By Theo Frei: Subscribe to Theo's RSS feed
September 8, 2010 4:41 PM EDT
Strong signals of growth and optimism for the consumer electronics industry emanated from the IFA in Berlin, the world’s largest trade show, by area and visitors, for consumer electronics and home appliances that concluded on September 8.
Trade visitors from global businesses and media marked a new record with 125,000 attendants, 8 percent more than in the previous year. According to numbers released by Messe Berlin, 29,000 of the trade show visitors came from abroad, and 1,877 members of international media attended.
Sales made on the fair amounted to 3.5 billion euros, 9 percent more than in 2009.
“The companies exhibiting at IFA reported that their high expectations were exceeded in every way. For the trade and the industry this is an extremely positive signal for the months ahead“, said Hans-Joachim Kamp, vice president of a German trade association.
The 50th IFA started on September 3, with German chancellor Angela Merkel officially opening the show.. German President Christian Wulff toured the trade show on Tuesday and stated: “IFA is central to Germany’s efforts as an exporting nation. I noticed a particularly upbeat atmosphere here.“
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The concluding keynote speech on IFA was delivered by Eric Schmidt, chairman and chief executive officer of Goggle Inc. (NASDAQ: GOOG), previewing new technologies – including tools for Android-powered smartphones that translate conversations from one language to another as you speak.
"That echoed the 1930 keynote by Albert Einstein,“ said Jens Heithecker, executive director of IFA. "Einstein was talking about radio, the new technology of the time. He said 'technology enables communication and communication connects people.‘"
"Google today connects people to the Internet and opens the world in the same way radio did 80 years ago. And IFA as a platform defines the technologies and innovations of the future that will move our industry forward,“ added Heithecker.
A range of tablet PCs, smartphones and 3D TVs took the center stage at IFA, providing an opportunity for all to take a first look at many innovative products launched and showcased for the first time at the trade show.
Samsung and Toshiba unveiled the tablet versions of their PCs to challenge Apple's (NASDAQ: AAPL) iPad.
Also, while Samsung presented the Galaxy Tab, Toshiba launched its SmartPad.
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