After a two-year Covid hiatus, IFA 2022, Europe’s answer to CES in the US and the continent’s biggest tech show for consumer electronics, was finally back live and in person – and there we were. to understand everything. The event, held every September in Berlin, Germany, ran from September 2-6 and hosted over 1,100 brands from 46 countries showcasing the latest technologies and innovations.
This includes some of the biggest names in the industry, like LG, Samsung, Lenovo, Asus and Huawei, and we took our time exploring over 20 rooms filled with everything from kitchen appliances to smart home tech. to foldable OLED screens.
It’s hard work, but someone has to do it. And while many fascinating products and trends caught our eye at IFA 2022, here are the best that are set to hit the US in the near future.
A flat screen might be the perfect vessel for watching TV, but a curved screen can provide a more immersive experience when gaming. Luckily, LG’s latest innovation covers it all.
The Korean giant introduced the futuristic OLED Flex TV, a foldable 42-inch OLED display that starts completely flat to watch content and uses two motorized arms to flex inwards in 5% increments. This gives you 20 curve levels to choose from when playing with a maximum curve of 900R.
And because the LX3 was built with gamers in mind, it also includes Dolby Vision gaming at 4K and a fast 120Hz refresh rate, plus built-in support for Dolby Atmos and dual front-firing 40W speakers. .
Lenovo’s redesigned ThinkPad X1 Fold turns a 16-inch screen into a 12-inch laptop, and it folds up small enough to fit in my shoulder bag. This is the 2nd generation X1 Fold, significantly improving on the foldable laptop that was first shown at CES in 2020. It features a larger 16.3-inch screen, a more streamlined and powerful updated specs. The 2024 x 2560 OLED display with HDR mode is strikingly beautiful whether you use it as a large tablet, a traditional clamshell laptop or with the optional stand and keyboard as an all-in-one computer.
Fitbit has launched its new line of health and fitness smartwatches. The health-focused Fitbit Sense 2 gets a continuous EDA (cEDA) or continuous electrodermal activity sensor for all-day stress management, along with an ECG app that analyzes your heartbeat. There are also some design improvements like a physical button on the side and an overall slimmer look, along with 6-day battery life. The software now seems closer to Google’s Wear OS UI, which makes sense since Fitbit is now owned by Google.
The cheaper Fitbit Inspire 3 tracker gets a brighter AMOLED display, 10-day battery life, fun new colors and a more affordable $99 price tag. Both devices work with iOS and Android.
To finish! Ring is bringing the smarts of its popular video doorbell to apartment dwellers in the form of a new apartment intercom. Although it only offers audio, Ring Intercom simply attaches to the existing intercom inside an apartment, so you can answer the front door and call someone from your phone, wherever you are. It is expected to launch in Europe first, followed by global markets.
The Garmin Venu Sq 2 smartwatch is a sleek redesign of the company’s original Venu Sq with a slightly larger and brighter 1.4-inch AMOLED display. This new fitness tracker also boasts an 11-day battery life, almost double the previous six hours, which is plenty of battery life for a smartwatch with built-in GPS, 25 sport modes and health tracking features. The included health snapshot records several health-related metrics over a two-minute period, including pulse, respiration, and heart rate.
We also like the (slightly more expensive) Music version, which can store up to 500 songs on the watch. So no phone is needed to listen to music while you train or run.
Withings Body Comp
The Withings Body Comp scale adds even more functionality to the already impressive range of body assessment measurements in the Body Cardio version.
Although it looks identical to the Body Cardio, additional sensors in the Body Comp provide new data, including a nerve health score (obtained by analyzing sweat glands in the feet) and the ability to measure visceral fat, in addition to existing muscle mass, fat mass, bone mass and of course, your total weight. The metrics are designed to help users monitor and understand their risk for cardiovascular and metabolic diseases such as heart attack, stroke, and diabetes. Withings’ latest smart scale is set to launch on October 4.
In a bizarre and illuminating move, LG has lined its latest refrigerator with LED light panels that can change the top, bottom, right, and left quadrants to different colors on command through an app. Make a statement or simply change up the shades to match your menu – it’s all possible with this smart kitchen appliance. And as a bonus, the built-in Bluetooth speaker syncs with your devices and lights up the signs to the beat of your music.
While we’ve been waiting for the long-talked-about Apple AI Glasses to arrive, Lenovo has upgraded them with its T1 Glasses. Coming out this year, the Lenovo Glasses have built-in speakers and connect to a PC or mobile device via a USB-C port. Your device’s content is displayed in the glasses, making it look like you’re watching texts, emails and videos on a huge HD OLED display. You can play video games or watch movies and feel like in the cinema without leaving home. Lenovo is targeting China first and will bring the T1 glasses to other markets in 2023.
Until now, Eve Home’s smart products were only compatible with Apple HomeKit products. Yet, as we’ve seen when smart home devices from other brands only work with Google Home, Amazon’s Alexa, or Samsung, all of these different standards tend to be confusing.
At IFA 2022, Eve Home announced that it will support the upcoming Matter standard, which means its products will soon work with devices from other ecosystems. Matter is a new smart home connectivity standard that has been in the works for a few years. The main players are the big tech companies, Apple, Samsung, Google and Amazon, which are scrambling to find a single standard that allows different devices and ecosystems to talk to each other. Once it rolls out, hopefully later this year, businesses will be able to apply for Matter certification, which is great news for consumers who will have a much easier time getting their devices to work together. For example, Eve Home’s smart products, like the popular MotionBlinds, smart switches, sensors, and outlets, will work just as easily with a Google Assistant or Amazon device as they do with Apple’s HomeKit.
With rising energy prices around the world and power outages due to natural disasters caused by climate change, there has been a lot of talk about renewable energy and resource conservation. Solar power and generators were everywhere at IFA 2022, with companies like Ecoflow and Jackery showcasing portable power stations and portable solar panels. Jackery’s Solar Generator 1000 Pro is a high capacity 100W USB-C unit that operates on 230V AC power. When attached to four 200W solar panels, it fully charges in 1.8 hours. While ideal for camping or long road trips, energy-conscious consumers and those who live in areas with extreme weather conditions will also find solar generators provide great peace of mind.
EcoFlow has launched its Delta 2 power station which has an AC output of 1800W and can be recharged to 80% in less than an hour, and can also be recharged via optional solar panels.