IFA 2026 Highlights: The Robotic Future Comes In Many Forms

IFA 2026 is finally wrapping up. After walking miles and visiting almost all of the 1,900-plus exhibits, BGR's coverage is also coming to an end. In this year's trade show, vendors were high on AI, robotics, and the next generation of wearables. As cheesy as it is to say "The future is now," IFA made the phrase particularly pertinent, as most technologies presented at the trade show are either available or slated for a release in 2026 — including the widest range of humanoid robots.

With Chinese robotics companies dominating the show, I wonder how much room is left for American and European companies to innovate. Sure, Elon Musk could surprise us with something like the dancing humanoid Tesla Bot we saw in 2021, but it's been very clear that the biggest investments in the space are being made by Chinese companies in 2026. While a flawed humanoid robot might represent a big fiasco for an American firm, Chinese companies keep pushing out robots for real-life tasks, giving them proper usage data to help iterate on upcoming products.

While some humanoid robots are learning how to write, others are serving as AI companions (and I mean very intimate companions). It feels like if you have a few thousand dollars to invest, you can get a robot for just about anything. Still, IFA was marked by more than just robots, as home appliances, everyday gadgets, and more have continued to make waves at the show.

While Korean and Japanese companies have dominated trade shows like this one in the past, IFA 2026 marked an interesting shift. For example, Samsung went from being one of the most important exhibitors at IFA to having zero presence on the showroom floor in 2026, instead opting to host its own private event nearby. On the other hand, Xiaomi showed off over 380 products, and Dreame was among the top brands exhibiting at the trade show. During ShowStoppers, most of the companies highlighted by BGR were Chinese — or have a Chinese influence — and most of the best gadgets in the show now come from China.

Even IFA's CEO Leif Lindner, in an interview with BGR, highlighted the importance of Chinese companies at the trade show. Without giving a number, Lindner said that Chinese participation has grown significantly, and that the companies participating seem to have cohesive, long-term plans for the American and Chinese markets. "Many of the Chinese brands have a 5- to 10-year plan. When they decide to go [in] a direction, they focus on that. Besides that, [China's] government is also putting a lot of money [into robotics companies]. With their market shrinking [domestically], they have been expanding globally."

Lindner also highlighted the importance of innovation. "Everyone is welcome at IFA, as long as innovation keeps coming. If it's coming from Vietnam, Malaysia — they're welcome. We also spent a lot of time in Taiwan, Singapore, Korea, and Japan telling [companies there] to come. Still, we have a rigorous process of accepting companies, and if they're just copying products from others, even if they can pay to be here, we don't want them."

On the show floor, BGR also saw that the home appliance market continues to be a focus of companies. For home entertainment, Xgimi and Jmngo introduced their first true 4K 120Hz projectors. Meanwhile, robot vacuum companies continue to innovate by adding features like steam cleaning, giving robots the ability to climb stairs, and even securing health certifications to ensure that people who suffer from asthma and other respiratory conditions can breathe clean air.

For iPhone fans, IFA 2026 continued a yearly trend of accessory makers leaking what they expect to be the design of the new models. While the iPhone 18 Pro is expected to look almost the same as the iPhone 17 Pro (which also had its design leaked during IFA 2025), we got a first look at some of the cases for the upcoming foldable iPhone. Brands are a bit more cautious around sharing any final specs, but they all seem to agree that the passport-like shape is about to become a reality.

José Adorno/BGR

Still talking about early looks, BGR had the opportunity to interact with the Xiaomi 18 Fold ahead of its official debut on store shelves and, truth be told, I'm not the biggest fan of the passport design — or of foldables in general. While the device is light and an engineering marvel, I think fans of the Galaxy Z Fold 8 and Pixel 11 Pro Fold are overhyping their purchase decisions to regular customers. Lastly, we also had an exclusive demo with Xreal's Aura MR headset, and it truly feels like a lighter Apple Vision Pro with a big focus on entertainment and productivity.