As reported earlier this year, everything was new for the world's leading trade show for consumer electronics and home appliances, taking place in Berlin, Germany.

IFA Berlin 2023 closed its doors on Tuesday this week, and it was a strong show, the first at full strength since the pandemic. As IFA Berlin (The International Funkausstellung) celebrated its 99th year as a global tech trade show that "moves markets, inspires buyers, and maps the future of consumer electronics and home appliances for work, home, and play," the event was also managed for the first time by a completely new organization. Recently, gfu Consumer & Home Electronics GmbH (the trademark owner of IFA) and Clarion Events, Ltd. (one of the world’s leading independent event organizers) have created a joint venture organization called IFA Management GmbH, which is now responsible for the mega trade show. The move was part of an agreement with Messe Berlin, for IFA to remain at the Berlin exhibition grounds for the next 10 years.

Under this new partnership, IFA 2023 was a sort of transition year. The new organization tried to expand on the show's former success, adding new features, expanding the IFA Next section to add more startups and innovative products to the event, and trying to add more value and excitement for attendees, sponsors, and exhibitors. In general, those goals were achieved. There was just one noticeable difference. Exhibitors and IFA veterans that we spoke with reported that the organization seemed to have no records of how things had been in the past and approached this year's event with a clean slate - with everything that such changes entail.

The disruption caused by the pandemic since 2020 hit the large trade show organizers in Germany particularly hard. The temporary cancellation of trade shows, and the reduced attendance in the last two years, forced many changes. Many major trade shows have been permanently canceled, while others have embraced different models, adjusting to new formats more in line with current trends. One important example is the cancellation of the famous Frankfurt Motor Show, now replaced by the IAA Mobility show in Munich, which opened precisely during the last days of IFA in Berlin and seems to be precisely hitting the right notes. The automotive audio industry is there in force while it was only mildly visible at IFA - where it once was an important segment.

With the transition to electric vehicles and new emerging forms of urban mobility - a process that is hitting the powerful German car industry particularly hard but is also encouraging that same industry to evolve faster - the new Munich event format seems to be extremely relevant and timely.

In contrast, IFA has been changing already for some time, with a growing focus on the global consumer electronics trade. There seems to be less need for more drastic changes, and certainly there isn't any need for IFA to expand into a showcase of multiple unrelated industries that have since evolved into their own independent verticals, and with their own separate channels and/or distribution models. That is exactly the case with hi-fi and high-end audio, which is now gone forever from Berlin, much in the same way as it did already from CES.

No one is crying over such changes that happened for the better. Automotive audio benefits from being in a dedicated mobility show. Hi-fi and luxury audio is also perfectly represented by the High End Show in Munich. At IFA, like at CES, there is now more audio than ever - home audio and personal audio - purely focused on the large volume, affordable audio categories of the mass market in the consumer electronics space. Those segments still need a show like this one - and attention from the appropriate media.

I left Berlin this year with the clear feeling that there's not much to worry about. Although the promoters were touting a "fully booked IFA," the gigantic Messe Berlin still had lots of available space to expand in the future. The exhibitors were in general in an upbeat mode, with stunning displays and an optimistic attitude. The consumer product categories that have expanded during and post-pandemic are thriving and need the environment that IFA provided. Reorganizing the layout and creating new exhibitor dynamics probably makes sense.

Obviously, not everyone was happy - some exhibitors complained about the unnecessary empty space surrounding some of the booths, which could have been relocated. The signage was more confusing than ever, precisely because some companies have decided to occupy their own independent halls, sometimes too far from the rest (Samsung) or impossible to locate (some of the corridors filled with Chinese companies who deserved better).

And not everything at IFA is about finished products, of course. The IFA Global Markets area is dedicated to sourcing and is a recognized platform for OEMs and ODMs. This is certainly an area that IFA needs to expand, creating a clearer B2B environment for the supply chain to engage with European partners and many unique consumer brands. That is an opportunity for growth if IFA avoids the fragmentation of suites spread across hotels that affects CES - for the frustration of the CTA.

IFA is the most important annual event for the consumer electronics industry because it introduces new products in time for the most important season of the year for sales. While CES in Las Vegas, NV, is the place where future trends and innovation are defined, where technology for new product developments is showcased and traded, the IFA Berlin show is where many of those actual products and brands make it or break it. CES is evolving increasingly from the B2B technology perspective. While IFA evolves purely from the consumer angle. And in that regard, it benefits from being in a vibrant city like Berlin.

Audio at IFA is now mainly focused on personal/mobile devices and the more accessible and lifestyle-oriented products. This year there were naturally more products for home office and work from anywhere. But in general, the show thrived on products for the home, and the integration around the efficient, smart home. There isn't any other event that showcases the convergence with the smart home, and emerging categories of portable energy, chargers, solar, home batteries, and more, in the way IFA allows - promoting the products that are available now and ready for the consumer.

Before the pandemic, the largest IFA shows featured more than 1,800 exhibitors and attracted more than 250,000 visitors. IFA 2023 appealed to more exhibitors - more than 2,000 (many smaller) from 48 countries, scattered around 26 halls - and received more than 182,000 visitors. But since IFA is a show that welcomes not only trade - Berlin families and local visitors are there in force, particularly during the weekend - I don't think those visitor numbers are very relevant. As with many other shows, organizers could just "open the gates" and flood the halls with consumers if they wanted to boost the numbers. The important thing is that business was still clearly the focus, with professional attendees from more than 138 nations.

Retailers, wholesalers, resellers, distributors, agents, trade partners, e-commerce partners, and marketplaces - all are at the core of business during a show like IFA. Precisely what seems to be quickly fading away from CTA's CES, now completely centered around technology and product development, supply chain, OEM/OEM, and general B2B activities. While at IFA we find manufacturers and all sorts of brands promoting products ready to enter the market, at CES we meet the companies that make the products and the component suppliers. At IFA we find the latest headphones. At CES we find drivers, microphones, software, and chip companies supplying the parts needed for next year’s headphones.

That is why it's not surprising that IFA hosts hundreds of product introductions. And the positive aspect was seeing the show expanding into new exciting consumer product categories, introducing new areas like the Sustainability Village, and paving the way for many more startups that are in the go-to-market stage and not in the investor pitch stages, like we find at the CES Eureka Park. New at IFA 2023, the Sustainability Village showcased "mend and repair shops" to tackle e-waste, and lots of exciting exhibits in the recycling materials and alternative energy space.

Sustainability, connectivity, and Smart Home solutions were already the big themes at IFA 2022. For 2023, the topics evolved to Connected Living, Artificial Intelligence, Robotics, and Sustainability, which makes sense. Maybe it's a bit early for consumer robotics, but Smart Home and AI was definitely a dominating theme. This year, I noticed how energy products were creating the connection between those themes, for mobility, for recreation, but also for the home. And in fact, I had never seen such a strong display of ready-to-buy smart home products - where audio and voice is naturally still at the core.

I have been to many trade shows where smart homes are a major trend. From Berlin we are heading to CEDIA 2023, precisely a show that evolved over years toward the integrated vision of the smart home. But for some reason I never realized until now that all the exhibits centered around the smart home were mainly promoting technology, interoperability, and integration that relies almost entirely on installation and residential integration professionals. In contrast, IFA showcases - in a very effective and diverse way - how the smart home is now "a product" that is ready for consumers. 100% of exhibitors were focused on demonstrating the use cases and the benefits of having smart home systems - not the technology challenges or the integration efforts.

While IFA is still totally focused on the consumer, it is also a show that benefits from being held in one of the most vibrant cities in the world, and on Sunday I was pleasantly surprised to see that the trade professionals from all over the world were surrounded by huge crowds of Berliner families strolling through the many, many halls and enjoying every single demonstration of the latest appliance and home system and how they can all be connected and more convenient.

Yes, there were sensors, connectivity, and infrastructure solutions on display, but most were already promoted and packaged off-the-shelf, DIY products. Things that looked appealing enough for a young couple to understand and plan to buy together with their new intelligent kitchen, and the new motorized curtains and blinders.

AI, neural processing, all those buzzwords were also promoted as part of the smart home story - to showcase how simple and convenient those "home things" are. And there's a new generation of smart appliances that are already benefiting from these technologies, including home batteries and energy management systems, water purifiers, washing machines, dishwashers, air conditioners, and humidifiers. Maybe this approach only works for a very well-educated, numerous, sophisticated, young demographic of modern Berlin and the wider Germany, but it certainly was refreshing to see.

Our audio specialist skeptics of these "smart" things, should just have a look at the flagship robotic vacuum cleaner L20 Ultra, from San Francisco, CA-based Dreame Technology. The L20 Ultra, "now using AI-driven MopExtend technology" is the latest in smart home appliances from the company. A fully automatic robotic vacuum that cleans floors and cleans itself. AI is actually used to improve home navigation and add cleaning of previously impossible areas, using ultrasonic carpet recognition and mop-removal technology for enhanced carpet and rug cleaning. And the best thing of all? It's silent! It does everything while you can relax in your mid-century modern chair listening to Diana Krall in your home stereo system.

And talking about appliances. Did you know that washing machine wastewater is the single largest source of microplastic pollution globally? Accounting for 35% of emissions? Well, fortunately, a US company called CLEANR (https://www.cleanr.life) has won countless "Best of IFA 2023" awards with its breakthrough microplastic filter for washing machines. CLEANR estimates that widespread adoption of its technology in Europe and the US alone would prevent the equivalent of more than 280 million plastic bags from entering waterways every year. Talk about a good thing.

After the two media days, when the doors opened for the industry and public on Friday, IFA 2023 offered a very vibrant overview of what the consumer electronics industry is truly all about, and why such a show is needed. Of course, I left worried about the fact that many significant brands were not there - but it's clearly their loss, and in many cases it wasn't strategy, but lack of it. There are still too many companies convinced they can emulate Apple, or under the illusion that they can build effective direct-to-consumer channels.

Also, many things changed in previous years, and it was certainly strange not to see Sennheiser at IFA, now that the brand is purely focused on the professional market. And it was probably too early for Sonova to take its place - now that it is responsible for the consumer products. They will need to be at IFA 2024, together with EPOS, Logitech, Creative, Sony, Bose, Røde, and all the others. IFA is their biggest opportunity, and they are missing out.

I couldn't help feeling optimistic when I saw all the new wireless earbuds with adaptive, hybrid, advanced, enhanced ANC, now being associated with $20 items. Or the premium products launched by Jabra (https://audioxpress.com/news/jabra-unveils-its-two-most-advanced-premium-true-wireless-earbuds-ever) in that same space. And it was great to see so many speakers of all types and shapes, which means that music continues to unify the world - and there's always hope that those cheap plastic things launched at IFA will eventually be replaced by higher-quality sound generating actual speakers. Right?

Regarding speakers, I can understand why our colleagues from hi-fi magazines get frustrated at IFA. Everything is spacious, bright, and glamorous - there are no smelly, damp, dark hotel rooms with lamps on the floor, and none of the mystique of not knowing if it’s the cables, the mains filter, the preamp, the DAC, or the speakers that "sound." At IFA, when there are decent speakers, they are normally soundbars, or they aren't even playing - no one is going to judge anyway. And everywhere we look at IFA there's the promise of "new and revolutionary immersive audio speakers" with a fabulous design - until we discover that they're actually new air purifiers! Probably speaker designers and product managers should look into those things for cool design ideas.

In contrast, at IFA we can meet all the large Chinese and Korean tech companies and find the strongest showcase of home appliances from AEG/Electrolux, Beko/Grundig, Bosch, Fitbit, Haier, Hama, Hisense, Honor, Jura, Kärcher, LG Electronics, Liebherr, Loewe, Metz, Miele, Panasonic, Samsung, Sharp, Siemens, TCL, Thomson and Vestel. Most of those also have audio products on display, but the biggest news were energy products. Tesla exhibited for the first time at IFA precisely because of the topic of home energy.

According to IFA Management GmbH, although there was a slowdown in 2022, caused by Russia’s war on Ukraine, inflation, and increasing energy prices, in 2023 consumer electronics and home appliances have already recorded global sales almost 10% larger than in 2019. The second half of this year is expected to confirm a welcome boost, ahead of Black Friday, Cyber Monday, Christmas, and the Chinese New Year.

In 2024, IFA Berlin will celebrate its 100th year, taking place September 6-10. We have no doubt that the show will return stronger and larger than ever, given what we've seen this year. There's no other event like it, and its format is clearly needed. But it's also time for evolution.

"IFA Berlin is back – both as a platform and a constant for the global tech industry. As an event, we showed that IFA is rapidly evolving to meet the expectations of both exhibitors and visitors. IFA 2023 was a big success. But as always, the first day after IFA is the first day before IFA. That’s never been

more true than today, as we will now prepare for celebrating IFA’s 100th birthday in 2024," says Sara Warneke, the Managing Director of gfu Consumer & Home Electronics GmbH.

"We had less than eight months to get ready, but the team of IFA Management GmbH has worked wonders and delivered a wonderful and inspiring IFA. I’m truly proud of what we have achieved: evolving IFA Berlin from the world’s best show for consumer electronics and home appliances into a content-packed experience for all visitors," says Oliver Merlin, the Managing Director of IFA Management GmbH. "The outlook for next year is promising. Many exhibitors have already committed to IFA 2024, and the government of the state of Berlin has also confirmed its full support for next year’s show," Merlin adds.

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