Five Things We’re Expecting To See At IFA 2015

IFA 2015 is set to kick off in Berlin in September, marking one of the most exciting weeks for the world’s top consumer technology companies and media.

But what can we expect to see at this year’s show? Here’s some of the potential highlights awaiting us at IFA 2015:

Some super-powered Sony devices

Sony has been making steady inroads into the Android smartphone market over the past few years, winning over customers with its sturdy, waterproof devices.

IFA 2015 should see the reveal of the company’s latest flagship device, the Xperia Z5. The Z5 should be Sony’s most powerful smartphone to date, and could be one of the first devices to pack in Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 820 processor and maybe even Google’s Android M software.

Rumours have suggested that Sony may even push the boat out and announce several iterations of the Xperia Z5, including a souped-up ‘Ultra’ version and a budget ‘Compact’ edition, in order to maximise the reach of its devices.

Something special from Samsung

Along with Sony, Samsung is also set to make some major announcements at IFA, if rumours are to be believed.

Chief amongst these is the Galaxy Note 5, the highly-anticipated latest edition of the company’s surprisingly popular phablet device. In keeping with the design of Samsung’s latest Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge phones, the Note 5 is expected to feature an all-metal body and may even sport the curved edge display seen in the latter. There’s also expected to be a beefed-up rear camera, fingerprint reader, physical home button and support for both Samsung Pay and Android Pay payments technology.

In the face of falling sales and increased competition from the likes of Apple and Sony, Samsung will be hoping that the Galaxy Note 5 can help spur the company forward once more.

The first proper Windows 10 experience

With Microsoft set to officially reveal Windows 10 to the world on July 29, the race will then be on for manufacturers to get the new software out to consumers eager to experience the future of working.

However, leading PC makers including Lenovo and HP have already confirmed their range of Windows 10 devices will be limited around this date, with more products coming around the time IFA is set to happen, so we may see a raft of new devices at the show.

And let’s not forget Microsoft itself, which may well choose to show off the capabilities of Windows 10 with some new devices – including a new Surface Pro. The rumoured Surface Pro 10 could be revealed at IFA 2015, with Microsoft’s new flagship featuring some new high-powered hardware to go along with Windows 10.

Smart home appliances

The growth of the Internet of Things (IoT) is going a long way to connecting up all the devices in the world around us, but up until now we’ve still not had many truly working examples of how M2M (machine to machine) technology will benefit our home lives.

Expect this to change at IFA 2015, which often plays host to a range of home appliance launches and announcements. We’re expecting a whole raft of new connected ‘smart home’ products at this year’s show, from smart coffee machines to energy-saving washing machines, to intelligent light bulbs and security alarms that you can access and control from your mobile device.

And something completely unexpected…

As IFA has grown in stature and importance throughout the years, it has increasingly become a key venue for announcements and launches, particularly as it is scheduled just as the Christmas buying season kicks off.

We’re expecting at least one major manufacturer to have a surprise announcement at the show this year, though who exactly this could be is still a major topic of discussion.

Google could surprise us all with a look at Android M, Motorola and LG could reveal new handsets, and even Oculus has been heavily rumoured to be launching the consumer-facing edition of its Rift VR headset at this year’s show.

Whatever happens, it promises to be an entertaining week – so keep tuned to TechWeekEurope for all the important news and views.

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