Berlin, August 1st, 2026 (The Berlin Spectator) – Consumer tech’s biggest annual gathering, the Internationale Funkausstellung Berlin (IFA), returns to Berlin from September 4th to 8th, and this year’s edition is putting an unusual amount of emphasis on things that walk, listen, and occasionally cook.
If there’s one theme organizers are leaning into hardest this year, it’s humanoid robots. IFA Next, the fair’s dedicated innovation zone, is expanding to roughly 300 exhibitors, with a heavy concentration of robotics firms from Asia and Europe showing off machines built for homes, workplaces, and hospitals. Visitors can catch “Robots on the Runway” on September 5th, where humanoid robots will literally walk a catwalk, and the RoboCup, a multi-day robot soccer tournament featuring Berlin’s own Humboldt University team. Roughly 25 countries will have pavilions in the Next section, including Italy, South Korea, Taiwan, Singapore, and China. German research minister Dorothee Bär has taken on the role of patron for the segment.
Beyond humanoids, the show floor will feature smart glasses, AI-connected wearables, exoskeletons, and even AI note-taking tools aimed at office workers. On the quirkier end, expect a countertop nitro cold brew machine and a range of pet-tech gadgets.
The Next section’s Dream Stage will host panels running the gamut from home robotics to in-car entertainment to the ethics of AI in the kitchen, with guests from outlets like The Verge alongside executives from Miele, BSH, and TCL. A separate session will bring together Shokz and market researcher NielsenIQ to present global survey findings on how listening habits and expectations around next-generation audio devices are shifting.
Audio Gets a Bigger Stage
The show’s audio section is growing by more than a third this year, expanding past 3,600 square meters. New exhibitors include Chinese audio brand Edifier, a relaunch of the Japanese label AIWA aimed at younger listeners, and a headphone from newcomer TDM that reportedly twists into a portable speaker.
Also debuting: Moondrop, an anime-inspired audio brand with an online following, and Ultimea, which bills itself as a leader in affordable Dolby Atmos soundbars. Familiar names AlphaTheta (the company behind Pioneer DJ gear), JLab, and Fosi Audio are returning as well, with AlphaTheta expected to unveil a new all-in-one DJ system alongside new headphones around the fair.
An Automaker on the Show Floor
In a departure from the usual electronics-and-appliances lineup, Volkswagen will have a presence at this year’s fair, underscoring how car technology increasingly overlaps with consumer electronics.
Away from the show floor, the fair’s public-facing Sommergarten program has been rounding out its lineup, with acts including Luciano and Ikkimel & Friends performing live sets during the fair. A same-day Sommergarten ticket also grants free entry to the main exhibition. Elsewhere, the fair’s Creator Hub — this year sponsored by Samsung — is aiming to turn IFA into more of a social-media moment, with creators broadcasting product highlights and trends live to their followers during the event.
Startups and Awards
For the entrepreneurially minded, IFA Next is running pitch competitions in partnership with Germany’s Startup Association, with semifinals on September 4th and 5th and a final on September 6th. The fair has also revived its IFA Innovation Awards this year, following a first edition in 2025 that drew more than 500 submissions from manufacturers and startups worldwide.
An official IFA app is now live on the App Store and Google Play, letting visitors plan routes across the sprawling Messe Berlin grounds in advance. Tickets for the general public are already on sale.
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