IFA 2025 Berlin spotlights practical AI and portable tech

Berlin bustled with industry and consumers last week as IFA 2025 returned to Messe Berlin, drawing organizers to report a record 1,900 exhibitors and a broad public audience for the European trade show that ran Sept. 5 to 9. The fair served as a showcase for smart home gear, robots, charging advances and a raft of new personal electronics, with companies and journalists alike highlighting a shift toward more practical uses of artificial intelligence and portability-focused hardware.

IFA chief executive Leif Lindner framed the event as a citywide experience aimed at broad accessibility, saying the theme of the year was "Innovation for All" and stressing that exhibitors should focus on how technology fits into everyday life. Many presenters and journalists at the show echoed that assessment, noting a move away from AI as a buzzword toward features designed to be genuinely useful for consumers.

Among the product highlights were several high-profile launches and intriguing concepts. Acer displayed the Swift Air 16, a 16 inch laptop that reviewers described as almost impossibly light for its size. Samsung unveiled the Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra, a 14.6 inch tablet the company said is its...