Here’s a look at the events that are lined up, timings, and what to expect.
IFA events on August 30
Acer at IFA 2017
Acer’s IFA 2017 event is set to kick off today at 3PM IST. Last year, the company launched Predator 21X, the insane curved screen gaming laptop. This year, the company could introduce a refreshed gaming focused hardware that may use Nvidia’s Max Q tech.
Asus at IFA 2017
Earlier this month, Asus already announced the Zenfone 4-series smartphones in Taiwan. At IFA 2017, Asus is likely to showcase the device lineup. The company also has an event lined up for today which kicks off at 5:30PM IST, and there are possibilities wherein Asus may announce about the global availability of these devices. What’s more, Asus is also rumored to launch the Zenfone 4-series smartwatch at the event, along with RoG (Republic of Gamers) series gaming laptops.
Panasonic at IFA 2017
Panasonic, along with Samsung and 20th Century Fox, has been one of the founding members of HDR10+ video format, which adds an extra layer of dynamic metadata to the HDR10 standard. This information includes scene-specific details such as color, brightness and contrast which TVs can use for optimizing HDR playback. Panasonic is hosting an event at 7:30PM IST, and it is likely to shed more light on how the technology works. ALSO READ: Sony could announce a 6-inch bezel-less smartphone at IFA 2017: Report
Samsung at IFA 2017
Samsung has scheduled an event for today, which will kick off at 6:00PM CET or 10:30PM in India. With the Galaxy Note 8 already launched, Samsung is expected to take the wraps off two new wearables – Gear S4 smartwatch, and Gear Fit 2 fitness band. ALSO READ: New Gear S smartwatch to be unveiled at IFA, Samsung says
The existing Gear S3 smartwatch comes with IP68 certification for water and dust resistance, whereas the new Gear S4 is expected to come with 50m water resistance, which will allow you to take it for a swim too. The Gear Fit 2 Pro, on the other hand, is also expected to come with improved water resistance, ability to play Spotify music offline and track your swimming activities. ALSO READ: LG ProBeam UST laser and MiniBeam projectors announced ahead of IFA 2017
IFA events on August 31
LG at IFA 2017
LG has been using IFA as a platform to launch its flagship V-series smartphones, and this year is no different. The company has scheduled an event for August 31 which kicks off at 1:30PM IST, and it is where LG will unveil the V30 smartphone. A Korea-specific variant, V30+ is also expected to be announced. ALSO READ: LG V30 live image surface online ahead of official unveiling on August 31: Report
Unlike the V10 and V20, LG is ditching the secondary display on the V30, and it will come with a 6-inch FullVision display with aspect ratio of 18:9. The smartphone will also feature a dual-camera setup, with one of the lenses featuring f/1.6 aperture, the highest on any smartphone today. LG has also teased the audio capabilities of the V30, and it will sport a quad DAC for immersive audio experience. ALSO READ: LG Q6+ tipped to launch in India on September 5: Here’s what we know so far
Sony at IFA 2017
Just like LG, even Sony has been using IFA to announce its range of smartphones, and if rumors are to be believed, the company may announce three smartphones. Out of the three, two are expected to be Xperia XZ1 Compact and Xperia X1. With the third smartphone, Sony is expected to join the bezel-less display race along with other manufacturers. However, not enough details about the same are available at the moment. Sony’s IFA event is set to kick off at 5:30PM IST on August 31. ALSO READ: Sony Xperia XZ1 design detailed in leaked images ahead of official launch
Other than Sony, Toshiba and Sharp are hosting their events at 7:30PM IST on August 31, and DJI at 9:30PM. However, there is no word on what the companies will be launching. ALSO READ: Sony Xperia XZ1 with Snapdragon 835 SoC, 4GB of RAM spotted on GeekBench
IFA events on September 1
Lenovo at IFA 2017
Lastly, Lenovo is also hosting an event and devices from both Moto and Lenovo are expected to be showcased. The event is set to take place on September 1 at 12:30AM IST. Last year, Lenovo showcased the Moto Z-lineup, and while the successors for the same are already launched, the company may focus on Moto Mods and Yoga series laptops. Rumors also hint at Moto X4 launch, but we will have to wait until the company officially unveils it on September 1. ALSO READ: Lenovo IFA 2017 keynote scheduled for August 31; here’s what to expect
Huawei and HTC are also hosting events at IFA 2017, but there is no word on whether they will be launching any smartphone or not. Reports hint that Huawei’s September 2 event will see the unveiling of AI (Artificial Intelligence) based assistant.