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IFA is geared towards consumers. After all, it bills itself as the world’s largest consumer technology and household appliance trade show. But it’s still used to launch and showcase intriguing business technology. Below, we highlight the best business tech at IFA 2023.
We’ve already covered the excellent Lenovo ThinkVision 27 3D in our article, “Four Lenovo highlights at IFA 2023“, so we’ll keep this brief. This is a top-quality 27in monitor that can display 3D images without the need for special glasses. And it works seamlessly: launch Lenovo’s 3D Explorer app, click on a model and it appears in front of you in 3D.
It’s due to launch in February 2024 at a princely €2,999 inc VAT. We don’t have UK, US, Australian or global pricing yet.
Fairphone used IFA 2023 to launch its latest phone: the Fairphone 5. Its most important feature is its longevity: it’s designed to keep going until 2031, complete with Android and security updates. And it comes with an unmatched five-year warranty.
Like all previous Fairphones, you can fix it yourself if something goes wrong. That includes all three rear cameras, the battery, the USB-C port, the speaker and even the all-new OLED screen.
You can already pre-order the Fairphone 5 for €699 inc VAT, and when we spoke to Fairphone at the trade show they said that they encourage business buyers too. After all, it’s now part of the Android Enterprise Recommended scheme.
Tucked away in the IFA Next hall, for startups, we spoke to Patrick Knoedler, Vice President of Market Development for Sensfix. “We have developed a software service that basically streamlines all maintenance servicing. It streamlines all the processes, from the input of data up to ticketing and reporting.”
He claims businesses can save up to 30% of all maintenance costs and 50% in pure time savings. Sensfix’s IoT sensors effectively check for deterioration, whether through sound, vibration or vision. So if you have pumps or remote locations that need to be maintenance checked, Sensfix might be just what you’re looking for.
Walk through the North entrance of IFA 2023 and the first hall on your left is the House of Robots. And the one we were most enchanted by was, suitably, Enchanted Tools’ Miroka.
It’s early days for this robot, which has been designed for healthcare so must yet jump through regulatory hoops. The French company is already working with a Parisian hospital to trial the robot, which will roll up to patients to deliver and clear away trays.
Apparently, Miroka has gone down particularly well with older patients, who respond well to her friendly “face” and the fact she doesn’t try to look humanoid.
It will launch in Europe first for around €30,000, but we were told the company is also eyeing up the Japanese and US markets. And it isn’t just hospitals. If things go to plan, Miroka will be helping out in museums, hotels and restaurants too.
