IFA 2014 kicks off in a mere few hours from now and leading tech vendors from across the globe will be there to show off the latest and greatest. Although CES and MWC are the first big-ticket consumer electronics shows of the year, it's IFA Berlin that gives you a sneak peak at some of the hottest technologies that will go mainstream in coming months.
Last year, it was Samsung's show all the way. The South Korean giant announced its first ever smartwatch - the Galaxy Gear, and not to forget the Note 3. This year, we may get to see the successor to the Note 3, dubbed as the Note 4 with premium design and specs to die for.
Other than Samsung, Japan's Sony will hold a special press conference, where the company could unveil the Xperia Z3, Xperia Z3 Compact, Xperia Tablet Z3 Compact, SmartWatch 3 and a SmartaBand Talk.
LG, another famed consumer electronics brand, promises to showcase the G Watch R, an Android Wear-powered smartwatch. That's right, LG has officially confirmed to launch the LG G3 Stylus and a couple of low-cost smartphones powered by Google's Android 4.4 (KitKat).
Of course, we also expect to see a number of Chinese players, such as Lenovo and Huawei, to launch their respective flagship devices. Both companies had huge announcements at last year's IFA, so this year won't be different. Lenovo, as rumored, might launch the Vibe X2 - a new smartphone running on the Android L mobile OS. As far as Huawei is concerned, the company is rumored to announce the Ascend Mate 7- its latest flagship device.
Nokia, now a part of Microsoft Devices, will be present at Europe's largest tech show. We can expect to see the launch of two new Windows Phone 8.1-powered smartphones: the Lumia 730 and Lumia 830.
Finally, HTC will showcase a couple of new mid-range handsets under the Desire series, including the Desire 820 - a 64-bit powered smartphone. Also, the One (M8) maker could unveil its first ever smartwatch and a fitness tracker.
Here's a full info about the IFA 2014, which is taking place in Berlin, starting Sept. 5 and Sep. 10, 2014. Stay tuned to GizBot for more updates!
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IFA 2014: Watch Nokia Launch Event Live Webcast Here
Nokia hasn't announced anything spectacular at this year's MWC tech show, but we can expect some really good quality handsets later this week. As per reports, Microsoft Devices is set to launch a selfie centered camera phone, dubbed as the Lumia 730. The device may feature a 5MP front-facing camera. The Lumia 830, already touted to be a killer device, is expected to sport a superb rear-facing camera. More details are expected to be shared at IFA 2014.
Microsoft Press conference
Date: September 4
Timing: 1.30 pm IST
Samsung at IFA 2014
Samsung will hold a pre-IFA event on Sep.3, where the South Korean giant will officially unleash the much touted Note 4. Samsung has officially confirmed that it would launch the Galaxy Note 4 on Sept. 3. The bigger and better Galaxy Note 4 will come with a 5.9-inch Quad HD (2K resolution) display; a Snapdragon 805 processor, 4GB of RAM; 32GB/64GB of native storage, a 16MP rear camera and more. Reportedly, the Note 4 could flaunt a flexible display. The device is said to launch in India sometime in September. Apart from the Note 4, Samsung will also showcase already announced the Gear S and Gear Circle wearable devices.
Date: September 3
Timing: 6.30 pm IST
Sony at IFA 2014
Sony has also sent an invite on Sept. 3 in Berlin. If rumors have anything to go by, the PlayStation 4 maker will announce a new range of connected devices, including the Xperia Z3, Xperia Z3 Compact, Xperia Tablet Z3 Compact, SmartWatch 3 and a SmartBand Talk. But Sony's biggest launch will likely be the Xperia Z3 - a new smartphone that could sport a massive 6.4-inch FHD display. We don't know much about the device except for its water resistant capabilities.
Sony Press conference livestream link
Date: September 3
Timing: 8 pm IST
Lenovo
The Chinese giant Lenovo is also said to showcase the Vibe X2 smartphone. Just a day back the company started sending press invites for an event to be held on Sept. 4. On the invite, Lenovo shows a big lollipop (in reference to Android L) with the name the Vibe X2 written in its center. Reportedly, the Vibe X2 will come with a 5-inch FHD screen, a quad-core Snapdragon processor, 2GB of RAM, 32GB of native storage, a 13MP rear camera and a 5MP front-facing shooter. We also expect to see the Vibe Z2, a 6-inch QHD smartphone launched in China last month.
Lenovo Press conference
Date: September 4
Timing: 6.30 pm IST
Huawei
Another big-time Chinese player Huawei is speculated to release the Ascend Mate 7. The flagship phone has been leaked ending number of times in the past few weeks. The phone in question, Ascend Mate 7, would feature a QHD screen and a fingerprint scanner. The company is also rumored to be preparing a new range of affordable LTE-enabled handsets.
Huawei Press conference Schedule
Date: September 4
Timing: 6.30 pm IST
HTC
For a struggling handset maker, the IFA 2014 is a big opportunity to showcase new smartphones made in developing countries like India and China. HTC may not release a new flagship phone, rather we get to see a couple of smartphone under its Desire series, and a smartwatch. Yes, you heard it right! The M8 maker could be secretly planning to take on the likes of LG and Samsung with a launch of an Android Wear-powered smartwatch.
HTC Press conference Schedule
Date: September 4
Timing: 11.30 am IST
Asus
At Computex this year, we get a new updated ZenFone range. But at this year at MWC, the Nexus 7 maker will largely focus its energies on its upcoming Android Wear smartwatch. To be called as the Zenwatch - the intelligent watch is said to feature a curve display. It may be priced under $199 (about Rs. 12,000), making it the cheapest Android Wear powered smartphones onto the market.
Date: September 3
Timing: 4pm
LG
Last but not the least, LG is committed to showcase its new range of devices, including the G Watch R, G3 Stylus, L Bino and L Fino budget Android smartphones. The G Watch R seems to be an interesting wearable with a circular round watch.
Date: September 5-10
