IFA & CEDIA 2024

IFA & CEDIA 2024

25/09/2024

IFA 2024

This year’s IFA Berlin marked a significant milestone, celebrating 100 years as one of the world’s premier consumer electronics trade shows. The event attracted more than 182,000 attendees, including professionals, families, tech students, and influencers, all eager to explore the newest developments in consumer electronics. We had the pleasure of connecting with our clients and exploring their impressive booths, strengthening our partnerships and shared vision for the future. The event showcased the latest in AI, consumer electronics, smart home technologies, and audio solutions, highlighting a future centered on AI integration and personalized user experiences.

AI-Powered Smart Homes
AI dominated the event, with companies like Samsung and LG unveiling innovations in AI-powered smart homes. Samsung’s ‘AI For All’ initiative introduced affordable AI-driven devices like the Bespoke AI Laundry Combo, optimizing fabric care and energy efficiency. LG’s ThinQ ON AI Hub showcased “Affectionate Intelligence” to personalize and automate home environments based on user habits. The adoption of the Matter 1.4 protocol enhanced smart home interoperability, with brands like Tado and Meross releasing compatible devices. At StreamUnlimited, we contributed to the AI conversation with the development of our offline & hybrid voice assistant which reduces privacy concerns and cloud cost, while improving response latency, demonstrating how AI running on the edge can elevate user experiences and bring a new level of interactivity to smart home environments.

Headphone Highlights

Apple turned heads with their announcement that AirPods Pro 2 will soon function as over-the-counter hearing aids, while also launching the AirPods 4 with active noise cancellation in a loose-fit design. Beyerdynamic introduced its flagship AVENTHO 300 headphones and AMIRON 300 TWS earbuds, both featuring hybrid ANC and Dolby Head Tracking. Bluetooth 6.0 and Auracast-enabled products, like Sennheiser’s MOMENTUM TW 4 and JBL’s Tour PRO 3, showcased the future of shared and spatial audio. What grabbed the attention of many visitors was our Stream210 module, integrated into HIFIMAN’s exceptional design. Our solution, designed to enable Wi-Fi in high-end headphones, demonstrated that superior sound quality can indeed go hand-in-hand with the convenience of wireless listening. The use of Wi-Fi addresses common issues with Bluetooth connectivity, such as interruptions and phone dependency, setting a new standard for audiophiles who search for smooth, uninterrupted sound.

Auracast Experience and Bluetooth Innovations
The audio sector focused on quality and connectivity enhancements. The Auracast Experience by Bluetooth SIG demonstrated LE Audio and Auracast technologies using Sennheiser earbuds, while Sony’s WF-1000XM5 earbuds will support these features soon too, more to come. Bluetooth SIG is set to enhance Bluetooth technology with several key projects, promising to deliver faster, richer, and more immersive Bluetooth experiences for users. By 2025, data rates for Bluetooth Low Energy (LE) will increase up to 12Mbps, enabling smoother media streaming. Additionally, efforts are underway to expand LE Audio with spatial and multichannel surround sound capabilities. At StreamUnlimited, we are already exploring  ways to use the current Bluetooth version to connect soundbars with rear speakers and subwoofers, making a LE Audio surround sound system possible.

Industry Collaborations and Future Directions
Bragi made a significant impact by announcing partnerships with industry giants like Bose and Qualcomm. By licensing Bose’s acclaimed Active Noise Cancellation, Immersive Audio, and AI Voice technologies through Bragi’s platform, Bose not only enhances Bragi’s offerings but also opens up new opportunities for its technology across diverse global brands. Could this collaboration expand Bose’s reach even further? We’re about to see.

Advancements in TV Technology
Advancements in TV technology emphasized AI and premium experiences. Samsung updated its Neo QLED 8K AI TV with enhanced AI upscaling and positioned it as a smart home hub via Tizen OS. TCL unveiled the €25,000 115″ X955 Max QD-Mini LED TV and the stylish NTXTFRAME A300 Series with Bang & Olufsen audio. There was a clear trend towards canvas TVs, with Samsung and Hisense leading the way in blending digital art displays with smart home integration. We are excited to see how these innovations will transform homes in the coming years.

Smart Home Security and Lighting Innovations
Brands focused on meeting evolving consumer needs in home security and lighting. Reolink and Imou improved battery life and nighttime recording in their security cameras, with Imou’s Rex VT adding elderly monitoring and two-way communication. In smart lighting, Anker’s Eufy introduced the Outdoor Spotlights E10, and Philips Hue partnered with Nobilia for smart kitchen cabinet lighting. Dedicated to simplify smart home connectivity, we showcased our matter-enabled audio demo for seamless interoperability across devices with effortless setup. Designed with security, scalability, and future-proofing in mind our solution delivers a reliable, user-friendly experience as the smart home ecosystem continues to evolve.

Looking Ahead to IFA 2025
IFA 2024 highlighted the industry’s shift toward AI integration, smart home ecosystems, and premium experiences. Despite economic challenges, companies are investing in high-end segments and leveraging AI-driven innovations to enhance consumer value. With IFA 2025 scheduled for September 5–9, we expect even more impactful innovations and we invite you to join us in experiencing the latest in consumer electronics.

CEDIA 2024

Attending CEDIA Expo 2024 was a great experience. We enjoyed reconnecting with our long-time customers, meeting potential new clients, and attending some truly remarkable demos. Exploring the latest in smart home technology was exciting, and here’s what caught our attention:

Advancements in Audio-over-IP and Integration Solutions
Audio-over-IP (AoIP) distribution systems based on industry standards like Dante and AES67 are becoming the norm, with almost every AV device featuring AoIP connectivity. To support this, our solutions integrate with Dante, and we are currently enhancing AES67 capabilities to further optimize our offerings. More companies in the CEDIA space are adding streaming capabilities, and brands are increasingly focusing on integrated solutions rather than multiple boxes performing different functions. While a lot of systems still use RTI, URC, Control4, Elan, and Savant, along with compatibility for Google Assistant and Alexa, Matter is slowly making its way to the CEDIA audio scene. We are excited about these advancements and are actively driving the Matter audio integration alongside other CSA members.

Matter’s Growing Influence in Lighting and Shading
Matter is already well-established in the lighting and shading segments, simplifying interoperability between devices. This standardization is making it easier for homeowners to manage their smart homes more easily and efficiently.

Outdoor Audio and Entertainment
The outdoor entertainment market is growing, and we saw many great-sounding and visually appealing outdoor speakers from companies like Coastal Source and TruAudio. Their products make outdoor spaces more inviting, combining robust performance with aesthetic appeal.

Home Theaters: A Major Highlight
Home theaters took center stage at the expo, showcasing how immersive audio and video can transform home entertainment. Companies displayed remarkable setups, and some, like Origin Acoustics, entered the home theater space for the first time.It was a proud moment for us to see our technology integrated into some of these impressive setups and are excited about how these innovations will impact the way we interact with our homes in the coming years.

Innovations in Projection Technology
New professional projectors from JVC, Epson, and Barco really caught our eye, showcasing advancements in picture quality and brightness. These projectors are setting new standards for home cinemas, offering theater-quality visuals right in your living room.

We attended a demo by Trinnov Audio and Perlisten Audio that was truly impressive. Trinnov collaborated with Perlisten, Barco, Officina Acustica, madVR, and Kaleidescape to create an audiovisual setup that stood out. We experienced high-quality performance with a 13.14.6 Perlisten speaker system powered by Trinnov’s WaveForming technology. The visuals were equally remarkable, featuring the Barco Nerthus projector delivering up to 32,000 lumens. The long lines at the demos from Trinnov and Sony highlighted the strong interest in cinema-quality home experiences.

Source: Trinnov Audio

CEDIA Expo 2024 highlighted exciting trends shaping the future of smart home technology. From the rise of Audio-over-IP and the influence of Matter in making devices work better together, to the impressive outdoor audio options and the next-level home theaters, there’s a lot to be excited about. We can’t wait to see how these developments will make our homes smarter, more connected, and even more enjoyable places to live.
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