With everyone looking at Europe’s biggest consumer electronics show, which kicks off in Berlin on Saturday, we find out what the tech majors have planned
Editor — Country Guides What to expect: LG’s been teasing us enough that we can expect the V20 (running on Nougat, of all things) this weekend. But the South Korean giant’s home entertainment division will also show off its latest range of Bluetooth speakers. The PH1, PH2, PH3 and PH4 combine sleek style with a ruggedness perfect for indoor and outdoor use. The PH2 (with battery life of six hours) and the PH4 (ten hours) feature omnidirectional output and improved sound quality and bass output. The PH3 (ten hours) combines rich audio with five lighting modes and the PH1 (five hours) can also be used as a night light. What we have for now: LG Minibeam PH450U portable projector What’s so great about it: The PH450U can display a sharp 80-inch HD (1280x720) image from just 33cm away. It can also be turned on its side to make any flat surface a screen — even the floor, though we don’t quite get why you’d want that. Its best feature is the rechargeable battery, giving you 2.5 hours away from a power source. UAE availability: TBC
What to expect:
The other South Korean giant will be the one to watch. Rumour has it the Gear S3 smartwatch will drop this weekend, just as the Gear S2 debuted at IFA last year. We could even have multiple
models, as inferred from its not-too-subtle IFA press conference invitations. But that’s not all — the overachiever might also throw in the Galaxy Tab S3 tablet to support the Galaxy Note 7 phablet. What we have for now: Samsung Galaxy Note 7 What’s so great about it: Samsung calls this its most intelligent phone yet, crammed with technological advances and finished off with unique symmetrical edge design. The body is water-resistant, and the enhanced S Pen has a smaller 0.7mm tip and greater pressure sensitivity. Security is improved by combining its Knox platform with advanced biometric authentication, using fingerprints and the eye’s iris. The Note 7 with its curved 5.7-inch QHD Super AMOLED screen also comes with entertainment upgrades, including HDR video streaming capabilities. And yes, it can be charged wirelessly. UAE availability: The Galaxy Note 7 was released here on August 19; Dh2,999.
What to expect:
The Japanese multinational already has a live feed ready on its website to broadcast its activities at the show. One of the tags is 4K, suggesting the company will continue its focus on this sector. Last year it