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IFA 2025

Europe’s biggest consumer technology trade show, IFA, is taking place once again in early September 2025. Companies from around the world will pack into Berlin’s massive Messe exhibition center to show off their wares. IFA sees a host of announcements from audio, TV, wearable, and smartphone brands, but lately the smart home industry has made the biggest impact at the German trade show.

Thomas Ricker
Thomas Ricker
Anker’s portable Dolby Atmos audio projector.

Anker calls its Soundcore Nebula X1 Pro the “world’s first mobile theater station with 4K laser projection and 7.1.4 spatial sound.” I call it impressive.

The Dolby Atmos-certified projector on wheels creates a 7.1.4 soundscape with 7 horizontal channels, 1 subwoofer, and 4 overhead height channels with the help of these wireless speakers that detach from the unit. I already loved the mobile projector this is built around, so I can’t wait for Jen and Jess to get a listen from Anker’s booth at IFA.

<em>The four speakers connect over Wi-Fi, not Bluetooth, for lossless transmission.</em>
<em>A 4-mic array in the dock calibrates the sound based upon the speaker placement. You can also manually drag the “sweet spot” to your desired location.</em>
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The four speakers connect over Wi-Fi, not Bluetooth, for lossless transmission.
Image: Anker
Jennifer Pattison Tuohy
Jennifer Pattison Tuohy
Samsung’s IFA 2025 press conference is about to start.

Do I smell AI?

1/3Photo by Jennifer Pattison Tuohy / The Verge
Eufy built a stairlift for its robovacsEufy built a stairlift for its robovacs
Jennifer Pattison Tuohy
Eufy’s latest security camera can see everywhere all at onceEufy’s latest security camera can see everywhere all at once
Anker’s new AI voice recorder is the size of a coinAnker’s new AI voice recorder is the size of a coin
Anker’s fastest power bank launches alongside new Prime familyAnker’s fastest power bank launches alongside new Prime family
Anker stuffed its awesome Nebula X1 projector into a party speakerAnker stuffed its awesome Nebula X1 projector into a party speaker
Aqara announces Apple-friendly doorbell, outdoor camera, video hub, and moreAqara announces Apple-friendly doorbell, outdoor camera, video hub, and more
This Belkin Qi2 charging puck comes with a kickstand and coolingThis Belkin Qi2 charging puck comes with a kickstand and cooling
Belkin’s cheap wired earbuds give you ANC without battery anxietiesBelkin’s cheap wired earbuds give you ANC without battery anxieties
Jennifer Pattison Tuohy
Jennifer Pattison Tuohy
The sun is shining in Berlin.

We’re here on the first day of the IFA 2025 tech show. It’s hot, sunny, and time for tech! We’ll be posting from the show floor all week, so stay tuned.

Photo of two Verge journalists in front of a large ‘IFA’ sign
Photo: Jess Weatherbed / The Verge
Philips Hue lights get bigger, brighter, and cheaper with a major product refreshPhilips Hue lights get bigger, brighter, and cheaper with a major product refresh
Hue launches its first video doorbellHue launches its first video doorbell
Your Sonos speakers can now control your Hue lightsYour Sonos speakers can now control your Hue lights
Jennifer Pattison Tuohy
Inside Philips Hue’s plans to make all your lights motion sensors

Hue’s CTO explains how its new MotionAware feature works and why it’s better than previous RF sensing.

Jennifer Pattison Tuohy
Philips Hue responds to cheaper competitors with major product overhaulPhilips Hue responds to cheaper competitors with major product overhaul
Aukey’s new wireless charger gives you more freedom through the power of the orbsAukey’s new wireless charger gives you more freedom through the power of the orbs
Major Amazon leak spoils the Philips Hue partyMajor Amazon leak spoils the Philips Hue party
AI could bring us a smarter home — if we can trust itAI could bring us a smarter home — if we can trust it
My brief hands-on with Acer’s new convertible Chromebook has me cautiously optimisticMy brief hands-on with Acer’s new convertible Chromebook has me cautiously optimistic
Acer’s 16-inch Air weighs even less than a 13-inch MacBook AirAcer’s 16-inch Air weighs even less than a 13-inch MacBook Air
Acer’s new Amadana and CE270 monitors are unusually, strikingly stylishAcer’s new Amadana and CE270 monitors are unusually, strikingly stylish
Sean Hollister
Sean Hollister
It’s easier to count the PC makers that *don’t* sell an Nvidia micro-desktop now.

Acer already snuck its take on Nvidia’s Digits / Spark into Computex, but now the Veriton GN100 AI Mini Workstation is official: $3,999 for its Nvidia GB10 Grace Blackwell chip with 128GB memory, 4TB storage, Wi-Fi 7, HDMI 2.1b, Ethernet and four USB-C ports. Collect the whole set, I guess:

Sean Hollister
Sean Hollister
Acer has a dual-mode 720Hz OLED monitor, too.

Remember Asus’ eye-catching silver screen with a 26.5-inch 1440p OLED panel that starts at a blazingly fast 540Hz and can also do 720Hz at 720p? Acer now has one of those, too: it’s called the Predator X27U F8 and likely uses the same LG Display tech. $1,300, coming Q1 2026.

A three spiky legged screen displaying a cyber person, possibly an android, with neon purple accents and glowing face paint circuitry against a spiky skyline.
The Predator X27U F8 monitor.
Image: Acer
Acer gives its 18-inch Predator Helios gaming laptop a 4K screen and top GPUAcer gives its 18-inch Predator Helios gaming laptop a 4K screen and top GPU
The PartyBox 720 is JBL’s largest battery-powered party speakerThe PartyBox 720 is JBL’s largest battery-powered party speaker
Ooni’s newest pizza oven adds AI to your sliceOoni’s newest pizza oven adds AI to your slice
Dolby Vision 2 goes beyond HDR with more AI and ‘authentic motion’ smoothingDolby Vision 2 goes beyond HDR with more AI and ‘authentic motion’ smoothing
Lenovo leaks show concept laptop with rotating displayLenovo leaks show concept laptop with rotating display
Thomas Ricker
Thomas Ricker
AI fish tank.

Dangbei is launching the Smart Fish Tank 1 Ultra at the IFA show in Berlin next week. Here’s all the company is willing to say for now:

A first-of-its-kind smart aquarium with AI-powered feeding, real-time water monitoring, and studio-grade lighting for a self-sustaining ecosystem.

This liquid-cooled projector promises an incredibly bright 6,200 lumen imageThis liquid-cooled projector promises an incredibly bright 6,200 lumen image
IFA 2024: the biggest announcements and coolest gadgetsIFA 2024: the biggest announcements and coolest gadgets
LG finally gets serious about the smart homeLG finally gets serious about the smart home
Jennifer Pattison Tuohy
Replace a pile of battery-hungry remotes with this solar-powered universalReplace a pile of battery-hungry remotes with this solar-powered universal
Nanoleaf launches a smart switch after eight years of tryingNanoleaf launches a smart switch after eight years of trying
Jennifer Pattison Tuohy
Jennifer Pattison Tuohy
Samsung is putting a ring on your smart home.

An upcoming Galaxy Ring and SmartThings integration enables the smart ring to trigger smart home automations.

A giant super-sized model of the wearable was at IFA this week to demo how your home can respond to biometric signals.

It showed the ring sensing the wearer had fallen asleep or woken up and then starting a sleep routine or a good morning routine. Now that’s an effortless interface.

This super-sized Galaxy Ring demoed a new integration coming to SmartThings that can trigger smart devices like this connected air purifier and robot vacuum based on biometrics.
This super-sized Galaxy Ring demoed a new integration coming to SmartThings that can trigger smart devices like this connected air purifier and robot vacuum based on biometrics.
Photo by Jennifer Pattison Tuohy / The Verge
Jennifer Pattison Tuohy
Jennifer Pattison Tuohy
Dreame’s concept robovac can climb (small) steps.

At IFA this week, Roborock and SharkNinja showed off robot vacuums that can lift themselves up to get over high room transitions, but Dreame went “a step” further.

It demoed its new ProLeap system, which uses retractable legs to navigate very low steps, as this video from The Ambient shows.

The tech is still in development but the company says it should arrive on its product line soon.

Jennifer Pattison Tuohy
Jennifer Pattison Tuohy
Aqara’s new touchscreen smart home controls are super slick.

I love a good tactile dial and a sleek touchscreen for controlling my smart home gadgets, so Aqara’s new Panel Hub S1 Plus and Touchscreen Dial V1 caught my eye.

Both hardwire to existing light fixtures and can control other devices wirelessly — and that physical dial is so nice!

They’re launching in Europe and Aqara says U.S. versions could arrive next year.

<em>The Touchscreen Dial V1 is a touchscreen device with a tactile dial for dimming lights and controlling heating/cooling or shades. It uses mmWave radar for proximity sensing and works over Zigbee and Wi-Fi.</em>
<em>The Panel Hub S1 Plus is a 6.9 inch touchscreen smart home control panel that can stream your video doorbell feed, control lights and scenes, and act as a Zigbee hub and Matter bridge. It can be hardwired to light switches or powered by USB-C</em>
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The Touchscreen Dial V1 is a touchscreen device with a tactile dial for dimming lights and controlling heating/cooling or shades. It uses mmWave radar for proximity sensing and works over Zigbee and Wi-Fi.
Photo by Jennifer Pattison Tuohy / The Verge
Jennifer Pattison Tuohy
Jennifer Pattison Tuohy
I found a Matter-compatible fridge at IFA. And it’s extra.

The Siemens/Bosch XXL built-in fridge freezer was launched last year, and Eelco Lammertink of BSH tells me it will be upgraded to Matter in early 2025.

“Our ambition is to have our entire product line be connectable via Matter,” he said. BSH is also upgrading its Smart Kitchen Dock to be a Matter bridge, which will allow existing appliances to work with Matter.

<em>The Siemens XXL Fridge Freezer showing off its Matter cred at IFA. (Siemens is Bosch’s sister brand).</em>
<em>This is the Bosch version. It’s the same fridge, different brand name, Bosch is available in the U.S., Siemens is not.</em>
<a href="https://www.bosch-home.com/de/skd?srsltid=AfmBOore4Ibeg7yCTkCvD129yNzqnOwX3epZejYYnCvM2q0Gm7Dans2j"><em>The Smart Kitchen Dock</em></a><em> (which isn’t available in the U.S.) will be able to bridge existing Bosch and Siemens fridges, dishwashers, and washing machines to Matter. </em>
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The Siemens XXL Fridge Freezer showing off its Matter cred at IFA. (Siemens is Bosch’s sister brand).
Photo by Jennifer Pattison Tuohy / The Verge
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