IFA Berlin, Europe’s largest consumer electronics show, once again served as a launchpad for groundbreaking technology in 2025. Amidst a landscape saturated with AI-centric announcements, the most compelling innovations often eschewed algorithms for elegant hardware solutions—addressing everyday frustrations with ingenuity. ZDNET’s Maria Diaz scoured the event, identifying gadgets that blend cutting-edge engineering with practical applications, signaling shifts in smart home development, augmented reality, and robotics. Here are the nine standout products that captured attention not just for their novelty, but for their potential to transform user experiences.

Article illustration 2

Caption: The bustling halls of IFA Berlin 2025, where hardware innovation took center stage. (Maria Diaz/ZDNET)

1. Philips Hue MotionAware via Bridge Pro: Turning Lights into Sensors

Philips Hue’s new Hue Bridge Pro isn’t just a hub upgrade—it’s a paradigm shift. With a processor five times faster than its predecessor, it supports up to 150 lights and introduces MotionAware. This feature transforms existing Hue bulbs (excluding first-gen models) into motion detectors by analyzing wireless signal disruptions. Imagine a hallway where lights activate not via cameras or dedicated sensors, but through subtle RF changes detected by the bulbs themselves. For developers, this leverages mesh networking in novel ways, reducing smart home complexity and hardware costs. The Bridge Pro exemplifies how mature ecosystems can evolve to deliver new capabilities with minimal user intervention.

Article illustration 1

Caption: Philips Hue’s MotionAware demo—using smart lights as motion detectors. (Maria Diaz/ZDNET)

2. Rokid Smart Glasses: Lightweight AR Meets AI Utility

Rokid’s latest AR glasses challenge Meta’s dominance with a compelling blend of portability and function. Weighing just 1.7 ounces, they feature a 12MP camera, integrated audio, and GPT-5-powered AI for real-time translation across 89 languages, object recognition, and navigation. Unlike bulkier competitors, Rokid prioritizes wearability without sacrificing a crisp display for overlaying data onto the real world. Priced at $599 and already exceeding $1 million in Kickstarter pledges, they signal a maturing AR market where comfort and practical AI integration could drive broader developer adoption for enterprise and consumer apps.

3. Ecovacs X11 Omnicyclone: The Bagless Robot Vacuum Revolution

Ecovacs rethinks robot vacuum maintenance with the X11 Omnicyclone, the first premium model to eliminate disposable dust bags. Its dock automatically empties debris into a reusable canister and handles mopping duties, powered by GaN technology for rapid 6% battery recharges in three minutes. Combined with a massive 6,400mAh battery, it cleans up to 10,700 square feet uninterrupted. For engineers, this addresses a key pain point in home automation: sustainability. By removing recurring costs and waste, Ecovacs sets a new standard for self-sufficient devices, while TruEdge 3.0 tech ensures thorough edge cleaning—proving hardware refinements can be as impactful as software updates.

4. Eufy Marswalker: Solving the Multi-Story Robot Dilemma

Robot vacuums excel on single floors, but multi-level homes remain a challenge. Eufy’s Marswalker tackles this with rubber-tracked legs that carry compatible vacuums like the Omni S2 up and down stairs. This accessory adapts to varying step heights and surfaces, promising true whole-home automation. Though pricing and availability are unannounced, it highlights how peripheral innovation can extend the lifespan of core devices, offering developers a blueprint for modular ecosystem design.

5. Roborock RockMow: Precision Meets Lawn Care

Roborock’s expansion into robot mowers, led by the RockMow Z1, brings lidar mapping and app control to lawn maintenance. Capable of cutting 54,000 square feet daily, these mowers apply vacuum-inspired navigation to outdoor tasks. For the tech industry, this underscores the blurring line between indoor and outdoor robotics, with implications for IoT scalability and energy management in larger spaces.

6. Govee TV Backlight 3 Pro: Immersive Lighting, Refined

Govee’s TV backlight system uses a triple-camera array to mirror on-screen colors with near-instantaneous accuracy and exceptional brightness. Unlike earlier systems, latency is minimal, creating seamless immersion. This demonstrates how sensor fusion and real-time processing can elevate entertainment tech, pushing ambient lighting beyond gimmicks into essential home theater setups.

7. Xgimi Horizon 20 Max: Projection Perfection

Priced at $2,399, Xgimi’s projector delivers astonishing 5,700-lumen 4K visuals with a 240Hz refresh rate and Lens Shift for distortion-free placement. Features like VRR and Google TV integration make it a developer-friendly hub for high-fidelity media. Its performance at this price point signals increased accessibility in pro-grade display tech, challenging traditional home theater norms.

8. Olight Ostation 2: Smarter Battery Management

This charger automates the tedious task of recharging AA/AAA batteries, holding 12 cells and sorting them post-charge. By disconnecting when full, it prevents overcharging—a small but significant win for sustainability. For hardware teams, it’s a reminder that user-friendly design in mundane tasks (like battery swaps) can drive eco-conscious adoption.

9. Satechi OnTheGo Bluetooth Keyboard: Portability Redefined

Satechi’s foldable keyboard pairs with three devices, includes a stand for tablets/phones, and offers three months of battery life. At $80, it’s a boon for mobile developers needing a compact, multi-device input solution, emphasizing ergonomics without sacrificing functionality.

While AI dominated headlines in 2025, IFA Berlin proved that hardware ingenuity remains indispensable. These gadgets—whether enhancing home automation, redefining wearables, or simplifying chores—prioritize solving tangible problems through sensor advancements, energy efficiency, and mechanical innovation. For developers, they offer fertile ground for integration; for consumers, a glimpse into a more intuitive, less intrusive tech future. As Maria Diaz noted, the true stars weren’t algorithms, but inventions making technology quietly, brilliantly seamless.

Source: Maria Diaz, ZDNET