[Report] "From AI Homes to Premium Lineups"… Chinese Electronics Dominate IFA 2026

More Advanced and Expansive AI Home Technology
Bigger Booths, Broader Product Lineups
Premium TV Lineups Catching Up with Korean Technology

On the opening day of IFA 2026, Europe's largest home appliances and electronic technology (IT) exhibition, held on the 4th (local time), the Berlin Exhibition Center in Germany truly became a playground for Chinese electronics companies. With the highest number of participating companies this year, Chinese electronics makers captured the attention of visitors by showcasing more advanced humanoid robots, AI home technologies, and an extensive lineup of premium products.

On the opening day of Europe's largest consumer electronics and information technology exhibition, IFA 2026, on the 4th (local time), the humanoid robot 'CyberOne' at the Xiaomi booth inside the Berlin exhibition center in Germany is interacting with people and making a hand heart gesture. Photo by Junyi Park.

In keeping with this year's theme, "The Future Is Now," participating companies at IFA 2026 focused on presenting a much more sophisticated incarnation of the "AI home" compared to last year’s IFA and even to CES, the world’s largest home appliances and IT exhibition, held in January.

Chinese IT company Xiaomi, making its debut at IFA this year, set up a booth in the center of the exhibition hall spanning 3,300 square meters (approximately 1,000 pyeong). Xiaomi unveiled about 380 product lines, putting forth its vision of a “smart ecosystem” that seamlessly connects people, cars, and homes. For instance, when a driver approaches their car, the vehicle detects their presence, turns on the lamp, and opens the driver-side door—demonstrating the application of AI in real-world physical environments.

This ecosystem leverages Xiaomi’s proprietary large language model “MiMo,” as well as its in-house operating system, “Xiaomi HyperOS.” AI technology is also applied in home settings: Xiaomi's home camera identifies the user’s living environment and directly controls the TV, air conditioner, air purifier, floor lamp, and curtains. The goal is to support all aspects of daily life, from returning home and cooking, to cleaning, resting, enjoying content, and organizing files on your smartphone or computer.

AI Understands Your Living Environment—And Helps After Work

Xiaomi's proprietary operating system, 'Xiaomi HyperOS,' being applied in real life. Photo by Junyi Park.

On the opening day of Europe's largest home appliance and electronic technology (IT) exhibition, IFA 2026, on the 4th (local time), TCL is introducing the concept of 'NXTHOME' at the Berlin Exhibition Center in Germany. Photo by Park Juni.

Other major Chinese home appliance companies such as TCL and Hisense also designed their booths around the concept of the AI home. TCL’s “NXTHOME” brings together smart displays, home appliances, and intelligent design under a single concept. Their solution uses AI to help homeowners manage their homes more effectively. Hisense, too, introduced its AI-driven “Companion Living” platform, connecting TVs with refrigerators, washing machines, air conditioners, and more. By deploying its proprietary platforms, “V AIOS” and the “AI Companion Suite,” the company aims to apply AI across all aspects of daily life.

On the other hand, leading German premium home appliance company Miele highlighted AI in its exhibits. The next-generation dishwasher "G8 Diamond," equipped with an AI camera, automatically recognizes the type and load of dishes, adjusts washing modes and options, dispenses detergent, and supports hot air drying. The “W2” washing machine also uses AI to optimize its wash cycles based on the laundry load and the user’s living patterns. With the AI cooking assistant “Culinary Coach,” users can input the dish they want, receive guided cooking instructions, and send the necessary settings directly to the oven.

On the opening day of Europe's largest home appliance and electronic technology (IT) exhibition, IFA 2026, on the 4th (local time), German premium home appliance company Miele unveiled the next-generation dishwasher "G8 Diamond" equipped with an AI camera at its booth in the Berlin Exhibition Center, Germany. Photo by Junyi Park.

The premium product lines introduced by Chinese manufacturers were on par with those of Korean companies such as Samsung Electronics and LG Electronics. Even in categories like OLED TVs, it was hard to spot any significant visual differences between Chinese and Korean products. Companies such as Xiaomi, TCL, and Hisense even offered a wider variety of products—such as TVs and air conditioners—compared to their rivals.

TCL booth exhibiting RGB Mini LED at the front. Photo by Junyi Park.

Will Robots Enter the Home? A Showcase for Physical AI

On the opening day of IFA 2026, Europe's largest home appliances and electronic technology (IT) exhibition, on the 4th (local time), Qualcomm, a fabless company, demonstrated a humanoid robot in collaboration with Vinmotion, a Vietnamese robotics company, at the Berlin exhibition center in Germany. Photo by Junyi Park.

One of the standout features of IFA 2026 was the even greater number of companies presenting humanoid robots compared to the previous year. In the “IFA Next” zone dedicated to future technology, Chinese humanoid robotics companies such as Unitree, Agibot, and Engine AI unveiled their products. This year, nearly 300 companies and institutions from 25 countries participated, marking the highest number of robot manufacturers ever to join IFA.

Xiaomi showcased its humanoid robot “CyberOne,” which has been deployed at its electric vehicle plant. The robot, which interacts directly with humans by raising its fingers and responding to gestures, offered a glimpse into the company's future vision. Fabless company Qualcomm also demonstrated a humanoid robot developed in cooperation with Vietnamese robotics firm VinMotion. The recent innovations in AI and physical AI technologies appear to have encouraged more companies to enter the robotics business.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.