2017 IFA: Highlights from the show
The IFA, which runs until September 6 in Berlin, Germany, has once again brought together the best in consumer electronics, smartphones, TVs, PCs, and connected objects. Here's a selection of the most striking innovations in the 2017 show.
A cutting-edge smartphone
On paper, the LG V30 is every bit as good as the best smartphones on the market. The device, which is equipped with an 18:9-format, 6-inch Oled display, is counting on overtaking the competition with its audio features, a 32-bit quad DAC and Bang & Olufsen earbuds, as well as exceptional photo-video performance, with a dual rear camera equipped with a wide-angle glass lens, a first for a smartphone. The device is set to launch first in South Korea, on September 21. The price in the US is expected to be around $749.
An 8K TV
For its part, Sharp Corporation has made a splash with the unveiling of its first 8K television that is destined for worldwide distribution. The 8K format offers a resolution of 7680 x 4320 pixels; that's four times larger than ultra-HD and 16 times larger than HD. At this level of precision, the human eye can no longer distinguish pixels on the screen. The new Aquos 8K series TVs will be available in a range of sizes, starting with the 70-inch diagonal unveiled in Germany. It is due for initial release in China in October 2017, and thereafter in Japan before the end of the year.
A monster PC for gamers
Acer impressed PC gamers in search of a super-powered computers with its Predator Orion 9000. The new desktop can take charge of an Intel i9 Extreme Edition processor with up to 18 cores accompanied by a maximum of 128 GB of RAM, and it has been designed to accommodate up to four Radeon RX Vega graphics cards or two NVidia GeForce GTX 1080Ti cards in SLI. To ensure that it remains cool, the beast is equipped with a special liquid cooling system and five fans. The PC, which will be launched for holiday, priced from $1999. Starting in the first quarter of 2018, it may be sold with a spectacular 35-inch curved monitor, the Predator X35.
A smartwatch for sports
Samsung took advantage of the IFA to unveil its latest smartwatch, the Gear Sport, a sports version of the Gear S3. A little more compact, the Gear Sport is equipped with a 1.2-inch display and 4GB of on-board memory. It is mainly distinguished by its heart monitor, with a sensor that sticks out to ensure better contact with the skin that will facilitate greater precision, and by the fact that it is waterproof at depths of up to 50 meters. The smartwatch, which is the first to run under Tizen 3.0, will be available in some 20 versions with different materials and colors.
A new data-storage record
Western Digital wowed the IFA with its SanDisk Ultra microSDXC UHS-I card that can store up to 400 GB, a capacity that will enable compatible smartphone users to record and keep huge numbers of photos, videos and audio files. The card will shortly be available for $249.99.
An affordable virtual reality headset
Asus is among the group of manufacturers that are collaborating with Microsoft to develop VR headsets for the general public that are more affordable than those currently available. The IFA was the venue for the presentation of the Asus MR (for Mixed Reality Headset), which weighs just 400g and is equipped with two 2.89-inch diagonal OLED displays for a 95-degree field of vision. It is expected to be priced from $299, but its release date has been pushed to spring 2018. Motion controllers, which are sold separately, will enable users to interact with virtual objects.
A smartspeaker with room-filling sound
Sony has developed a 360-degree all-around sound speaker with an on-board Google assistant that will enter the market as a direct rival to Google Home. The LF-S50G responds to voice commands, and as well as playing music, its Google Assistant functions can answer practical questions, schedule alarms and control a wide range of smart devices from brands like Chromecast, Nest and Philips Hue. The speaker, which is due to be launched before the end of 2017, will retail for $199.99.
The IFA runs through September 6 in Berlin.
