World's leading consumer electronics fair kicks off in Berlin
Organizers said the amount of display space for this year's show broke a record with the number of exhibitors standing at 1,439, showing signs that the consumer electronics industry is resilient to the lingering European debt crisis and global economic slowdown.
With increasing demands from both regular attenders such as Siemens and various new runners in the industry, IFA had to add several temporary halls in its exhibition area. Last year, orders at the fair totaled more than 3.7 billion euros (4.6 billion dollars).
"For the industry and the trade, this is the ideal time of the year to prepare for the Christmas period of peak business," Christian Goeke, Chief Operating Officer of Messe Berlin, organizer of IFA, "more than ever before the industry has decided to focus on presenting its innovations and product debuts at IFA."
Gadget fans may have too many things to see at the show, as exhibitors present a wide range of new products and innovations, from ultrabook, tablet PC, to smartphone and 3D television, Xinhua informs.
Lenovo of China introduced three new Android IdeaTab tablets, providing smarter and thinner tablet designs with a variety of multimedia functions at attractive prices.
The company, labeled as the fastest growing PC vendor worldwide, also demonstrated its new super-light Thinkpad X1 Carbon ultrabook, which is the lightest 14-inch laptop currently on the market at 1.36 kilograms.
Samsung of South Korea released its latest Android platform-based Galaxy Note 2, with a 5.5-inch HD screen and 8.0 megapixel camera, heating the atmosphere of competition with its main rival Apple Inc., which is expected to unveil its new iPhone 5 in mid-September.
Samsung has just lost a 1-billion-dollar lawsuit with Apple this week when a court California, the United States, ruled that Samsung violated Apple patents in the design of its some smartphones.
Sony of Japan introduced a Bravia TV receiver with an 84-inch screen and 4K HD resolution, and three new smartphones in the Xperia series.
Panasonic of Japan made its public debut at the IFA of its 103-inch 3D plasma display, the world's largest at the moment.
Rainer Hecker, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of the GFU, another organizer of IFA, told reporters that despite eurozone debt crisis and global uncertainties, the increase of worldwide consumer electronics sales would reach 1,100 billion dollars, two percent more than last year.
The most impressive jump in the industry is 3D televisions, with a growth of 117 percent, followed by tablet PCs and smartphones, which climb 68 percent and 62 percent respectively, Hecker added.
Experts said IFA precisely reflected the trends in the market, as a growing number of companies showcased their new TV with larger and brilliant screens and 3D functions with or without glasses, as well as various tablet PCs and smartphones with super lightweight, witty design and high performance.
Hecker said that another trend in the industry is the connectivity among smart TVs, tablet PCs, smartphones and traditional home appliances like washing machine and air conditioner.
In this area, IFA presented a special named E-Haus, featuring a model of a fully networked home environment and demonstrating the smart life we live in the future.
Berlin's IFA is due to run from Aug. 31 to Sept. 5.