By MKPE ABANG
IFA 2019, the technology show that brings together the world’s leading brands of consumer electronics and home appliances, kicks off in Andalusia, Spain, this April 25 in vintage fashion with a programme that is truly its own, the IFA Global Press Conference.
IFA began in 1924 and Berlin, the iconic capital city of Germany, remains its home. But every year in the last 12 years this consumer electronics event has been heralded by the IFA Global Press Conference (IFA GPC), a gathering of over 300 top level journalists from 55 countries, held each year in a different city, to preview the event proper.
And true to its tradition, the IFA GPC, which never holds in Germany, this year finds favour in Andalusia, Spain’s most populous and second largest autonomous community known for its mesmerising, sun-kissed skyline, where glorious palaces whisper of wealthy Moorish kings, and passionate flamenco is laced into the fabric of everyday life.
Leading manufacturers of consumer electronics and home appliances eager to show off their innovations, new products and cutting-edge technologies, make the IFA GPC their first port of call, where, besides showcasing their products, the global market of consumer electronics is analysed in detail. Here also the tone for new products and markets as well as the direction of growth areas is set.
This year for instance, the IFA GPC will witness products and presentations from manufacturers like Safera, a pioneer in preventive fire safety whose intelligent stove guard can practically eliminate cooking fires believed to be the leading cause of home fires globally.
Safera says its mission “is to ensure that no more lives will be lost to cooking fires. We also want to make sure that people of all ages can enjoy safe cooking at all points of their life.”
The world premiere of this revolutionary smart product will take place at the IFA GPC.
On the list to present products, services and new innovations ahead of IFA 2019 in Berlin, which runs from September 6 to 11, include Philips, with its burning desire “to help people achieve balanced, energetic and healthy lives” through the promotion of quality sleep, oral and personal care as well as healthy nutrition, which the company said “are relevant aspects in helping everyone get the most out of life.”
This lofty mission Philips strives to bring through intelligent consumer health solutions, software and services.
Also to be at the IFA GPC are TCL, created in 1981, but which today prides itself as the “next global brand for smart devices;” along with Hisense, Haier Europe and Sennheiser, which is known to be one of the world’s leading manufacturers of headphones, microphones and wireless transmission systems.
Dr. Christian Göke, chief executive officer of Messe Berlin, organisers of the IFA, described the event in very fitting comments, when he spoke at the opening of the 2018 show:
“What makes IFA special is that it’s a place for many different industries – each with their expert knowledge – to share, discuss and develop their innovation and vision. Nowadays, hardly any company can innovate without partners, alliances or open eco-systems. That brings a new mind-set and heralds the Age of Co-innovation.”
Speaking about IFA and trends-setting, this event reputed as the world’s most important technology marketplace, set a new standard in 2018 by fully selling out 161,200 square meters of show floor space to 1,814 exhibitors, confirming IFA’s role as the leading showcase for the global technology industry.
IFA 2018 not only hosted more innovation and product launches than any previous event, it also presented more digital lifestyle products in one place than any other show worldwide.
And, those are some of the records that IFA 2019 is set to improve upon, as will be revealed in Andalusia, Spain by the combined team of officials of GFK, Messe Berlin and gfu Consumer & Home Electronics GmbH.