CONNECT WITH US

Experts in IFA's Taipei seminar share global innovation trend insights

Judy Lin, DIGITIMES Asia, Taipei 0

From left to right: Dirk Koslowsk, James Wang, Allen Jong, Namrata Gotarne, and Axel Limberg.

IFA Management GmbH, the trade show company managing IFA Berline 2023, selected Taipei as the only key promotional city for the exhibition in Asia and partnered with the German Trade Office to host an industry trend seminar and media reception in Taipei on May 31.

The seminar introduced the latest highlights of the 99th IFA, Axel Limberg, Chief Representative and Executive Director of the German Trade Office Taipei, who served as the main speaker at the opening ceremony, stated that "the IFA Berlin exhibition is a key platform for promoting Taiwan-Germany trade." 

IFA Berlin 2023, the world's largest and most iconic consumer electronics exhibition, will be held in Berlin, Germany from September 1st to 5th. The exhibition targets the fourth quarter of the Christmas business and is expected to attract over 2,000 exhibitors from over 100 countries.

At the event, a number of industry experts, including Dirk Koslowski, Executive Director of IFA Management GmbH, Namrata Gotarne, Global Strategic Insights Director of GfK SE, Alexander Su, president of DFI Inc., Allen Jong, President of Acer Gadget Inc., and James Wang, Chief Strategy & Sales Officer eYs3D Microelectronics, Co, explored the latest electronics industry developments and how they affect our lives.

The speakers discussed a range of topics, including the rise of artificial intelligence, the Internet of Things, and 5G. Allen Jong shared that Acer is focusing on concepts such as e-mobility, spirituality, outdoors, metaverse, sports tech, gaming, productivity and sustainability (green) when developing new products. James Wang explored the potential of chip demand as internet of things (IoT) will start to see exponential growth with the high-performance computing (HPC) start to deliver strong computing power to realize smart spaces everywhere.

Despite the pandemic impact and travel restrictions that prevented many Asian countries from attending, IFA resumed physical exhibitions last year with over 1,100 companies from more than 45 countries participating and attracting more than 160,000 visitors in person, proving its influence and success. The organizers estimate that this year more than 2,000 exhibitors will participate in the show worldwide after the major lifting of restrictions, generating business opportunities worth €4 billion (over NT$1.3 trillion). Mr. Axel Limberg emphasized, "The event's rich history, global prominence, and extensive lineup of events make it an ideal venue forging connections, exploring market opportunities, and facilitating collaborations in various sectors of the consumer electronics industry."

This year IFA is planning for 13 exhibition areas, including Fitness and Digital Health, Mobility, IFA Next, Global Markets, Audio, The House of Robots, iZone, Household Appliances, Computing and Gaming, Sustainability Village, Image and Video, Home, and Entertainment, and Communication and Connectivity. In particular, IFA this year emphasizes innovation and practicality, launching the new "The Retailer is King" program to promote market development that meets the needs of retailers and consumers, which is expected to benefit participating exhibitors.

Continuing its international influence for nearly a century, IFA has always been the largest stage for major international brands to showcase their latest electronic and home appliances. IFA NEXT, with a new highlight, "IFA Leader's Summit", "Sustainability Village", "The House of Robots" and the "Gaming and Esports Bar," is designed to enhance interaction with the new generation.

According to the IFA organizers, notable topics of discussion will include the future of smart homes and domestic robots, IoT devices for the upcoming year, immersive technology, AI-powered devices and smart appliances, and the latest trends in consumer tech.

In addition to experiencing and testing the most advanced robots in 2023 at "The House of Robots," the "IFA Leader's Summit" will incorporate into a vibrant European technology ecosystem where market leaders, technology innovation experts, thought leaders, retail industry executives, and decision-makers will come together.

It will focus on exploring the ethical issues and governance and regulation solutions brought about by the tremendous changes in the robot industry under the highly developed Artificial intelligence (AI) after AI algorithms are applied in various tasks such as industrial manufacturing and medical diagnosis.

In the "Sustainability Village," more emphasis is placed on consumer attention. As sustainable development becomes the top priority in all industries worldwide, IFA is taking a stand for consumers' "Right to Repair" and setting up a temporary "repair workshop" on-site to handle electronic wastes. There will be a series of forums on sustainable development applications, focusing on building a new network connecting sustainable development leaders through IFA communities.

Not only are the top electronic and household products in the exhibition area eye-catching, but to enhance the impact of the exhibition on all participants and add a sense of ceremony to Berlin, IFA 2023 will launch #BerlinTechWeek this year for a series of nighttime events, including "AI Experience Day," "Live concerts" and "Gaming Carnival," bringing visitors an unprecedented IFA city experience.