Key Takeaways
- Seven stops instead of a full day: The short cut of our tour covers what we considered genuinely useful, without the detours.
- It starts with a steam iron: Small enough for a suitcase, one pass over the shirt, done. Anyone who travels knows the hairdryer workaround.
- Robots move visibly better than last year: The realistic benefit lies in environments too hot or too narrow for people.
- Plaud now comes with earbuds: Calls can be captured without putting them on speaker — with everyone's consent.
- The smart mirror recommends an outfit: Based on the weather and the wardrobe you actually own. Mounted horizontally it performs a skin analysis.
- The folding iPhone was there as a dummy: Unfolded it is four by three, which means it can replace an iPad mini.
Introduction
Not everyone has half an hour to spare. That is why our walk through IFA 2026 also exists as a short cut: seven stops, no detours. What follows is the same tour in compressed form, with the reasoning behind each stop.
Stop 1: The iron that fits in a suitcase
A compact steam garment system, small enough to travel with. Fill in water, one pass over the shirt, and the matter is settled. Anyone who has worked a hotel hairdryer across a crumpled collar understands immediately why this ended up on a shopping list.
Stop 2: Robots doing something useful
The movements are smoother than last year, which you notice at once. The convincing application is not the household but the inspection of industrial plants: high temperatures, gases, narrow corners — environments people are no longer allowed to enter or simply cannot reach. Against a shrinking labour market, that goes beyond novelty.
Stop 3: Plaud, now with earbuds
Recording and summarising automatically has arrived in everyday work. The new variant comes with earbuds, so calls no longer need to be on speaker to be captured — provided everyone has agreed. Support for the Model Context Protocol means recordings can be processed in your own AI environment rather than only in the vendor's web interface.
Stop 4: The mirror that knows your wardrobe
A Korean smart mirror for the hallway, bathroom or dressing room. It recommends an outfit based on the weather and the clothes you own, solving a problem many people recognise: a full wardrobe and still nothing to wear. Mounted horizontally in the bathroom it performs a skin analysis.
Stop 5: The folding iPhone
Case makers had the dummy on the table. Folded it has a passport format, unfolded four by three. In my view it can replace an iPad mini. Personally I found it slightly too thick once you imagine it without a case; Nicole has already decided otherwise.
Stop 6: A look ahead to 2035
Over the break the conversation turned to what households will look like in ten years. The thesis from Sven Gabor Janszky's book: there will be traditional households and fully digitalised ones, with a robot and AI support that occasionally nudges you towards exercise or an earlier bedtime.
Stop 7: The verdict on site
Back where we started, the balance is clear. Visit existing partners, pick up a few surprises. A little like a bookshop: what you look for you order online, what you discover you find on site.
Conclusion
Six minutes are enough for an overview. More important than any single device is the question behind it: is there a matching problem for this gadget? Clarify the task first and choose the technology second, and you save yourself expensive detours.
Mentioned Tools & Resources
- Plaud — recording with AI summaries, now with earbuds and Model Context Protocol.
- Smart mirror — outfit recommendation and skin analysis.
- Folding iPhone — seen as a dummy at the case makers, four by three when unfolded.
- Sven Gabor Janszky, „2035“ — book on the split between traditional and digitalised households.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does the short version differ from the full tour?
The short version covers seven selected stops. The full tour includes every booth of the day, among them exoskeletons, e-ink displays, touchscreens for the Mac and the cars from Chinese manufacturers.
Which device would you buy immediately?
The compact steam garment system for travelling. It solves a problem I genuinely have, takes little space and replaces a workaround that never really worked.
What does the Model Context Protocol add to a recorder?
It opens the recordings to other AI tools. Instead of reading summaries only in the vendor's interface, you can continue working in your usual environment — deriving tasks or turning content into minutes.
Are smart mirrors available to buy?
They were shown as production units by Korean suppliers. There were no reliable statements on availability or pricing in Europe on site — that is best clarified directly with the manufacturer.
Why does thickness matter so much on a folding phone?
Because folded the device is twice as thick as a normal smartphone. Carry it loose in a jacket and you notice immediately. Carry it in a bag anyway and you barely will.
Is a trade-show visit worth it when the videos exist?
The video shows what we found. On site you find what matches your own questions, and you can ask manufacturers exactly what concerns your company. Both together beat either one alone.
