The pre-IFA 2017 press conference details the what visitors are to expect at the trade show-- with offerings including ultra-slim TVs, high-quality audio components, 360-degree cameras and 3D printers.
“We believe it’s time to define consumer electronics in a new way," Messe Berlin CEO Dr. Christian Göke says. "The boundaries between consumer electronics and home appliances, the digital and the physical worlds, are blurring. Whether it is in the kitchen, the living room or the office, the “consumerisation” of devices is exponential room to healthcare and wellness, automotive, mobile devices Internet of Things and the smart home, to new fields like drones, virtual, augmented and mixed reality."
The press conference also provided details on the CE market-- according to GfK director Jürgen Boyny sales are likely to take a slight dip in 2017 (from $949 billion in 2016 to $945bn in 2017) before recovery in 2018 ($954bn). Driving the market are 5 key trends, namely the rise of mobile commerce and mobile payments, the mainstreaming of VR/AR, the growth of smart home, connected cars and autonomous driving, and wearables.