IFA 2022: all the news from Berlin’s big tech show – The Verge

Why it Matters that I just saw a Google Nest Hub control an Apple HomeKit smart plug

2022-09-03T09:00:00-04:00

A Google Nest Hub (2nd-gen) controlling an Eve Energy smart plug.

Matter, the upcoming standard that's attempting to give the smart home a single unifying language, is almost here - and I was just treated to an early demonstration of the kinds of cross-platform compatibility that it should enable in the future. The demonstration was given by Eve, which produces a range of smart plugs, radiator valves, lighting, and security devices.

Historically, Eve has only ever worked with Apple's HomeKit smart home platform. This is because it didn't want to use cloud-to-cloud platforms, preferring to keep its devices on locally-controlled platforms for privacy and security. Eve has had an iOS app but no Android app, …

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China is all in on foldables — and Honor’s CEO thinks the rest of the world is ready, too

2022-09-02T12:00:00-04:00

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George Zhao announcing Honor’s first foldable, the Magic V, in early 2021 | Image: Honor

Honor is planning to release its second foldable next year, and unlike the Honor Magic V, the company hopes to actually release the device outside of China. Honor's CEO, George Zhao, confirmed the plans in an interview with The Verge ahead of this year's IFA trade show in Berlin and said the company expects to launch its next foldable device in the first quarter of next year.

"We've made the decision that next year, in Q1, we'll bring our latest foldable smartphone to international markets," including Europe, Zhao said. The CEO didn't confirm any specifics or details for the new device but indicated that Honor's major areas of focus for it …

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LG’s MoodUp is a fridge that’s as flashy on the outside as I feel on the inside

2022-09-02T08:19:59-04:00

The LG MoodUp can flash in time with music streamed to its built-in Bluetooth speaker.

In case anyone is needing extra RGB lighting in their lives, LG's new MoodUp fridge has you covered. The refrigerator, which the South Korean electronics giant announced this week at IFA in Berlin, has LED light panels on its front that can illuminate in over a dozen different colors (22 for the upper panel, 19 for the lower). There's also a built-in Bluetooth speaker (I know).

You control the light panels through LG's app, where there are a series of preset color schemes to match different seasons and moods. But of course, you can also take full control to create a gloriously ugly kitchen color scheme of your own devising. I was helpfully …

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Hang on, is LG secretly bringing back curved TVs?

2022-09-01T18:32:25-04:00

Outside of 3D, curved TVs are probably one of the industry's most ill-advised gimmicks. Unless you sat at a very specific point in front of them, they resulted in a warped image, harsh reflections, and a generally unpleasant viewing experience, for close to no benefit. Seriously, they were terrible. It felt like curved TVs happened because companies could make them, rather than because they should.

It took me a little while to realize it, but LG's new 42-inch OLED Flex, which it's announced this week at IFA and hopes to bring to market this fall, effectively marks the return of curved TVs. It may have a monitor-style stand featuring some ga …

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Sennheiser’s more-affordable soundbar is still a premium-sounding beast

2022-09-01T16:48:25-04:00

It’s still a large soundbar, but it’s more compact that Sennheiser’s first. | Photo by Jon Porter / The Verge

Sennheiser's debut soundbar, released in 2019, was a niche product for a couple of reasons. The first was the price. At $2,499.95, it rivaled the cost of many traditional surround sound systems comprised of AV receivers and multiple speakers. But perhaps more important was its size. I say this with love, but the original Ambeo Soundbar (which has now been renamed the Ambeo Soundbar Max) was a chunky boy, which hardly made it an easy sell for anyone looking to tuck it discreetly in front of their TV.

So although it's $1,000 cheaper, I think price might only be the second most important change with Sennheiser's second soundbar, the $1,499.95 …

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Lenovo’s Glasses T1 let you bring a private big screen display with you

2022-09-01T14:52:05-04:00

Peak productivity with the Lenovo Glasses T1. | Image: Lenovo

Lenovo is the latest company promoting a USB-C monitor made for your face. The company's new Glasses T1 put a Full HD OLED screen in front of each of your eyes and were revealed today during IFA and on Lenovo's virtual showcase.

This wearable private display, as Lenovo puts it, is very much like other consumer smart glasses, including TCL's NxtWear Air, which puts two 1080p micro-OLED screens in front of your eyes, just like Lenovo's T1. Another similar product is the Nreal Air, though that one has a 90Hz screen refresh rate compared to the T1's 60Hz.

You aren't getting any VR or AR experiences with these types of glasses, and you can't sa …

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Sennheiser’s new $1,500 Ambeo Soundbar Plus will probably sound incredible

2022-09-01T13:00:00-04:00

When it comes to getting the most immersive audio presentation from a standalone soundbar, no one has managed to outclass Sennheiser's Ambeo. And considering that device's sky-high $2,500 price, you'd expect it to deliver a sublime home theater experience. At IFA 2022, Sennheiser is adding to the Ambeo lineup by introducing the new Ambeo Soundbar Plus. The price is slightly lower but will likely still leave this one out of reach for many consumers. It costs $1,499.95, and preorders begin today.

The Plus model is advertised as "the world's first 7.1.4 standalone soundbar." Sennheiser's original Ambeo will remain for sale and is now being reb …

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Leica is now making a Cine 1 laser projector that sits just inches from the wall

2022-09-01T12:31:37-04:00

The Cine 1 looks best when projected onto an ALR screen, which Leica will also sell. | Photo by Jon Porter / The Verge

Today, Leica - yes, the camera company - announced its first ultra-short throw (UST) laser projector at the big IFA show in Germany, capable of producing a 4K image of up to 100 inches with Dolby Atmos sound.

This isn't Leica's first foray into digital projectors, which it once sold under the Pradovit brand. It's also collaborated with other projector makers, including this obscure UST model from last year.

The announcement was light on details, so my colleague Jon Porter chased down a demonstration of an early Cine 1 prototype at the Leica booth. Here's what we learned from Ross Slavov, head of product management in Leica's newly formed …

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Jabra’s new $150 Elite 5 earbuds could be the sweet spot of its lineup

2022-09-01T12:00:00-04:00

At IFA 2022, Jabra is announcing the new $149 Elite 5 earbuds. Serving as the company's midrange pair of buds - akin to something like the older Elite 75t - these will offer up to seven hours of continuous playback with active noise cancellation turned on. They also feature multipoint Bluetooth for two simultaneous connections, IP55 dust and water resistance, and codec support that includes aptX, AAC, and SBC.

The Elite 5s contain 6mm drivers and customizable EQ. As for the design, Jabra says they'll provide "a discreet, comfortable, and compact fit." The earbuds share a teardrop shape that's similar to the rest of the current Elite series …

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Withings’ new smart scale measures your nerve and artery health

2022-09-01T12:00:00-04:00

Withings first teased measuring nerve health back at CES. | Image: Withings

Withings has a few nifty ideas when it comes to smart scales, and for IFA 2022, it's announced the Body Comp. What makes the Body Comp stand out is it can assess the health of your arteries and nerves in addition to "normal" body composition. Withings is also introducing a new Health Plus coaching service alongside the scale to help users meet their goals.

Smart scales like the Body Comp all use BIA to send a weak current through your body to determine how much muscle, water, bone, and fat you have. (Though, you should always take these scales' accuracy and health claims with a grain of salt.) What's novel here is users can assess their vas …

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