September 17, 2024, 8:24 am | Read time: 7 minutes
IFA 2024 has recently come to an end, and for our TECHBOOK editor, Woon-Mo Sung, this marks the end of a special experience. He explains why below.
TECHBOOK routinely attends IFA each year to cover the latest tech trends. In 2024, I also attended the Berlin-based trade fair for the first time on a professional basis. While trade fair veterans Rita Deutschbein and Marlene Polywka prepared for the event with ease, my anticipation grew with each day leading up to IFA. This would be my first time attending such an event for our portal, and the first time in three years I’d be sporting a press badge. It was also my first IFA in more than 20 years. This milestone brought a mix of emotions to the surface.
There weren’t even any smartphones at my last IFA visit
This account isn’t about the latest developments and products from this year’s fair but rather about the fair itself. As a teenager, IFA represented three magical letters I eagerly anticipated. It was a hot conversation topic for me and my friends whenever it was announced back then. What inventions would we be able to see this time? And above all, which games could we try out?
Back then, at the end of the 90s and in the early noughties, the big domestic competition of Gamescom (formerly Games Convention) did not yet exist. And the last time I visited IFA, there weren’t even any smartphones yet.
On the other hand, IFA has always promised lots of free goodies and plenty of entertainment. There were spectacular shows in several halls and even a half-pipe where professionals showed off their tricks on BMX or skateboards (presumably a new “Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater”). The gaming halls at IFA were like the German gaming equivalent of E3 in Los Angeles – a small gaming mecca of costumes, sounds, and animations- all just around the corner. However, in other areas, I also always had the feeling that science fiction was becoming a reality. Every IFA surprised me with a new glimpse into an exciting future full of possibilities. What times.
The IFA felt surprisingly contemporary
In 2024, at least for me personally, this feeling was no longer there. Gamescom only took place shortly before IFA 2024, so why bring heavy gaming guns to Berlin? I actually walked past this year’s gaming area three times in search of it – that’s how inconspicuous the few small booths with PCs were.
The joyful tension, the excitement in view of cool new ideas, all that was largely absent. Instead, there were lots of fridges, washing machines, keyboards, the usual giant televisions, and of course – AI, AI, and more AI.
The topic has been omnipresent for a few years now, and overall, my IFA experience did not make a very forward-looking impression but seemed rather disconcertingly present – at least in comparison to the, I confess, romantically glorified past, when I simply couldn’t stop being amazed. So, I spent most of my time strolling through the aisles, stopping almost nowhere. Except for the cuddly LG robot that can recognize emotions. And the free cotton candy from a toy manufacturer.
Fun with the press badge
Has the IFA simply become more boring over the decades? Or is the problem just me? Perhaps my stupid and certainly misguided expectation of constant entertainment just doesn’t appeal to me anymore. Who knows? But before I take a running jump into the next mental crisis of meaning, I’d better remind myself that I still had a lot of fun. Maybe not with most of the trade fair stands, but with many other things.
This was first and foremost with Marlene and Rita, with whom I spent the first two of my four days at IFA. Together, we scurried into the press center, did our daily business, took part in a few press conferences, and goofed around in front of a camera at Samsung.
I also have to admit that I generally enjoyed being able to benefit from a press privilege again after years – in the form of several days’ access to the trade fair, free coffee, and a delicious “100 years of IFA” cupcake. As a journalist, I sometimes indulge in the perks of the job, like this rare opportunity, and I’m not ashamed to admit it.
Heckling at the film talk and celebrating later
While wandering around the grounds, I happened to end up at a Media Markt film talk with critics Robert Hofmann and David Hain, who were talking to Dietmar Wunder, the voice actor for Adam Sandler and Daniel Craig. Because I was shocked to discover that none of the three of them spontaneously came up with the first name of the legendary effects artist Ray Harryhausen, I simply shouted “Ray!” loudly from the side – which was recognized on stage and by the audience.
And because the presenter had officially invited me, I snuck off to an evening party afterward, not only to enjoy drinks and food but also to attend a music festival taking place in the summer garden – wonderful! Rita and Marlene definitely missed out.
A selfie with Nicole Scherzinger
Actually, the official work part of IFA 2024 only lasted two days for us, Thursday and Friday. But since I didn’t have any other plans for that weekend anyway, I spontaneously decided to explore the exhibition grounds on my own. I was also eager to see a real superstar up close once more. So it was just right that the former “Pussycat Dolls” frontwoman Nicole Scherzinger was a guest for an interview.
She then made a stop in Hall 17, where, according to information on the IFA website, there was to be a meet and greet with her. What nobody knew, however, was that there was a guest list for which you could register or qualify in advance – and, of course, it was mainly influencers or other industry representatives who showed up.
Nevertheless, there was a large crowd of visitors, and many tried to get Scherzinger’s photo or autograph on the way out. Finding myself already there with time to spare, I positioned myself for a chance encounter – and succeeded:
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120 meters above Berlin
Incidentally, it wasn’t just my first visit to IFA in more than 20 years. As I found out, the elevator for the Berlin Radio Tower was free for guests to use. I took advantage of this on two consecutive days to enjoy a few quiet moments 120 meters above the ground with a wonderful view and a pleasant breeze – on one day alone, on the second with my colleague Mariya Winterstein and her husband Roland over good conversation.
In the end, I took a seat in the summer garden and listened to some live music acts over ice cream and crêpes in the 30+ degree sunshine. And I reviewed my own personal IFA 2024. A lot has changed since my last visit, and I don’t just mean the trade fair itself.
Gone are the days when I stood in the long queue with school friends, full of juvenile anticipation for a ticket, and couldn’t wait to get my hands on new games and gadgets. That carefree part is now irretrievably part of the past, and I can’t help but realize that I’m now more than 20 years older and lead a completely different life.
Is it better or worse? The answer varies depending on my mood on the day. But what is certain is that my visit to IFA leaves me with a bittersweet feeling of nostalgic longing and contentment in the here and now. What remains to be done now is to look to the future – IFA 2025.