IFA International 2019 Day 6 Edition

DAY 6 

EDITION 

Wednesday 11 September 2019 

Hall 3.1 / 102 Hall 5.1 / 101 Hall 6.2 / 101 Hall 8.2 / 101 

CONTENTS 

03 > NEWS 

06 > SHIFT AUTOMOTIVE 

09 > IFA NEXT 

10 > IFA GLOBAL MARKETS 

11 > TRADE TALK 

13 > EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEWS 

15 > NOMADIC LIFESTYLE - PART 2 

20 > SPOTLIGHT ON JAPAN 

21 > WHERE TO GO IN BERLIN 

THOUGHT LEADERS 

Sebastian Stegmüller 

Mobility Innovation Dept., 

Fraunhofer IAO 

We are attempting to create a founded 

basis for lucrative business models and 

technologies. 

Read page 6. 

Ken Lin 

Director of Business Development, 

Senao 

This is a great chance to compare 

how vendors and retail channels do their 

business in different countries, bringing 

new insights for us. 

Read page 11 

IFA MEANS BUSINESS 

… It’s the “prime mover” for the trillion-euro market 

heading into the holiday season 

As IFA enters the final 

day of its 2019 edition, 

sentiment among buyers 

remains positive, with 

innovations opening new 

breaches of opportunity 

that can “make the 

difference” in retail sales. 

A significant trend is the 

swinging of the pendulum 

back from pure online 

sales to a renewed interest 

in bricks-and-mortar in a 

sector where consumer 

education and upselling 

are becoming keys to new 

sales strategies. Already 

in 2018, €4.7bn in order 

volume resulted from IFA, 

and this year again, buyers 

are leveraging the show 

in order to make their 

range choices heading into 

Christmas. For electronics 

retailers, attending IFA 

has become absolutely 

vital, with the backdrop of 

an increasingly complex 

global market dynamic. 

Making the right choices 

Alberto Zamudio 

General Manager, Amber Technology 

here, and creating new 

levels of excitement among 

consumers for products 

that truly add value to their 

lives will be the secret to 

sales growth this coming 

season. 

(…) 

CONSUMER 

EDUCATION AND 

UPSELLING ARE 

BECOMING KEYS 

TO NEW SALES 

STRATEGIES 

Trade professionals 

from around the world 

increasingly rely on IFA as 

a “guiding light” at this time 

of the year. 

See our exclusive interview 

with Alberto Zamudio, 

General Manager of 

Sydney-based Amber 

Technology, one of 

Australia’s leading AV 

and home technology 

distributors – page 13. 

Anna Ahrens 

Senior Research Analyst, Mobile 

Handsets, IHS Markit 

5G is a big topic and we have seen very 

important announcements at IFA, which will 

drive 5G adoption in mobile devices. 

Read page 14 

THE AGE OF CONNECTIVITY 

As IFA draws to a close, 

it’s clear that products 

catering for today’s onthe-go 

lifestyle remain 

priorities for leading 

players. Across mobiles, 

wearables and audio, 

visitors have witnessed an 

array of innovations. For the 

second part of our Nomadic 

Lifestyle report, we start 

by reviewing some of the 

key product innovations 

unveiled at IFA Berlin 2019. 

Read more from page 15 

© Messe Berlin GmbH.

NEWS 

BROUGHT 

TO YOU BY 

EDITORIAL 

Richard Barnes 

Editor-In-Chief 

THOUGHT 

LEADERSHIP RISES 

TO NEW HEIGHTS 

The fact that IFA is the world’s annual gathering 

place for the top minds in the electronics and 

appliance industries is not new. Echoes of Albert 

Einstein using this very same platform around 90 

years ago to deliver his thoughts on the future of 

communication still reverberate around the halls of 

Messe Berlin today. 

What IS new is the extraordinary depth and breadth 

of topics that have been discussed over the past 

week as part of IFA 2019. Indeed, the world is 

literally being reimagined on the numerous stages 

and forums here. Four extraordinary IFA keynotes 

announced current groundswell trends. 

The power of data was this year’s key topic at 

the IFA+ Summit – the conference of the future at 

IFA, while IFA NEXT this year hosted two stages with 

an extraordinary agenda of talks and presentations 

projecting well into the future. 

And yesterday and today, the Shift 

Automotive Mobility Convention sees start-ups, 

tech giants, carmakers and urban planners gathering 

to discuss how the latest technologies and forwardlooking 

mobility concepts will influence the way we 

live, work, drive and travel. 

It all adds up to being the “ultimate in thought 

leadership”, enabling all those present at IFA 2019 

to plot a clear course for the future, making this 

event an essential and integral part of the planning 

process of the world’s electronics and appliance 

manufacturers and retailers 

Zhiying Chen 

Executive Vice Mayor, 

Guangzhou Municipality 

SENIOR CHINESE 

DELEGATION AT IFA 

Top officials from China’s Guangzhou Municipality 

have travelled to Berlin to visit IFA in the run-up to 

CE China. 

Zhiying Chen, Executive Vice Mayor of 

Guangzhou Municipality, headed a delegation 

including Yuyue Gao, Vice Secretary-General, 

The People’s Government of Guangzhou 

Municipality, aiming to solidify relations 

with the Brandenburg region and Europe at 

large. As Germany is by far China’s biggest 

European trading partner, it also underlines 

a new momentum driven by the move of the 

CE China show to Guangzhou, having been in 

Shenzhen for the past three editions. 

“I think the partnership is very good, with 

great potential,” said Mr Chen. “We are able 

to learn more about each other in aspect of 

products, companies and markets through this 

communication. This kind of activity can also 

promote the communication and coordination 

of industry, markets and companies between 

us, which will take our relationship to a higher 

level.” 

Mr Gao stated that the US-China trade war 

is creating a shift in trade interest towards 

Europe, in particular following the visit by 

German Chancellor Angela Merkel to his 

country. Given the size of IFA, he said the 

potential for the show in Guangzhou was very 

similar, stating, “We are very confident about 

it. The influence will become bigger through 

the IFA platform. Some of the top enterprises, 

such as Huawei, ZTE, Skyworth and TCL, 

will do strategic realignment according to 

the international situation and competition. 

I am sure they will concentrate more on 

the European market, and therefore, more 

Chinese companies will exhibit at trade shows 

like IFA and CE China” 

Erratum 

The Day 4 edition of IFA International - page 8 - carried an article on the exhibitor Pundi X, 

with a photo described as being Zac Cheah, co-founder and CEO of Pundi X. The photo was 

in fact of Soohan Han, Director of Global Marketing, Pundi X. 

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www.ifa-international.org IFA International • Wednesday 11 September 2019 

3

BROUGHT 

TO YOU BY 

NEWS 

Arcelik CEO Hakan Bulgurlu used his 2019 Mount 

Everest climb to draw attention to climate change 

Hakan Bulgurlu 

CEO, Arçelik 

SUSTAINABILITY IS 

NO LONGER A GOAL, 

IT’S A BUSINESS MODEL 

Finding ways to 

solve the world’s 

environmental 

challenges was a key 

theme of Arçelik CEO 

Harkan Bulgurlu’s IFA 

keynote. 

An avid outdoorsman, 

Arçelik’s Harkan Bulgurlu 

showed several photos from 

his many journeys to some 

of the world’s most-coveted 

tourist locations during his 

IFA keynote. 

“I used my Everest climb 

to raise awareness to what 

some call climate change, 

but what I call climate 

catastrophe,” Bulgurlu said. 

He recalled taking his 

children to Thailand’s 

Maya Bay, where instead of 

admiring the beauty of the 

area, he had to carry them 

through knee-deep layers 

of plastic. “This is happening 

because most developing 

countries are increasing their 

use of single use plastics,” he 

said. “Rapid and substantial 

action has to happen now. 

Sustainability is no longer 

just something nice to have – 

it is a business model.” 

Arcelik is working with 

researchers in universities 

around the world, on how 

to rethink the world’s 

relationship with plastics. 

“Why not take old plastic and 

re-use it?” he asked. 

This idea has led to Arçelik’s 

development of a washing 

machine drum made from 

recycled plastic bottles. 

“In South Africa we decided 

to develop a solar fridge and 

consumers invested in this.” 

Bulgurlu said. 

And while this model costs 

more than a conventional 

fridge, Arçelik research 

has found that consumers 

are nonetheless happy to 

pay the extra. “But more 

importantly, the fact that the 

South African government 

put money into the project, 

means that more people in 

Africa can afford a fridge.” 

And thinking further outside 

the box: “If we can find a 

biodegradable plastic, we can 

imagine burying our fridge 

in our front yard and in five 

years it has gone. This has to 

be the way we go. “ 

Where others see waste, 

Arçelik sees something 

that can be used for new 

products. “Microplastics in 

the oceans overwhelmingly 

come from your clothes,” 

he said. “Unfortunately no 

one has filtration that can 

capture these. But Arçelik 

has now built a washing 

machine that will filter micro 

plastics.” He said he hopes 

that competitors might also 

take this research on board. 

Arçelik is in a position to do 

something about the world’s 

environmental challenges 

and simply must, Bulgurlu 

said. And while it costs 

more, the choice ultimately 

remains with the customer. 

“Now is not the time to 

procrastinate. Our planet 

needs us now. This is not just 

for us, our customers also 

demand this” 

Hall 23 

Stand 101 

WHAT SOME 

CALL CLIMATE 

CHANGE, 

I CALL CLIMATE 

CATASTROPHE. 

4

BROUGHT 

TO YOU BY 

NEWS 

TRACTIVE SETS PACE 

IN PET TRACKING DEVICE 

An Austrian-based manufacturer 

of GPS pet tracking devices since 

2012, Tractive’s motto is simple but 

effective: “To strengthen the bond 

between pets and their owners by 

leveraging technology to ensure 

a healthier, longer and safer life 

together.” 

With several hundred thousand devices 

already sold according to founder and CEO 

Michael Hurnaus, Tractive is a world pet 

tracker market leader and sells its dog and 

cat devices across 150 markets, with a strong 

focus on Germany, the UK and France. 

Hurnaus presented the latest Tractive 

innovations at an IFA press conference, 

including the new Ikati GPS tracker for cats, 

which has an adaptable clip and fastening 

system for more flexibility than the original 

safety collar. The goal is “to bring pets and 

owners closer together,” said Hurnaus, who 

referred to glowing feedback from users who 

had been reunited with stray pets. 

As with the foundation GPS Dog device, 

the feline-focused Ikati GPS employs a live 

tracking app to deliver information on the 

real-time location of the cat so that it never 

strays too far. Users of the app can also install 

a “virtual fence” so that any cat venturing past 

this border will trigger a notification on the 

owner’s smartphone 

Hall 4.2 

Stand 242 

Tractive stand at IFA 2019 

BELKIN SHOWCASES 

CONNECTED CREDENTIALS 

Now in hall 3.2, the Belkin 

International stand has been 

designed to give trade visitors a 

seamless introduction to products 

across the connectivity, charging 

and audio categories. 

In terms of connectivity, Belkin’s high-end 

Linksys brand is “pushing the boundaries 

of connectivity and power,” Melvin Van 

Leeuwaarde, Director of Marketing, EMEA, 

told IFA International. 

Front and centre at the Belkin booth is the 

modular, state-of-the-art Whole Home Mesh 

Wi-Fi system that features a main router and 

matching satellite modules for comprehensive 

domestic WiFi coverage. 

Also on show is the Linksys Business AC2600 

dual-band Cloud Wireless Access Point that 

allows businesses with diverse locations easily 

control their network anytime, and from 

anywhere. 

Having already announced the global debut 

of its Thunderbolt 3 Dock at IFA - a one-stop 

shop for both corporate offices or co-working 

spaces - the Belkin stand combines a range 

of mobile device adapters, including a digital 

multiport AV adapter designed to connect 

laptops or tablets to HDMI projector or 

monitor. 

Beyond a swathe of Belkin smartphone 

accessories from screen protectors to wireless 

chargers - including the Pocket Power 10k, a 

highly powerful but lightweight powerbank 

for mobile devices - a new Belkin audio section 

is debuting at the revamped stand 

Hall 3.2 

Stand 204 

Belkin stand 


5

PREDICTING AND ENABLING 

THE FUTURE OF MOBILITY 

Sebastian Stegmüller 

Mobility Innovation Dept., Fraunhofer IAO 

WE HAVE 

CREATED A NETWORK 

OF INDUSTRY 

PROJECT PARTNERS 

TO COLLABORATE 

ON THE MOBILITY 

SOLUTIONS OF 

TOMORROW 

The Mobility Experience and Technology Lab (MXT), 

jointly founded by Fraunhofer IAO and McKinsey, 

envisages the car as being a “home away from home”. 

At Shift Automotive this year, Sebastian Stegmüller, 

who heads the Mobility Innovation department at 

Fraunhofer IAO will be outlining work being undertaken 

in a newly founded innovation network. Speaking to 

IFA International, Stegmüller expanded on the nature 

of his role. 

What does your job entail? 

Together with my team, my job 

is to look at the various ideas 

that are emerging and determine 

as quickly as possible which 

technologies, services and 

business models could catch on 

and which of them are unlikely to 

succeed in the marketplace. As 

future business models need the 

involvement of different players 

and their points of view, we 

decided to establish an innovation 

network that endeavours to 

bring the future of autonomous 

driving to life. Our job is to pick 

out the most promising ideas at 

the beginning of the innovation 

lifecycle, even before product 

development has begun in the 

areas of automation, vehicle 

connectivity and electrification, 

as well as new mobility services. 

We have created a network 

of industry project partners 

to collaborate on the mobility 

solutions of tomorrow – from 

conceptual idea to finished 

prototypes. 

What are the end goals of the 

research? 

We are attempting to 

create a founded basis for 

lucrative business models and 

technologies. This targets not 

only automotive manufacturers 

and suppliers, but companies 

from the entertainment, service 

and IT sectors as well. One of 

the key roles of the MXT Lab 

is to carry out user studies, 

providing a first indicator of the 

viability of potential innovation 

opportunities. In one of the first 

such studies, we investigated 

whether the time freed up by 

autonomous driving might be 

suited to language learning. 

The goal was to assess the 

underlying demand for these 

sorts of services as well as the 

attractiveness of various technical 

solutions and driving-related 

applications. This information 

allows our researchers to draw 

conclusions that can then be fed 

into the automation of the driving 

experience in the future and 

the way that these vehicles are 

designed 

THE CAR AS LIVING SPACE 

- CREATING THE FUTURE 

MOBILITY EXPERIENCE 

Date: Wednesday, 11 September 

Time: 1:20 pm 

Location: Hall 26b - GRAND 

THEATER 

INSPIRING SMART MOBILITY 

Stephan Pfeiffer is Head of Strategic Partnerships 

& Public Affairs at ioki, which aims to “provide a 

supplement to public transport – not to replace it”. His 

Shift Automotive address examined challenges facing 

city and rural public transport. We asked him how he 

thinks concepts of mobility are shifting. 

Mobility will change significantly. 

Low-price mobility and sharing 

will be firmly established - 

both in rural and urban areas. 

And everything will become 

increasingly digital: apps will 

provide full transparency about 

existing offers and digital travel 

companions will influence the 

choice of mobility offers. In 

addition, mobility concepts 

will become more flexible, 

individualised, inexpensive 

and integrated. Even the first 

prototypes of autonomous 

vehicles will have found their 

place on the road by then, 

enabling flexible and individual 

mobility - fully automated. 

Motorised private transport 

currently accounts for over 80% 

of the total, with public transport 

providing the rest. But these two 

markets will merge in the future 

and integrated public transport 

will emerge. 

What excites you the most about 

what we will be seeing in the 

future? 

As a customer, I want seamless 

and painless public transport. 

Moreover, I’m very much 

looking forward to the impact 

autonomous vehicles will have on 

our lives 

Stefan Pfeiffer 

Head of Strategic Partnerships & 

Public Affairs, ioki 

6

FUJITSU APPLY QUANTUM- 

INSPIRED SOLUTIONS TO 

MOBILITY ISSUES 

This year, Fujitsu is a key exhibitor at Shift Automotive. 

Hugo Lerias, CTO Automotive, Fujitsu, spoke to IFA 

International about his keynote at the conference 

and how the company is working in the field of future 

mobility. 

The keynote gave insights on 

how companies can already 

solve combinatorial optimisation 

problems under real-time 

conditions using quantuminspired 

technologies. 

Fujitsu has a long-standing 

history working in various fields 

of the automotive industry, 

being a Tier 1 supplier of 

electronic components and IT 

services for a rich ecosystem of 

automotive suppliers. For megacities 

like Tokyo and its central 

taxi company, Fujitsu provides 

telematics and services that 

optimise the dispatch of vehicles 

and improve the utilisation of 

mobility offering. Furthermore, 

Fujitsu is leveraging new 

technologies like the quantumcomputing-inspired 

Digital 

Annealing Unit for such things as 

passenger car matching. We offer 

biometric authentication services 

and solutions like PalmSecure 

for new mobility platforms that 

help to identify the driver and 

ultimately improve the customer 

journey. 

In 20 years, what will have 

changed in the way we move 

around? 

In the coming decades, 

the landscape will change 

dramatically. This will be driven 

by emerging consumer trends 

and innovative mobility services. 

Ecosystems which easily allow 

multi-modal travelling will evolve, 

transforming how people move 

and where they live and work. 

How important is Shift 

Automotive as a platform to 

foster thought leadership in this 

field, and why? 

This event shows the future of 

mobility and provides an excellent 

platform for interaction with 

decision-makers and industry 

thought leaders. Therefore, at 

Shift Automotive, we present our 

connected services offering to 

support next-generation mobility 

services 

OPTIMISING THE JOURNEY: 

HOW TO MAKE FREE-FLOW 

CARSHARING WORK 

Date: Wednesday, 11 September 

Time: 11:25 am 

Location: Hall 26b - GRAND 

THEATER 

Hugo Lerias 

CTO Automotive, Fujitsu 

FUJITSU IS 

LEVERAGING NEW 

TECHNOLOGIES 

LIKE THE QUANTUM 

COMPUTING 

INSPIRED DIGITAL 

ANNEALING UNIT 

CONNECTING CITIES, PEOPLE 

AND TRANSPORT PROVIDERS 

Christof Schminke, 

managing director of Trafi 

in Germany, addressed 

the Shift Automotive 

summit on the topic of 

a “one-stop shop” for 

mobility, allowing users 

to make better informed 

decisions. We asked 

him to summarise his 

presentation for IFA 

International readers. 

My presentation explored the idea 

that holistic multi-modal mobility 

services organised by a city, 

together with private partners, 

is the first step in realising 

smarter urban mobility - instead 

of working with one individual 

transport operator. I argued that 

this holistic approach enables 

democratised access for transport 

providers and helps cities to 

understand user preferences and 

provide infrastructural and legal 

adaptations. For the citizens, it 

removes the hurdles of mobility 

- a one-stop shop for mobility 

allowing users to make better 

decisions. 

How are mobility solutions 

evolving over time? 

The cities are the beating heart 

of the mobility ecosystem. Yet, 

the offer met by citizens is often 

scattered and hard to digest. New 

mobility operators are constantly 

flooding the streets of urbanised 

areas, but today it’s hard to get 

an overarching view of what 

the network system looks like, 

holistically and comprehensively. 

To make it easier for people 

to utilise the entire network 

of transport, and for cities to 

regain control of their mobility 

systems, we have created a digital 

infrastructure for operating and 

analysing mobility. The Trafi 

technology suite makes it possible 

to connect all types of mobility, 

from multi-modal options to the 

public transport network, into 

one fast and frictionless solution. 

Instead of adding obstacles to 

travelling we remove the hustle 

and create an experience that is 

seamless, convenient and better 

suited for the digital consumer on 

the go 

Christof Schminke 

Managing director, Trafi 


7

HAPPINESS 

WITH HAPTICS 

Under the tagline “Makes Music 

Magic” Berlin-based startup 

Feelbelt have created an audio 

accessory that adds extra 

sensory inputs for most listening 

experiences including music, movies 

or gaming. The belt contains a 

broad array of AI haptic technology 

which accompanies music with 

corresponding vibrations around 

the user’s waist, with the bass 

felt in the lower back, the higher 

frequency notes on the belly, 

within a range of zero to 20,000Hz. 

Customisable, controlled by an 

app, and with Wi-fi, Bluetooth, 

3.5mm jack or USB connectivity, the 

wearable tech and its synchronised 

pulses are intended to make the 

entertainment experience more 

immersive “in the same way as, 

when you’re at a concert, you feel 

the music as well as hear it,” said 

Felix Weiss, COO & CTO, Feelbelt. 

» HALL 26 / STAND 324 

Good vibrations: Feelbelt 

ON THE RIGHT 

TRACKS 

GuideWatch from onTracks 

FREEDOM WITH DFREE 

There are many reasons why an 

individual might have difficulty with 

bladder control or other urinaryrelated 

problems. DFree – a new 

device from Triple W – claims to 

be the world’s first toilet timing 

predictor. A wearable non-invasive 

ultrasound sensor detects changes in 

bladder size and predicts the need for 

urination, alerting users via an app 

that they need to go to the toilet. Its 

wellbeing benefits extend past the 

incontinent to infant toilet training 

and discreet care for people with 

disabilities. 


The DFree system 

STRETCHING THE LIMITS 

OF SMART APPAREL 

Borne out of a project at Tokyo University in 2015, 

Xenoma has established itself as a force in the 

international smart textile market. A one-stop 

developer across various fields including 

materials, apparel, mechanics, electronics, 

data analysis, apps and cloud technology, 

its latest product on show in the IFA NEXT 

Innovation Hall, is the e-skin range targeting 

athletes and those involved in biomechanics 

research. With sensors, stretchable wires 

and printed circuit fabric technology the 

sports clothing tracks body movements and 

animates them via motion capture in real 

time, recorded and analysed on the app. 

The goal is to improve athletic performance 

and reduce injury risk, but there are 

broader implications for e-skin, including 

infant care, efficiency of workers in IoT 

factories and automotive safety. 


WOODEN TOUCH-SCREEN 

FOR CALM SMART HOME 

An ingenious wearable from French 

start-up onTracks for those keen 

on cycling, running or hiking, the 

GuideWatch claims to be the 

world’s first GPS3.0 watch. Using 

a smartphone app into which the 

user can pre-programme a route, 

and a device on each wrist, the 

system eliminates the need to stop 

and check one’s location with visual 

and vibrating direction prompts 

on the relevant hand, alerting the 

user to whether they need to turn 

left or right. GuideWatch also 

offers the features of most GPS 

watches including heart rate, speed, 

distance travelled and altitude, but 

its safety implications – that one 

can navigate without stopping or 

trying to check a smartphone on 

the move – mean it has applications 

for motorcyclists too; onTracks has 

already developed a bikers’ glove 

which can independently house the 

GuideWatch unit. 


Borne out of the family tradition of 

measuring a child’s height with marks 

on the wall, this innovative piece of 

design by Kyoto-based IoT start-up 

mui is a slim wooden column and 

smart pen which serves as a smart 

home control hub. As much a Taoist 

art installation as an interactive 

touch screen product, the unusual 

item is impregnated with an interface 

technology which converts the blank 

wood into a digital display, with the 

aim of creating calm technological 

harmony in the home. 


Taoist art meets tech 


9

Bomare Company 

stand at IFA Global 

Markets 

STREAM TV FROM ALGERIA 

Stream System is an Algerian brand of consumer electronics products 

manufactured by Bomare Company. Distributed in North Africa and 

throughout countries like Spain, Portugal, Italy and South Africa, the 

company has an annual turnover of more than €90 million and employs 

over 800 people. 

At IFA, Bomare is presenting a wide range 

of Stream System TV products and services, 

including the Stream TV 19 series of 4K 

UHD smart TVs that boast next-generation 

aesthetics, image quality and sound. Integrated 

with the Bomare content platform, ARENA, 

which, in collaboration with FOXXUM, offers 

diverse streaming, IPTV, VOD, and gaming 

applications, the Stream TV 19 includes Dolby 

Digital Plus and a demodulator that reduces 

power consumption. 

All models in the 19 series are equipped with 

screen sharing options via applications such as 

Miracast that allow screen sharing as well as 

TV remote control via a smartphone, or Imirror 

to connect Apple devices. The new TV range 

has been released in 58’’ and 75’’ models. 

For Ali Boumediene, General Manager and 

founder of Bomare Company in 2001, IFA 

Global Markets is an important opportunity 

to present a unique range of products and 

services to the international market, and 

therefore expand beyond its North African and 

European markets. “Our presence at IFA Berlin 

is a part of our internationalisation strategy 

and confirms our great ambitions,” he said. 

Bomare also makes smartphones, tablets, 

digital interactive displays, monitoring cameras 

and smart wall displays 

STATION-Berlin 

Hall S1 Stand 103 

POUT DESK-ORGANISER 

APPEALS TO THE SENSES 

Bros & Company is at IFA Global Markets 

with Pout, a desk-organising system that 

includes products under the sub-brands: 

Eyes, Ears, Nose, Hands. The Eyes range 

includes aluminium laptop stands that appeal 

to Apple users. Ears are Bluetooth speakers 

and Hands include wireless charging mouse 

pads. The Nose series, meanwhile, includes 

an air purifier and humidifiers distinguished 

by their modern design. 

The Pout range has been developed from 

the company’s social product development 

platform Pallo. An innovative online 

community, Pallo lets its members become 

inventors or participators by submitting 

ideas for products that Pallo should design, 

manufacture, and sell. Inventors who submit 

ideas (and participators who contribute) can 

share in royalties based on product revenues. 

The company was founded in Korea in 2013 

by three friends who met in the military. 

They work with distributors in Hong Kong, 

Benelux, France, and Ukraine. However they 

are also looking for new partners 

STATION-Berlin 

Hall S1 Stand127 

The Pout deskorganising 

system 

10

BROUGHT 

TO YOU BY 

TRADE TALK 

SENAO’S TRANSFORMATIONAL 

JOURNEY 

Senao is the largest distributor for handheld devices 

in Taiwan with integrated marketing of consumer 

electronic products. Since Chunghwa Telecom became a 

major shareholder in 2007, Senao has set up distribution 

points at Chunghwa Telecom’s authorised stores and 

customer service centres throughout Taiwan, offering 

instant and accessible service. Ken Lin, Senao’s Director 

of Business Development, told us more about how 

business has been evolving in the past year. 

Senao has been transforming its 

business core from traditional 

retailing and distribution to a 

multi-channel managementbased 

business model. Although 

our main business is mobile 

and other consumer electronic 

products right now, we are 

focusing our channel strategy 

and developing a more customeroriented 

database to support 

various product categories and 

services through O2O strategy. 

Since this is the second time 

you are attending IFA what has 

attracted you to come to the 

event for a second year? 

The value that IFA adds to our 

business is that we are able to 

study coming trends for smart 

homes and home electronics and 

explore new opportunities with 

European brands. This is a great 

chance to compare how vendors 

and retail channels do their 

business in different countries, 

bringing new insights for us. 

What are the main goals of your 

visit? 

To explore new opportunities 

for bringing European brands to 

Taiwan; to study Smart Home, 

Smart Kitchen, and how 5G 

technology will change daily life. 

What are your thoughts about 

the “philosophy” of this event as 

opposed to other trade events in 

your field around the world? 

IFA’s main purpose concentrates on 

how to bridge vendor and channel 

to the general public. I think this is 

a perfect distinction between IFA 

and other trade shows 

Ken Lin 

Director of Business Development, 

Senao 


11

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW 

AUSTRALIAN DISTRIBUTOR 

COUNTS ON IFA FOR YEAR- 

END BUY 

Exclusive interview: Alberto Zamudio – general manager – 

Amber Technology – on his key reasons for coming to IFA 

Based in northern Sydney, with around 80 agencies in its portfolio, 

Amber Technology is one of the largest distributors of AV and home 

technology to various parts of Australasia bringing high-end consumer 

electronics from Europe and other parts of the world into Australasian 

markets. We asked Amber’s General Manager Alberto Zamudio how 

IFA fits-in to his purchasing plan. 

The initial communication for the end of 

year season happens around one month 

before I get to IFA. You have to get your 

“ducks lined-up”. But it’s really at IFA where 

you do your face-to-face communication, 

finalising the range for Christmas, having 

a look what’s available for next year, also 

bringing in existing retailer customers and 

exposing them to the brands and ranges 

and getting their feedback. 

What do you perceive as being the key 

trends in your market? 

Smart homes are becoming just as popular 

in Australia and New Zealand as they are 

in Europe and the US. People in Australasia 

are forward-thinking, early-adopters. They 

are impressively globally-minded, despite 

their faraway location. 

What have you been looking for at IFA this 

year? 

I am here to look primarily for new brands. 

Headphones have been around for a while; 

portable audio has been around for a while. 

My whole focus has been on trying to 

find something that’s different... lifestyle 

design-centric. This, and voice control in 

the connected home. These are really the 

key things. We’ve made a couple of new 

contacts that I am hoping to secure after 

IFA, for a Christmas launch. 

What new trends have you observed? 

The whole focus on design is becoming key 

– around headphones, around true wireless 

audio, even soundbars. It can’t just be about 

audio quality any more. Audio is one aspect 

of it, but now, when products are becoming 

exposed visibly in your living space, you 

want them to look good. That applies from 

soundbars right through to portable audio. 

For one of the suppliers we deal with, One 

For All, their digital antennas are now very 

much focused on looks – you don’t want 

those ugly rabbit ears hanging out of your 

cabinet. So it’s very much about how it sits 

in your living space – as a decorative piece, 

not just an antenna. Even those mundane 

little things that we take for granted, 

antennas, remote controls... they’re 

becoming very design-centric. 

IT’S ALL 

ABOUT KEY SELLING 

FEATURES: HOW DO 

WE MAKE IT EASIER 

FOR A CUSTOMER 

TO TAKE THE RIGHT 

PRODUCT OFF THE 

SHELF? 

How has the retail experience changed in 

recent years? 

Coming from a wholesaler point of view, 

it’s not just about bringing in a product, 

working on a GP margin and selling it to a 

retailer. It’s all about key selling features: 

How do we make it easier for a customer 

to take the right product off the shelf? So 

we invest a lot in our merchandising. In 

Australia in particular, retailers are also 

adjusting their purse strings in the context 

of staff availability, so much of the focus 

now is on merchandising and experiential 

store environments. But it’s the brands that 

have to do the selling, as they are the “silent 

salespeople” on the floor, and as space is 

increasingly at a premium, the products 

always have to add value 

Alberto Zamudio 

General Manager, 

Amber Technology 


13

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW 

THERE WILL 

BE 20 OPERATORS 

OFFERING 5G BY 

THE END OF THE 

YEAR IN EUROPE 

Anna Ahrens 

Senior Research Analyst, 

Mobile Handsets, IHS Markit 

SWITCH ON TO 5G 

5G has the power to drive the smartphone category into a new era. 

No wonder it has been in such high profile at IFA 

With the many announcements being made at 

IFA regarding 5G, the future looks bright for a 

mobile phone category that had stalled. We 

spoke to Anna Ahrens, Senior Research Analyst, 

Mobile Handsets, IHS Markit and started by 

asking her about the market for 5G. 

This IFA has been 

very important for the 

smartphone market, which 

is one of the most dynamic 

markets in the world right 

now in consumer electronics. 

5G is a big topic and we 

have seen very important 

announcements at IFA, which 

will drive 5G adoption in 

mobile devices. 

Which were the key 

announcements? 

Samsung is including 5G in 

the mid-range of its phones – 

which is the first time that 5G 

has come to the mid-range. 

Initially, manufacturers 

put 5G chips exclusively in 

their flagship phones and 

now, following Qualcomm’s 

announcement at IFA, 

Samsung is bringing the same 

5G feature not only on its 

flagship phones, but also to 

phones in its 6 and 7 Series. 

How has 5G advanced 

around the world? 

The first 5G network 

was introduced in Korea, 

followed by the US, and then 

Switzerland came on board. 

What is interesting about 

5G in Europe, is that the first 

phone Switzerland adopted 

for its 5G introduction was 

a Chinese manufacturer 

(Operino). 

Now we have tests across 

Europe. The UK has started 

with 5G; in Germany, we have 

several cities and areas that 

have started; and Finland, 

Ireland, Italy and Spain are 

coming with 5G. There will be 

20 operators offering 5G by 

the end of the year in Europe. 

In Korea, there are already 

one million people with a 

5G subscription, and the 

numbers are increasing very 

fast, since its introduction 

earlier this year. We estimate 

that 9.5 million 5G units will 

be sold this year globally, 

with more than 400 million 

units sold in 2023. 

What are the barriers 

to 5G from an end user 

perspective? 

The barrier is the 

infrastructure at the 

moment, not the hardware 

of smartphones. The 

infrastructure will come. In 

this case, we are speaking 

about the first hardware 

being ready for 5G before 

the infrastructure, which is 

the first time in the history 

of the infrastructure and 

smartphone relationship. 

For consumers, 5G brings a 

new experience, with higher 

screen resolutions, a lot of 

artificial intelligence and 

augmented reality – and 

gaming, in particular cloud 

gaming, is a big topic for 5G, 

due to the high speed and the 

amount of data that can be 

transferred very fast. 

What are the other 

key developments in 

smartphones? 

Manufacturers are 

increasing the active area of 

the screen and new formats 

include foldable screens; 

Samsung, for example, is 

launching a foldable screen, 

5G smartphone at IFA. 

The foldable market will 

be challenging, primarily 

down to the price of the 

latest devices, but it also 

has some potential. At the 

price points that exist right 

now, it is difficult to achieve 

large numbers of sales. We 

are estimating 500,000 this 

year and we believe it will 

increase to about 40 million 

in 2024. 

5G will definitely drive 

smartphone sales 

14

NOMADIC 

LIFESTYLE PART 2 

IFA 

My Media 


Audio 

Entertainment 


IFA Home 

& Entertainment 

Electronics 

THE AGE OF CONNECTIVITY 

€210bn 

Consumers 

spent €210bn 

on smartphones 

worldwide in the 

first half year of 

2019. 

Source: GfK 

€110.5bn 

The global mobile 

phone accessories 

market is expected 

to reach €110.5bn 

by 2025. 

Source: Future Market Insights 

29.8% 

172.2 million 

wearables were 

shipped in 2018. 

Smartwatches 

accounted for 

29.8% of all 

wearables. 

Source: IDC 

For the second part of our Nomadic Lifestyle 

report, we start by reviewing some of the 

key product innovations unveiled at IFA 

Berlin 2019 

As IFA draws to a close, it’s 

clear that products catering 

for today’s on-the-go 

lifestyle remain priorities 

for leading players. Across 

mobiles, wearables and 

audio, visitors witnessed an 

array of innovations. 

Huawei and Qualcomm 

both introduced powerful 

chip sets that will support 

the imminent global rollout 

of 5G mobile devices. 

With the latest editions 

of the Huawei Kirin and 

Qualcomm Snapdragon 

chips coming to market, 5G 

mobile consumers will soon 

be able to enjoy amazing 

gaming, video and music 

experiences on the move. 

As for the manufacturers 

themselves, Samsung used 

IFA to unveil its eagerly 

awaited Galaxy Fold. 

With its unique ability to 

expand to near tablet-like 

dimensions, the phone is 

available in a 5G-ready 

version. 

Competing for attention 

with Samsung’s Galaxy 

Fold at IFA 2019 were 

the LG V50 ThinQ 5G 

smartphone, with its 

6.4-inch OLED FullVision 

display; Huawei’s new P30 

Pro; TCL’s flex, offering 

powerful features and 

Sony’s Xperia 5 mobile 

phone. 

Sony also used IFA to 

introduce the neckband 

style WI-1000XM2, the 

latest upgrade to Sony’s 

1000X series of wireless 

headphones. Richard Yu, 

CEO of Huawei Consumer 

Business Group, unveiled 

the company’s new 

wireless earphones, the 

Freebuds 3. Elsewhere, 

Pioneer revealed its S6 

Wireless Noise Cancelling 

Headphone. 

Also delivering 

innovations in Nomadic 

lifestyle are companies 

such as Belkin, which 

strive to deliver 

seamless connectivity to 

consumers through 

its range of premium 

accessories. Fastcharging 

is a 

key area for the 

company, and is 

in strong demand 

from consumers 

who need to 

charge their 

devices quickly when 

leaving home in a hurry. 

On the wearables front, 

Garmin came to IFA with 

three new products. 

These include the Fenix 

6, a multisport GPS 

watch with the option of 

the company’s first ever 

solar power feature, the 

Vivomove, a fashionable 

hybrid smartwatch, and 

GPS smartwatch the 

Venu. Jitesh Ubrani, senior 

research analyst for 

IDC Mobile Device 

Trackers, adds 

that “the 

market 

f o r 

earworn 

wearables has grown 

substantially this past 

year and we expect this 

to continue in the years 

to come. Added to the rise 

of smart assistants and inear 

biometrics, companies 

have the perfect formula 

to sell consumers a device 

that’s complementary to 

the ecosystem on their 

wrist and in their pocket” 

© Messe Berlin GmbH 

Miss IFA showcases 

the Pioneer S6 

Wireless Noise 

Cancelling Headphone 

from Aqipa Gear Guru 


15

NOMADIC LIFESTYLE / PART 2 

STORAGE 

PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT 


My Media 

PREMIUM SSD FROM INTENSO 

At IFA this year Intenso have 

presented one of the fastest 

backups in a small format. 

Intenso’s external SSD Premium 

Edition can save data, including 

photos and videos, in the shortest 

time possible. Thanks to the USB 

3.0 interface, even large amounts 

of data can be transferred with 

up to 320 MB/s. This is ideal for 

travelling, as the Intenso SSD 

is the perfect companion. Its 

compact in size fits into every 

pocket and being a SSD it is shockresistant 

and silent. Additionally, a 

high-quality and robust anthracite 

metal housing protects the data. 

Be it professional or amateur, for 

photographers and videographers 

alike this external SSD allows 

their memory-intensive data can 

be secured quickly and reliably. 


KEY SELLING 

 

POINTS 

1 / Compact and robust 

2 / Saves data quickly 

3 / Shock resistant and 

silent 

SEAGATE STYLE, 

SMALL AND FAST 

Seagate’s One Touch SSD is 

targeted at users wanting 

portability and style. The pocketsized 

unit comes in either white 

or black woven fabric featuring 

a type of textured surface, giving 

it a less metallic appearance. The 

One Touch SSD Special Edition 

features patterns in red, green, 

blue and white, giving them a 

fashionable edge. For backing 

up photo memories to sharing 

documents and videos, One 

KEY SELLING 

 

POINTS 

1 / Unique fashion-inspired 

design 

2 / Pocket sized 

3 / Available in various 

colours 

Touch offers an effortless storage 

solution wherever and whenever 

it is needed. The capacities vary 

with the One Touch SSD models 

offering a regular 500GB drive and 

a 1TB version. 

» HALL 17 / STAND 102a 

GREAT MEMORIES 

FROM TOSHIBA 

KEY SELLING 

 

POINTS 

1 / Faster than SATA 

performance 

2 / Gaming-grade 

3 / RC500 offers up to 1 TB in a 

single-sided module 

Toshiba Memory Europe is 

highlighting two new gaminggrade 

M.2 NVMe SSDs: 

the RD500 and the RC500. Both 

high-performance SSDs they’re 

tailored to high-end gaming rigs, 

PC builders and those looking for 

upgrades of their existing systems. 

The RD500 is available in 500GB, 

1TB and 2TB while the RC500 

comes in 250GB, 500GB and 1TB. 

These models are built to deliver 

faster-than-SATA performance; 

the RC500 Series uses a fourchannel 

controller that is ideal for 

users requiring faster solutions 

for mainstream PCs. It is available 

in capacities up to 1 TB in a singlesided 

module. 

Toshiba Memory Europe will 

change its name to Kioxia Europe 

from October 2019. Kioxia 

combines the Japanese word 

kioku meaning memory with the 

Greek word axia, meaning value. 


KEY SELLING 

 

POINTS 

1 / Compact design, big 

capabilities 

2 / Storage is expandable 

3 / Compatible with Mac 

and Windows 

LOTS IN STORE 

FROM SANDISK 

One of the more stylish storage solutions 

offered at IFA comes from SanDisk. The 

SanDisk Extreme Pro CF Express Card Type 

B offers capacities up to 512GB with read/ 

write speeds of 1700MB/s and 1400MB/s 

respectively. For those needing more space, 

the SanDisk Extreme Pro SD UHS-I comes 

with 1TB of storage, while the SanDisk 

iXpand Flash Drive Go aims to add more 

storage to iOS devices. It is also designed 

to work with both Windows and Mac. The 

SanDisk Extreme Portable SSD is equipped 

with a USB 3.1 Type-C connector and also 

includes a USB Type-C to Type-C cable and a 

Type-C to Type-A adapter. 


16


TELECOMMUNICATION 

ADVERTORIAL 


My Media 

WE IDENTIFY THE NEEDS 

OF THE CONSUMER AND 

DESIGN PRODUCTS FOR THEM. 

A KEY DIFFERENTIATOR IS THE 

AMOUNT OF TESTING AND 

RESEARCH WE DO. 

Stephanie Willems 

VP Sales EMEA, Belkin International 

BELKIN BRINGS THE CONNECTED 

WORLD TO LIFE 

Fast-growing firm delivers premium accessories that enable workers and 

consumers to realise their desire for seamless connectivity 

Founded in 1983, Belkin International’s mission has 

always been to create products that help people realise 

the power of technology and make people’s lives better, 

easier and more fulfilling. At IFA Berlin, IFA International 

asked Stephanie Willems, VP Sales EMEA, about Belkin’s 

priorities during the show. 

What’s the news from Belkin at IFA? 

On the product side, Belkin’s 

Connected Things division, 

within the newly merged Belkin 

International and Foxconn 

Interconnect Technology (FIT) entity, 

has unveiled its Thunderbolt 3 Pro 

Dock. This comes at a time when both 

corporate offices and co-working 

spaces are embracing the idea of 

“hotel desks”. These unassigned, 

operating-system-agnostic desks are 

based on the premise that employees 

should be able to work wherever and 

whenever they want without their 

productivity being interrupted. The 

ability to connect seamlessly without 

compromise is key for workers and 

consumers. 

More widely, IFA visitors will see 

how our portfolio increasingly 

supports a truly connected world, 

from home to work and on the 

go. We’re focused on delivering 

solutions built on consumers’ desire 

for easy connectivity with the aid of 

premium accessories. 

How is Belkin responding to 

changing consumer demands? 

We react quickly to consumer 

needs, creating products from the 

consumer’s perspective. Take fast 

charging, for example, and what 

that means to a consumer. We 

optimise the power that we project 

into the device and the device pulls 

from the charger – or the wireless 

charger – to make sure that it 

gives the fastest charge possible. It 

sounds simple, but the difference 

to the user is immeasurable. It 

means getting more done without 

disturbance or delay. 

Our mission is to enhance the 

experience at home, in the office or 

on the go. Of course, mobility is key 

for today’s consumer and we expect 

the industry to adopt fast charging 

as standard. While wireless charging 

has attracted a lot of attention, 

speed is essential. When you have 

to leave your house or work in 30 

minutes and forgot to charge your 

phone, the value and marketability 

of fast-wire charging is clear. 

Is Belkin focused solely on charging 

solutions? 

No, we are focused on products that 

meet consumer needs across the 

mobile connectivity spectrum. For 

example, the accessories market is 

growing at a strong pace. According 

to Future Market Insights, the global 

mobile phone accessories market 

is expected to reach €110.5bn by 

2025 due to strong demand both for 

protective covers and power banks. 

How does Belkin’s product strategy 

differ from competitors? 

We try to identify the needs or unmet 

needs of the consumer and design 

for them. A key differentiator for us 

is the amount of consumer testing 

and research we do to get more from 

hardware and charging. There is a 

young, digitally savvy generation 

that thoroughly researches the 

products they buy and won’t accept 

compromise in design or performance. 

That’s our focus. We say that we 

create people-inspired products, 

because people are the heart of 

everything we do. 

How has the incorporation of 

Linksys impacted Belkin? 

The relationship between Belkin 

and Linksys has resulted in a truly 

encompassing portfolio of products 

that spans connectivity and mobile 

needs at home, in the office and on 

the go. We are partners in bringing 

to life the connected world for the 

consumer and business 

» HALL 3.2 / STAND 204 


17


GAMING & LAPTOPS 





Electronics 

NEW GAMING PHONE BY ASUS 

In its 30th anniversary year, ASUS 

is at IFA with its 13-year-old gaming 

sub-brand Republic Of Gamers 

(ROG) to showcase several new 

products, including the ROG Phone 

II. Aiming for the three pillars of 

best-ever performance, battery 

life and immersive experience, 

the second evolution of this 

smartphone has already proved 

successful in China: in July it 

sold out the initial run within 73 

seconds and took over 2.5 million 

pre-orders. When it releases 

in Europe in October, gamers 

can expect a landscape-aligned 

6.59in screen with curved-edge 

strengthened glass, a 6000mAh 

KEY SELLING 

 

POINTS 

1 / Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 

855 Plus processor 

2 / 6000mAh battery for 

extended playing time 

3 / Corning Gorilla Glass 6 

armoured screen 

battery, twin speakers with DTS:X 

Ultra processing, the elusive 3.5mm 

headphone jack and – crucially for 

the highest-possible performance 

– Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 855 

Plus processor. It has desktopclass 

12GB of LPDDR4X RAM to 

provide both high capacity and high 

bandwidth, as well as up to 512GB 

of UFS 3.0 storage for lightningquick 

app installs and game loading. 

ROG have already secured deals 

with major publishers to ensure 

popular games are available on 

their mobile platform. 


HEADSET OF 

THE GODS 

Named after ‘leetspeak’ – 

the coded language used 

by gamers – Danish gaming 

peripherals company L33T 

has a new range of products 

on display at IFA under a 

distinctive Viking mythologybased 

brand concept. The 

tattoo-style raven logo 

represents Odin’s familiar 

which hovered over the 

battlefield, much like an RPG gamer. 

It’s a fun idea, using Norse heritage to 

give all products a fantasy theme, even 

extending to categorising headsets as 

‘helmets’, mice as ‘hand-weapons’ and 

mousemats as ‘shields’. The Gjallarhorn 

headset is named after a horn used 

by the gods to call armies to battle. It 

is a sturdy but relatively light headset, 

with a flexible light-up microphone 

and the raven logo illuminated in RGB 

on each ear. 


KEY 

 

SELLING 

POINTS 

1 / Gamer-focused design 

with full RGB light 

2 / Built-in flexible 

microphone 

3 / Self-adjustable 

headband 

ACER: SWIFTNESS AND LIGHT 

Targeting media professionals and 

“creators”, Acer claims the new 

Swift 5 is the world’s lightest 14in 

clamshell laptop. But with its powerful 

NVIDIA graphics card, 10th Gen 

Intel Core processors for accelerated 

AI performance, 56Wh battery for 

long battery life, and nearly three 

times faster wireless speeds, it can be 

an option for gamers needing to play 

well away from the PC. Innovations 

include an embedded fingerprint 

reader for security and convenience, 

fast charging and a lightweight but 

strong magnesium-lithium chassis.. 


KEY 

 

SELLING 

POINTS 

1 / 12.5 hour battery life 

2 / Lightweight at only 

990g 

3 / Narrow-bezel 14in 

FHD IPS touchscreen 

SHARPEST CUT 

BY RAZER 

The holy grail of gaming is the 

portable laptop that’s optimised 

for performance so users can 

continue PC gaming while 

on the move. San Francisco 

and Singapore-based gaming 

lifestyle brand Razer is about to 

release the Blade Stealth, which 

could be the smallest, lightest, thinnest, most 

powerful gaming laptop yet. At 13in diagonal, 

0.66in thick and with a matt black anodised 

aluminium shell for strength and style, its 

NVIDIA GeForce MX150 (25W 4GB GDDR5 

RAM) graphics pushes more pixels, especially 

important if the user is playing a multiplayer 

online battle arena (MOBA) game at 60fps. 

KEY SELLING 

 

POINTS 

1 / Ultra light and ultra thin 

2 / 100% sRGB colour 

saturation for exceptional 

visual clarity 

3 / Quad-core Intel Core i7 

processor with turbo boost 

for maximum performance 


18


HEADPHONES 



My Media 




Electronics 


Audio 

Entertainment 

PHILIPS BLENDS DESIGN 

AND TRUE WIRELESS IN NEW IN-EAR 

HEADPHONES 

Following the earlier success 

of the two companies’ 

collaboration, Philips TV & 

Audio and legendary Danish 

silversmith Georg Jensen are 

extending their partnership to 

launch a luxury true-wireless inear 

headphones. 

stylish finish. Philips claims that 

the headphones feature easy 

to use touch controls to play, 

pause and answers calls handsfree. 

Additionally, an infrared 

detector automatically pauses 

the music when the earpiece is 

pulled out of ear. 

THE FRENCH TOUCH 

AND A BUDGET SOUND 

KEY SELLING 

 

POINTS 

1 / Excellent value at €30 

2 / Four different functions in 

one 

3 / Fashionable brushed steel 

pads 

Inspired by Georg Jensens’ 

famous slate blue high-polished 

steel design, the JT600 in-ear 

headphones are crafted using 

real materials such as metal and 

premium Kvadrat cloth, which 

Philips says ensures a robust and 


KEY SELLING 

 

POINTS 

1 / True wireless v5.0 technology 

headphones 

Shine is a new wireless headphone 

range from French audio accessories 

designer T’nB, which boasts a 4-in- 

1 functionality – built-in radio, 

microSD card reader, Bluetooth 

or wired capability and handsfree 

calling kit. It also aims to be a 

fashionable youth-oriented product, 

thanks both to its affordable price 

point and its availability in a variety 

of colours including ‘Army Green’ as 

well as the Tricolore of red, white 

and blue. The company has a wide 

range of other wireless headphones 

and earphones on display at IFA, with 

eye-catching colourways and names 

including #Hashtag and Fizz. 

» HALL 3.2 / STAND 115 

2 / 6 hours of playtime with an 

additional 12 hours with 

charging case 

3 / Stylish design with highly 

polished slate blue steel 

earbud caps 

KEY SELLING 

 

POINTS 

RADICAL MOVES 

FROM SKULLCANDY 

Based at the foot of a mountain trail 

in Park City, Utah, US, Skullcandy has 

established itself as a manufacturer 

of audio accessories as well as a 

freesports lifestyle brand. The new 

Crusher ANC wireless headphones 

contain some smart innovations for 

the music lover, not least the hearing 

profile test software that tunes the 

device to the user’s unique aural 

fingerprint; and haptic drivers that 

create physical pulses to complement 

bass. Launched globally at IFA, the 

latest in the Crusher line includes 

advanced noise cancelling (ANC) and 

KEY SELLING 

 

POINTS 

1 / Pioneering new audio 

personalisation technology 

2 / Advanced noise cancelling 

capability 

3 / Haptic drivers for added 

immersion 

will be priced at €99 when released 

next month. Several colourways will 

be available. 

» HALL 1.2 / STAND 202 

1 / Best-ever in-ear noise 

cancellation 

2 / High-quality upscaled audio 

quality playback 

3 / Neckband design for 

comfort and security 

SONY MAINTAINS 

HIGHER GROUND 

Sony’s latest WI-1000XM2 

wireless neckband earbuds 

offer the company’s bestever 

in-ear sound quality, 

squeezing a Hybrid Driver 

System containing a 9mm 

dynamic driver and Balanced 

Armature driver into the 

small and angled earphone 

design. The built-in noise 

cancelling processor QN1 

features 32-bit Audio Signal 

Processing, high-quality 

digital to analogue conversion 

and a headphone amplifier. 

This ensures a high signal-tonoise 

ratio, with a low level of 

distortion, for music playback 

with superior quality. Digital 

Sound Enhancement Engine 

HX upscales compressed 

digital music files including 

MP3 formats, to bring you 

closer to the quality of High- 

Resolution Audio. 

Sony’s focus is typically on 

high-end sound reproduction, 

but other features include 

a battery life up to 10 hours 

and quick charging capability, 

which means 10 minutes of 

charging equips you with 80 

minutes playing time. The WI- 

1000XM2 will be available in 

black or gold from January 

2020 at around €330. . 



19

REGION 

SPOTLIGHT ON 

JAPAN 

JAPAN STARTUPS CREATE INTERFACE BETWEEN 

CYBERSPACE AND REALITY 

Having revolutionised tech in the 20 th century, Japan is again investing 

in young pioneers 

From the Sony Walkman to 

Playstation, Japanese companies 

once led the world in consumer tech 

innovation. But though Seoul and 

Silicon Valley have since dominated 

the digitised CE market, Japan is 

again breaking new ground on the 

technology frontier at the interface 

between humans and machines. 

As cyberspace and reality become 

increasingly integrated, a new 

Japanese government initiative 

called Society 5.0 is encouraging socalled 

J-Startups to create AI and IoT 

technologies that can be seamlessly 

accessed, especially in an ageing 

society. 

That is why Japan, with the backing 

of the Ministry of Economy, Trade 

and Industry, is the first Global 

Innovation Partner at IFA Next. 

“The interface between machines 

and humans is very important, 

that is why we have created the 

‘Interface with Consideration and 

Sensibility’ concept at IFA Next,” 

Masaki Nagamoto, Deputy Director, 

IT Industry Division, at Japan’s 

Commerce and Information Policy 

Bureau, told IFA International. 

With 20 J-Startups from among 

10,000 in Japan selected to come 

to Berlin for the first time, visitors 

to the Japan Pavilion at IFA Next 

have the chance to experience far 

eastern future technologies for the 

senses. These include the Pixie Dust 

Technologies’ Holograph Whisper, 

a speaker that delivers sound to a 

target person via ultrasonic waves 

for a “magical experience”; or QD 

Laser’s Retissa Display, glasses 

that project images directly onto 

the retina using a tiny projector, 

and which thus overcomes sight 

impairment. Looking further into 

the future, SkyDrive is presenting its 

“affordable, reliable and safe” flying 

car that aims to democratise air 

travel for the mass market by 2023 

HALL 26 STAND 213 

Cutting the ribbon 

at the IFA Next 

Japan Pavilion 

WEAR SPACE 

A unique wearable device 

designed to aid concentration 

by blinkering sight and hearing 

via a partition that controls 

the field of view, and noisecancelling 

headphones, Wear 

Space is pitched at workers in 

open offices and digital nomads 

on the go who need to find a 

quiet personal space where they 

can focus. Created by Tokyobased 

J-startup Shiftall, and with 

investment from Panasonic, the 

stylish device is produced by the innovative Future Life Factory and can be 

adjusted according to the level of concentration desired. It has also been 

adapted to complement individual fashion choices through a partnership 

with Kunihiko Morinaga, creator of the fashion brand Anrealage. The highdesign 

Wear Space has already won a Red Dot Award for the “best of the 

best” and is being presented for the first time at IFA 

HALL 26 / STAND 210 

LOOKMEE NAP CHECK 

UniFa has been a leading 

babytech startup in Japan 

since 2013, with more than 

4000 child care centres using 

its IoT products and services. 

At IFA NEXT, the J-startup is 

showcasing the LookMee Nap 

Check, which it claims is the 

world’s first IoT system dedicated 

to afternoon sleep checking in 

childcare centres. In order to 

detect any problems that may 

arise as a baby sleeps, such as 

unwanted on-stomach sleeping or a concerning lack of movement leading 

to SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome), an alert is sent via an app to 

a smartphone or tablet. The product seamlessly integrates with other 

UniFa healthcare products such as the LookMee Thermometer, an IoT 

thermometer system that allows users to measure and monitor babies’ 

and children’s body temperature in seconds 

HALL 26 / STAND 210 

20

© Thomas Keller 

HOSPITALITY / RESTAURANTS / BARS 

CLUBS / EVENTS / SHOPPING / CULTURE 

Berlin City Palace: a Baroque revival 

Visitors might be amazed by the amount 

of building work surrounding the Baroque 

silhouette of Berlin City palace. Like a 

phoenix, the impressive palace is rising 

again, after vanishing from the cityscape 

for half a century. The extraordinary saga of 

the reconstruction reflects the tumultuous 

history of the German capital. 

The campaign to rebuild Berlin’s most 

iconic monument - it’s royal palace - had 

been gathering momentum for years, amid 

much public debate. Founded in 1443 as the 

residence and fortress for the Hohenzollern 

Dynasty, it was designed in Baroque style by 

the architect Andreas Schlüter in 1698. The 

finishing touches to the palace’s impressive 

facades were made in 1845, with the 

construction of the Neosander Portal, a 

majestic entrance gate with a vaulted dome 

overlooking Berlin’s main avenue, Unter Den 

Linden. 

The home of Prussian Kings and then the 

Emperor, the palace was transformed into 

a museum in the 1920s. But in February 

1945, the palace was engulfed in flames 

following heavy wartime bombing of the 

city centre. Despite the extensive damage, 

subsequent years saw it being used to house 

art exhibitions. 

While experts believed that the palace could 

be restored to its former splendour, the new 

Communist authorities in East Germany 

had another plan. Considering it a symbol of 

Hohenzollern imperialism, they demolished it 

in 1950 to make way for a large empty space 

used for political parades. Only one gate 

survived and was preserved and absorbed 

into the nearby State Council of the GDR, 

which is today a private school of economics. 

In the 1970s, the East German government 

built a modernist structure, the Palace of the 

Republic. It stood there for 25 years until 

the unified German government decided to 

rebuild the palace, despite controversy about 

the €600 million bill. Work began in 2012, 

and this year marks the end of a massive 

reconstruction project, creating a new gem in 

Berlin’s historic centre. 

Originally due to open in September, the 

inauguration has been delayed by a year. 

However, surrounding gardens provide 

multiple possibilities for taking pictures while 

visitors can admire the talent of German 

craftsmen who recreated its Baroque glory. 

Next year, the ground floor and first floor will 

be opened welcoming exhibitions of Berlin 

City Museum, shops, restaurants and coffee 

shops as well as meeting rooms. And in 2021, 

it will become home to the Ethnology and 

Asian Arts Museum 

© Luc Citrinot 


21

Restaurants 

ROGACKI 

Part deli, part food market, this former stable has 

been a family operation since 1928, and is a great 

place to pick up fresh food and drink to go, or stay 

and eat in the bustling atmosphere at the stand-up 

tables. Polish delicacies as well as oysters, wine and 

smoked fish are specialities but there are hundreds 

of different cured meats, cheeses and vegetables 

being prepared at dozens of counters. 

Opening hours: Mon to Wed 9:00 am - 6:00 pm; Thur 

9:00 am - 7:00 pm; Fri 8:00 am - 7:00 pm; Sat 8:00 

am - 4:00 pm; Closed Sundays 

Rogacki 

Wilmersdorfer Str.145/46, 10585 Berlin- 

Charlottenburg 

Tel: +49 (0)30 343825-0 

www.rogacki.de 

Metro: U Bhf Bismarckstrasse U2 U7 

of massive statues of Russian soldiers leading to 

a three-meter granite Mother Russia - a woman 

grieving for her fallen sons as two soldiers kneel 

at the below - and contains some of the most 

impressive examples of Socialist realism art in the 

city. 

Soviet memorial 

Am Treptower Park, 12435 Berlin 

Metro: S Treptower Park S8 S9 S42 S45 S46 

Soviet war dead honoured 

FAT TIRE TOURS 

While it is impossible to miss the proliferation 

of on-demand electric scooters and bikes by 

the likes of Lime and Jump on the streets of 

Berlin, there is still merit in signing up for one 

of the many traditional bicycle tours offered by 

companies such as Fat Tire Tours. From a very 

inexpensive three-hour option – during which 

one can still see most of the city’s highlights 

like the Reichstag, Brandenburg Gate, Berlin 

Cathedral, Potsdamer Platz and Checkpoint 

Charlie – up to longer more speciality trips 

highlighting food and drink, or WWII sites, 

cycling tours are an ideal option if you want to 

combine exercise with expert tour of the city. 

Opening hours: Everyday, 9:30 am - 8:00 pm 

Fat Tire Tours 

Panoramastrasse 1a, 10178 Berlin 

www.fattiretours.com/berlin/ 

+49 (0)30 24 04 79 91 

Museums & Exhibitions 

URBAN NATION 

MUSEUM FOR URBAN 

CONTEMPORARY ART 

Two years since opening its doors in 

Bülowstrasse as the formal base of Berlin street 

art collective Urban Nation, this art gallery has an 

impressive collection of street and contemporary 

urban art, and is located in a part of the city 

whose walls are already adorned with public 

works. 

The architecture and exterior surfaces are 

canvasses themselves, turning the building into 

an artwork in its own right. The interior of the 

museum, designed by Graft Architects, moves the 

street indoors with a catwalk stretching across the 

entire two-storey interior, allowing the exhibited 

works to be observed both from a distance and 

close up. Pieces by world famous artists like 

Banksy and Shepard Fairey sit alongside cuttingedge 

newcomers in the permanent collection. 

Opening Hours: 

Tuesday to Sunday, 10:00 am - 6:00 pm 

Urban Nation 

Bülowstrasse 7, 10783 Berlin, Germany 

https://urban-nation.com 

Metro: U Nollendorfplatz U1 U2 U3 U4 

Street art on show 

Take a guided bike tour 

Polish delicacies at Rogacki 

Sightseeing 

SOVIET MEMORIAL 

TREPTOWER PARK 

2019 sees the 30th anniversary of the end of the 

Berlin Wall. While memories of Berlin’s division 

are fading with each passing year, memorials 

to these darker times in the city’s past remain, 

including the Soviet Memorial in Treptower Park 

where 7,000 soldiers are also buried. 

The memorial to the 80,000 soldiers that died in 

the fight again National Socialism is a boulevard 

22

24

IFA International 2019 Day 6 Edition

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