The 5 Biggest Announcements From ShowStoppers At IFA 2026

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IFA 2026 officially kicks off this Friday. In its 102nd edition, the traditional German trade show continues to focus on AI, robotics, and wearable technology amid global uncertainty and rising prices. A pre-event tradition is the ShowStoppers exhibition, which offers a barometer of what products and trends to expect from the trade show. While AI continues to be a global trend, and hundreds of them gathered inside IFA's venue to showcase their products to the international media at this event, some have caught BGR's attention for their innovative technologies, bold ideas, and industry-leading features. One highlight is XGIMI's bright Aura 3 projector, Belkin's innovative UltraCharge Pro power packs with a new battery technology, and XREAL's Aura mixed reality glasses.

In addition to these companies, ShowStoppers also featured a bit of everything, including several smartphone accessories, peripherals for Apple's lower-cost MacBook Neo, robot dogs, robot vacuums, AI girlfriends, and more. Still, as promoted by IFA's CEO Leif Lindner at the opening ceremony, this year companies are showing how they continue to innovate while doubling down on AI, despite the global memory crisis. Even centenary companies, like Beyerdynamic, were able to show why they keep so fresh on an ever-changing world. These are the biggest announcements from ShowStoppers at IFA 2026 that you should know about ahead of the official Berlin show.

XGIMI is a known brand for BGR readers. We've found the company's Horizon series continues to combine an even brighter projector with sharp colors, great sound quality, and Google TV support. We even crowned the XGIMI Horizon 20 Max the best 4K home projector to date. While at CES and MWC the company chose to promote its camera-less MemoMind glasses, which could be the first smart glasses you'll actually want to wear. The Chinese company went back to its roots for IFA, focusing on its traditional Aura series, now with a higher refresh rate–and crazy high brightness.

Available in Pro and Max versions, XGIMI's Aura 3 Max features up to 5,700 ISO lumens, which was able to keep a sharp image even with the venue's direct light on the projector. The company said this is possible thanks to a Dual Dynamic Iris, which is a first for this type of short-throw projector. The result is better contrast, more depth, and increased detail with projections. The company also touted what it calls an X-Vision AI Image processor, which XGIMI said is able to achieve true 4K at 120Hz. The company's been focused on those details in part to appeal to gamers.

Like the latest releases, XGIMI finally offers Google TV built-in, meaning users have access to all their favorite streaming apps–including Netflix. With a Kickstarter launch on October 20, XGIMI is tackling the Aura 3 Max for $2,399 for early birds–even though late buyers should expect a significant price increase from this category.

Belkin is one of the most prolific charging accessories companies, and it kept up that tradition by showing off its new UltraCharge Pro power bank, available on its website starting September 3. 

What makes this product shine is its new BoostSolid Cell semi-solid battery, with options in 5,000 mAh and 10,000 mAh, at $70 and $90 respectively. According to the company, these batteries have a much longer life span and higher density than current models, but still safe as existing options. This is possible because this product adds what the company says is "a gel-like layer" to enable these improvements. With this technology, the 5,000 mAh battery is only 8.8 mm thick, and the company was able to add 15W Qi2 wireless charging. In real-life usage, this means users can get their iPhones charged up to 50% in roughly an hour.

In the box, Belkin also offers a 2-foot braided USB-C to USB-C cable, which works with its included 22.5W USB-C port so owners can charge even faster, and waste less energy through wireless transmission. The USB-C includes a dual-chip protection to monitor temperature in real-time and ensure everything is working as expected. 

The UltraCharge Pro has an added smart display that shows information about the amount of battery available, power output, and thermal monitoring. It also complies with TSA Carry-on rules, making it an easy choice for travel.

IFA barely started and I'm already flooded with robot vacuums. From Roborock's new, more powerful robots to Movas, Ecovacs, Dreame, and even DJI, what really caught my attention this year was Anker, under its sub-brand Eufy, and its $1,300 Omni E35. While it does look like a regular, premium robot vacuum with 35,000 Pa of suction power, mopping capabilities with a roller, and of course AI, what sets this product apart is the health accreditations. It has certification from the Maternal and Infant Cleaning Robot mark from TÜV SÜD, which holds high standards for bacterial elimination, dust mite sterilization, low operational noise, and internal self-cleaning efficacy. The robot also has an Asthma & Allergy Friendly certification from the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of American, which proves to reduce up to 98% of dust mite and cat allergens on carpets, and 99.9% on hard floors.

In a market where most companies look the same, these certifications help Anker stand out. Other robot vacuums can sometimes trap fine particulate matter rather than dispose of it, ultimately sending microscopic allergens back into the air, triggering asthma attacks and other respiratory issues. That said, this product can be great for families with infants who crawl on floors or household members managing allergies and asthma. By capturing fine micro-dust, it neutralizes biological allergens, while also operating quietly, the company said. The Omni E35 robot vacuum is currently available to pre-order in the U.S. ahead of the September 25 launch. The company is offering the vacuum to early-birds for $1,000, instead of its planned $1,300.

Smart glasses continue to be a trend at the show. While most of the market has been focusing on AR experiences, cameras, or even just a smart display, XREAL has been partnering with Google to showcase the capabilities of Android XR and the internet giant's Gemini AI. These somewhat bulky glasses work like Apple's Vision Pro, with sensors that capture your movements, allowing you to pinch and move your hand to perform actions. What intrigued me the most during ShowStoppers is that the device is not made to replace a smartphone. Instead, the company wants its glasses to replace a computer.

Even though the claim is bold, users can get a proper computer experience with their glasses–and they can navigate between PC and mobile apps. The smart glasses offer immersive Google Maps experience, dynamic video content and immersive YouTube VR videos, in addition to fun little games to showcase the technology.

In my testing, using XREAL's XR glasses felt like trying a lighter Apple Vision Pro. Google's Android XR feels very mature, the display quality is fairly good, and it points to a direction that many industry peers have walked away. In an uncertain market for smart glasses, as companies are still trying to figure out what's the best way to tackle this new category, XREAL is showcasing a bold device–and the company is still tackling a release before the end of 2026.

Finally, Beyerdynamic, the centenary German audio company, also debuted its new Aventho Y headphones. They have a somewhat Apple AirPods Max-kind-of-look, including replaceable ear cups. But what caught my attention the most is the on features and a commitment to repairability. Beyerdynamic is known for being one of the top names for artists, studios, as well as a trusted premium consumer brand. Now, the company is tackling everyday customers with its $150 Aventho Y's series, which will come in four colors.

The headset has great ANC capabilities that was good enough to block most of the noise of the ShowStoppers exhibit hall. It also offers a Transparency Mode that helps you stay aware of your surroundings. The Aventho Y's feature 45 mm dynamic drivers, which the company says brings fuller sound to everyday listening. 

What made this product so interesting, and why it's an all-in-one, is that Beyerdynamic is going to offer additional accessories to cover a wide range of customers. For example, the company will offer an add-on microphone to turn the headphones into gaming set. It'll also offer different ear cushions that are more breathable and offer a more fine-tuned sound quality, made for recording podcasts or editing audio. Beyerdynamic's app also lets users define their preferred EQ, check battery, and other perks. 

Finally, the headphones will last 60 hours with ANC on, or up to 90 hours with ANC off. Once customers need to replace the headset's built-in battery, the company says it will offer spare parts.