Record-Breaking Scale '100th Anniversary IFA'... Strengthening Korea's 'Similar but Different AI' Amid China's Offensive

IFA 2024 Opens on September 6 (Local Time)
100th Anniversary Flags Everywhere
Fierce Competition for the European Market

Samsung and LG Compete in Voice-Controlled AI Technology
Continued Interest in Eco-Friendly, High-Efficiency
Transparent Micro LED vs Transparent OLED

Changed China from Main Sponsor to Keynote Speech
German Miele Also Defends Home Market

On the 6th (local time), the largest consumer electronics exhibition in Europe, 'IFA 2024', opens in Berlin, Germany. On the 5th, a day before the opening, colorful flags commemorating the 100th anniversary of IFA this year were displayed throughout the exhibition hall, Messe Berlin. With an estimated 182,000 visitors expected to attend this IFA, media from around the world and company representatives were busy moving around with badges around their necks, preparing for the exhibition.

Samsung Electronics demonstrated the AI voice assistant "Bixby," applied to Bespoke AI products, understanding complex commands consisting of two or more instructions instead of just one.
[Photo by Han Yeju]

IFA 2024, held under the theme 'Innovation For All', features participation from over 2,200 companies, including about 127 domestic companies such as Samsung Electronics and LG Electronics, promising an intense competition to capture the European market. The strong determination of domestic companies toward Chinese and European firms, which are rapidly advancing in technology, was also notable.

The biggest topic of this IFA is undoubtedly the 'AI Home'. Even a quick pre-booth tour of Samsung Electronics and LG Electronics' exhibition spaces revealed numerous demonstrations emphasizing AI that controls home appliances via voice commands.

Entrance of 'Messe Berlin' on the 5th (local time), one day before the opening of 'IFA 2024'.
[Photo by Han Yeju]

At Samsung Electronics' booth, which boasts the largest exhibition space in the industry at 6,017㎡ (approximately 1,820 pyeong), the AI voice assistant 'Bixby' applied to Bespoke AI products highlighted its ability to understand complex commands involving two or more instructions. For example, if you say, "I will leave work at 6 PM today. Finish all house chores before then," it recognizes the household tasks and completes laundry, cleaning, and dishwashing before 6 PM. The 'Voice ID' feature, which can recognize individual voices, was introduced for the first time at this IFA. It distinguishes family members' voices and can recommend diets tailored to each person's health condition, enhancing security while allowing commands that reflect personal schedules, interests, and health status.

The AI butler robot 'Bolly' also attracted attention. The demonstration, where a projector casts images onto white walls or floors to provide users with desired information, received enthusiastic responses from visitors. When asked, "Recommend places to visit in Berlin," Bolly effectively performed its role as a butler by showing recommended locations and photos. When the presenter requested a phone call, Bolly connected the call accordingly and followed the presenter's movements, impressing onlookers.

The AI butler robot 'Bolly' provided the information the user wanted in a projector format.
[Photo by Han Yeju]

At LG Electronics, the AI home hub 'LG ThinQ On' was the star of the AI home. LG ThinQ On autonomously understands context and the surrounding environment during conversations to control nearby devices and maintain optimal conditions. For example, when asked, "What's my schedule today?" LG ThinQ On replied, "You have a tennis appointment, and it takes 20 minutes by car to get there. Shall I call a taxi for you?" It even enabled actual taxi booking. Additionally, organic connections were evident, such as automatically switching the washing machine cycle to 'functional clothing' mode after exercise.

The mobile AI home hub 'Q9' also caught visitors' eyes. LG Electronics previously unveiled Q9 at 'CES 2024' and 'KBIS 2024'. The newly introduced Q9 features a function that recognizes books by their covers and reads their summaries. It also performs activities like turning off all the lights in the house when sleep mode is requested.

'LG ThinQ On' autonomously understands the context and surrounding environment during conversations with users to control nearby devices and maintain optimal conditions.
[Photo by Han Yeju]

Eco-friendly and high-efficiency products targeting the European market, which is experiencing an energy crisis, were also abundant. Samsung Electronics introduced features such as 'Flex Connect', which helps reduce energy consumption automatically during peak times like summer or midday when power usage is concentrated. LG Electronics optimized product performance and energy efficiency by analyzing usage environments with AI for motors, compressors, and other components, providing optimized modes.

Samsung Electronics and LG Electronics also showed interest in transparent products. Samsung re-exhibited the 211-inch transparent Micro LED first unveiled at CES 2024. This product, composed of 64 modular types, showcased various forms differentiated from existing transparent displays with high transparency and bezel-less design. Its ability to be manufactured in desired sizes demonstrated diverse application possibilities. LG Electronics displayed transparent OLEDs throughout the venue and emphasized OLED competitiveness again by attaching a total of 20 55-inch transparent OLED signage units in the AI Core Zone.

LG Electronics' portable AI home hub, 'Q9'.
Photo by Han Yeju

The AI offensive by Chinese companies, which have narrowed the technology gap with domestic firms, is also noteworthy. Amid US-China tensions, China is targeting Europe as its main market, with about 1,300 companies participating, including Hisense, TCL, Haier, Midea, and Honor, making it the largest contingent among participating countries. TCL, which secured the main sponsor position again this year following last year, proudly occupied the main advertising board at the entrance, showcasing the changed stature of Chinese home appliances. TCL will also deliver a keynote speech. George Zhao, CEO of Chinese smartphone company Honor, will take the stage at this event to discuss 'AI Development and the Rise of ARM-Based Platforms' and unveil the latest AI PC lineup. Neil Turnstle, CEO of Haier, will emphasize the company's IoT technology and connectivity with home appliances under the theme 'Sustainable Smart Home.' TCL and Hisense plan to prominently display large-scale AI TVs and introduce AI chipsets for TVs, while Honor will unveil the thinnest foldable phone, the 'Magic V3.'

German brand Miele, regarded as the pride of European home appliances, will also showcase various innovative products to defend its home market. The W2 Nova Edition washing machine, introduced for the first time at IFA, is the world's first washing machine without drum ribs. Drum ribs mix laundry and detergent during drum rotation. Instead, AI adjusts the drum's movement according to the type and size of laundry, enabling effective washing without ribs. The 'Smart Food ID' applied to ovens uses an internal camera to take pictures of food, and AI identifies the recipe to cook automatically. Miele washing machines and dryers have added an 'AI Diagnosis' system that uses AI to identify the most likely cause when a problem occurs and helps users resolve it. In the future, AI will predict device failures and suggest preventive measures before breakdowns occur.