Intel Debuts New Xeon-W Chips Possibly Destined for iMac Pro

Intel today introduced its new Xeon-W workstation-class processors at the IFA trade show in Berlin, and the new chips line up nicely with the processor capabilities we’re expecting to see in the iMac Pro.

The new chips, which use an LGA2066 socket and Skylake-SP architecture, come in 8, 10, and 18 core configurations with Turbo Boost up to 4.5GHz, 48 PCI Express 3.0 lanes, and support for up to 512GB of DDR4–2666 ECC memory.

Click to enlarge
Apple has said the iMac Pro will feature Intel’s Xeon processors, with 8, 10, and 18 core chips available as optional configurations with up to 42MB cache and maximum Turbo Boost up to 4.5GHz.

Specifically, Apple could be planning to use the 8-core 3.7GHz Xeon W–2145, the 10-core 3.3GHz Xeon W–2155, and the 18-core 2.3GHz Xeon W–2195. Pricing on the chips starts at $1,113, but a price is not yet listed for the high-end 18-core processors.

According to Intel, the Xeon-W chips offer a 1.87x boost in performance compared to a 4-year old workstation with an Intel Xeon E5–1680 v2 Romley processor, like the 2013 8-core Mac Pro, and up to 1.38x higher performance compared to previous-generation Xeon E5–1680 v4 chips.

Intel plans to release its high-end 18-core chips in the fourth quarter of 2017, which also lines up with the target release date of the iMac Pro. The other chips may see earlier release dates.

Though Xeon-W chips do appear to work for the iMac Pro, there is still some question as to whether they’re the chips Apple plans to use. A June report from Pike’s Universum suggested Apple would use Intel’s server-grade Purley processors with an LGA3647 socket rather than the desktop-class LGA2066 socket.

That information was based on firmware files found in the macOS High Sierra beta, but it’s possible it was inaccurate. Intel announced some Purley chips in July, but that announcement did not include chips that would be appropriate for the iMac Pro.

Along with Xeon processors, the iMac Pro will include Radeon Pro Vega graphics, up to 4TB of solid state storage space, four Thunderbolt 3 ports, up to 128GB of ECC RAM, and a redesigned thermal architecture to support those components.

Rumors based on firmware findings suggest the iMac Pro could also include a Secure Enclave with an ARM coprocessor like the MacBook Pro with Touch Bar, but it’s unclear at this time what that functionality will be used for as Apple has made no mention of Touch ID support.

The iMac Pro is positioned as a workstation class machine aimed at pro users with demanding workflows, and it’s priced accordingly. When it launches in December, pricing for the iMac Pro will start at $4,999.

Related Roundup: iMac Pro
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Review: IOGEAR’s Thunderbolt 3 Dock Does the Job, but Comes Up Short on Charging Power

Thunderbolt 3 docks continue to flood the market, and today I’m taking a look at IOGEAR’s Thunderbolt 3 Quantum Docking Station. IOGEAR’s dock offers many of the same features typically seen on other Thunderbolt 3 docks, including multiple USB ports, a Gigabit Ethernet port, headphone and microphone jacks, a DisplayPort port, and a pair of Thunderbolt 3 ports to allow for daisy chaining, all in a familiar horizontal design used by many other docks.

Most notably, the IOGEAR Thunderbolt 3 Quantum Docking Station looks identical to CalDigit’s TS3 Lite that I reviewed a few months ago, with the exception of color and finish. While CalDigit’s dock has an enclosure of brushed aluminum and black matte plastic, IOGEAR’s has more of a satin matte finish that’s slightly lighter in color, paired with white matte plastic. In size, shape, and port layout, however, these two docks are identical.

Caldigit’s TS3 Lite (left) vs. IOGEAR’s Thunderbolt 3 Quantum Docking Station (right)
The IOGEAR dock looks decent, with its aluminum finish coming close to the silver color Apple uses on its notebooks. A fairly unobtrusive IOGEAR logo is printed on the top of the dock, and it comes with an external power brick and a 0.5-meter Thunderbolt 3 cable for connecting to a host computer at maximum speeds.

Meeting the standard for Thunderbolt 3 docks, IOGEAR’s version supports up to a single 5K display over Thunderbolt 3 or dual 4K displays over a combination of Thunderbolt 3 and DisplayPort. I experienced no hiccups connecting an LG UltraFine 5K display at up to 60 Hz through one of the dock’s Thunderbolt 3 ports.

In line with every other dock I’ve reviewed with the exception of OWC’s Thunderbolt 3 Dock, IOGEAR’s dock includes three USB ports, with IOGEAR opting to go with one Type-A on the rear and one each of Type-A and Type-C on the front for easy access.

All three ports run at 5 Gbps USB 3.1 Gen 1 speeds, and the inclusion of a Type-C port is a nice benefit as peripherals start to move in that direction. The USB ports operate at expected speeds once overhead is accounted for, with a CalDigit Tuff SSD running at 325 MB/s write and 350 MB/s read over both Type-A and Type-C, in line with other Thunderbolt 3 docks featuring 5 Gbps USB ports.

As with the TS3 Lite, one of the main limitations with IOGEAR’s dock is that it only supports up to 15 watts of charging power over Thunderbolt 3/USB-C, meaning it won’t be able to power your MacBook Pro over the same cable used for data and video and you’ll need to hook up your computer’s power brick.

Attempting to power my 2016 15-inch MacBook Pro solely through the dock merely slowed the rate of battery life decrease, even under light usage. Depending on your setup such as willingness to use your Mac’s power brick or having another monitor with higher charging power already connected, this might not be a deal breaker, but with many other Thunderbolt 3 docks offering 60 or even 85 watts of charging power it’s an unfortunate limitation.

The real deal breaker, however, is price, unless you’re very careful in shopping around. IOGEAR’s dock carries a list price of $299.95, in the same range as docks with better features such as higher charging power, and a full $100 more than the essentially identical TS3 Lite from CalDigit. You can certainly find cheaper prices on IOGEAR’s dock such as current $225 pricing at Amazon, but even that is still higher than the TS3 Lite.

Authorized reseller Provantage currently has it for $178, but with shipping starting at $27, the deal isn’t quite as good as it first appears. Even with those deals, it’s disappointing how much hunting you need to do to try find a good price on this dock.

As a result, it’s hard to recommend the Thunderbolt 3 Quantum Docking Station unless you can find it at a really great price. The TS3 Lite is generally cheaper for identical features, while other docks like OWC’s Thunderbolt 3 Dock with more USB ports and an SD card slot or Elgato’s dock or CalDigit’s TS3 with more features at the same list price offer better values.

Note: IOGEAR provided the Thunderbolt 3 Quantum Docking Station to MacRumors free of charge for the purposes of this review. No other compensation was received. MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Amazon and may earn commissions on purchases made through links in this article.

Tags: review, Thunderbolt 3, IOGEAR
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Major App Developers Show Off ARKit Apps Ahead of iOS 11 Launch

Apple this week invited several media sites to its Cupertino campus to show off some upcoming ARKit apps being developed by major companies like The Food Network, Ikea, Giphy, and AMC, according to CNBC, The Verge, and TechCrunch.

Ikea demonstrated its previously announced “Ikea Place” app, designed to allow users to preview what Ikea furniture will look like in their homes ahead of a purchase. The Verge says it’s highly customizable, letting users see the size, materials, and texture of furniture.

The Food Network is developing an app that will let users create custom digital desserts that can then be reproduced in real life through a custom recipe, while AMC and Next Games have teamed up for an augmented reality zombie game called “The Walking Dead: Our World.”

Image from CNBC
GIF app Giphy plans to introduce tools that will let GIFs be added to the real world, and Climax Studios CEO and developer Simon Gardner showed off an upcoming AR game called Arise, which is an augmented reality puzzle game solved by tilting the iPhone to steer a character through the level.

The Very Hungry Caterpillar, a popular children’s story turned into an app, will take advantage of ARKit to offer kids a chance to raise a virtual caterpillar, feeding it until it turns into a butterfly.

Image from Apple, via The Verge
All of the developers present had the same general opinion about ARKit according to The Verge — it “could be the real game changer in AR.” Many of the developers said it was simple to create an ARKit app, sometimes taking just 7 to 10 weeks to develop. For more on these ARKit apps, make sure to check out the full reports from CNBC, TechCrunch, and The Verge.

Along with these official looks at ARKit, we’ve also seen several developer concepts surfacing in the months since ARKit was announced. Check out our previous coverage for details on what will be possible with the new feature:

– ARKit Roundup: Turn-by-Turn Directions, Precise Room Measurements, and Pac-Man
– Apple’s ARKit Used to Recreate Classic A-ha ‘Take On Me’ Video
– Apple Users’ Mixed Reality Future Teased in Latest ARKit Demo
– Latest Apps to Showcase Apple’s ARKit Include Simple Measuring Tape and Minecraft
– Developers Share First Augmented Reality Creations Using Apple’s ARKit
– Latest ARKit Demo Showcases Virtual Drawing
– Latest ARKit Demos Include Sculpting, Food Ordering, Virtual Pets and Zombies

The first ARKit apps will launch in September following the public debut of iOS 11. When iOS 11 and ARKit become available, Apple’s iPhones and iPads will instantly become the largest augmented reality platform in the world. ARKit will be available on all Apple devices with iOS 11 and an A9 processor or better (iPad Pro and iPhone 6s/6s Plus and later).

Related Roundup: iOS 11
Tags: App Store, ARKit
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Athelas is a home blood-testing device already approved by the FDA

Why it matters to you

Blood-testing Theranos was proven to be a fraud last year, but that hasn’t stopped new companies from stepping in to fill the home-testing gap.

Blood testing startup Theranos may be dead in the water, but that doesn’t mean that the concept behind the disgraced startup has disappeared. Really, it has just found a new champion. Meet Athelas, heralded as an instant blood diagnostics system capable of testing for diseases such as the flu, bacterial infections, and even cancer. Best of all? You can do all your testing from the comfort of your own home.

Founded by Tanay Tandon when he was just 17, the three-year-old startup was initially intended to detect malaria via blood samples. But now, Tandon has expanded Athelas’ capabilities. The cylindrical device (which looks a bit like an Amazon Echo) allows you to insert a slide with a few drops of your blood, and then determines whether your white blood cell count is abnormal. Your results are delivered to you via a companion app, and should be viewable within 60 seconds.

Powered by computer imaging and developed in conjunction with oncologists (who are apparently already lending these devices to their patients), Athelas wants to avoid the nightmare that was the Elizabeth Holmes and Theranos debacle. Of course, it helps that the Athelas team is rife with medical expertise, and already enjoys clinical validation of its results. Moreover, Athelas is FDA-approved, and can be used for imaging diagnostics.

As it stands, the firm expects the device to be used mainly at home, but there are plans for hospitals to take advantage of the device for triage purposes. And apparently, there are partnerships with pharmaceutical companies brewing as well.

“One of our goals is to become a companion diagnostic for a lot of these interesting drugs,” Tandon told TechCrunch.

If you’re interested in trying out an Athelas for yourself, you can either talk to a doctor about potentially acquiring a rental unit, or you can buy an Athelas straight from the the company’s website. For $20 a month, you’ll be able to take 10 tests and hopefully “flag bacterial infections, monitor Neutropenia, and generate White Blood Cell markers.” The device is set to begin shipping on September 28, 2017, and the company promises not to charge customers until they receive their Athelas.

Latest Windows Insider webcast hits Mixer at 10 a.m. PT this morning

Why it matters to you

Here’s your best chance to get the inside scoop on Windows 10 Fall Creators Update before it’s release, hopefully next month.

Microsoft’s Windows Insider program is how the company keeps in touch with its most dedicated Windows 10 users. Millions of users enjoy early access to the next major Windows 10 builds and, in exchange, Microsoft asks them for their feedback on what’s working and what’s not. Communication is a two-way street, of course, and Microsoft also periodically holds Windows Insider webcasts to keep users up to date on the latest happenings.

Jason Howard, a member of the Windows Insider engineering team, took to Twitter to announce the next Engineering Systems webcast:

I'm excited and (almost) ready! The ES team is putting the finishing touches on the content! Hope everyone is able to attend! https://t.co/U9yrqOaUTz

— Jason Howard (@NorthFaceHiker) August 28, 2017

Here are the details on the webcast, which will be hosted on Mixer and will start promptly at 10 a.m. PT/1 p.m. ET.

Ready for the next #WindowsInsider webcast? Tune in tomorrow at 10am PDT (5pm UTC)! Engineering Systems deep-dive! https://t.co/gKWNaPO4le pic.twitter.com/3eXVhk2LgL

— Windows Insider (@windowsinsider) August 28, 2017

If you want to know more about the gritty details via a “deep-dive” by the Engineering Systems group, then here’s your chance. With Windows 10 Fall Creators Update just around the corner, this might be the best opportunity to get the inside scoop on just how the Windows Insider team managed to pack in so many new features.

Close to the Metal Episode 53: Windows Mixed Reality isn’t so mixed

IFA 2017, Europe’s biggest consumer electronics show, is about to begin, and with it we’ve received a burst of new reveals. Microsoft is using the show to talk about Windows Mixed Reality, which we went hands-on with, and clarify what the first batch of headsets will do.

The products are a bit different from what the term “mixed reality” lead us to think. Instead of focusing on a blend of virtual and augmented reality, they heavily focus on augmented reality, using built-in cameras primarily for spatial recognition without the use of external sensors.

It’s innovative, and  important, but not for the reasons we first thought. We’ll examine all the latest Windows Mixed Reality news on this week’s Close to the Metal.

Close to the Metal is a podcast from Digital Trends that takes a deep dive into computing and PC gaming topics. Each show, we’ll focus in on one topic, and leave no stone unturned as we show off the latest in hardware and software. Whether it’s the latest GPU, supercomputers, or which 2-in-1 you should buy, we break down the complicated jargon and talk about how user experience is affected in the real world. Please subscribe, share, and send your questions to podcast@digitaltrends.com. We broadcast the show live on YouTube and Facebook at 10 a.m. Pacific / 1 p.m. Eastern, every Tuesday.

Asus Zenfone AR review

Research Center:
Asus Zenfone AR

Google wants to make augmented and virtual reality a little more accessible to the masses through its Android mobile operating system. It has succeeded somewhat with VR, through its Daydream VR platform. Slap phones like the Samsung Galaxy S8 or a Google Pixel into the Daydream View headset and you can be transported to different worlds in VR. With AR, Google initially had a project called Tango, which used special cameras to view digital objects in the real world, similarly to Pokémon Go. Asus and Lenovo created phones to utilize Tango technology, but so far the AR apps and features have largely been gimmicky.

Google also just announced ARCore, a platform that brings AR capabilities the company learned from Tango, to phones running Android 7.0 Nougat and higher — without the need for special hardware. As we found in our Asus Zenfone AR review, there’s no reason to opt for the phone over other Nougat-level Android devices thanks to Google’s latest initiative.

Great display, boring design

The Zenfone AR doesn’t look all that exciting, especially compared to smartphones embracing the edge-to-edge “bezel-less” screen design, like the Essential Phone, or the Galaxy Note 8.

Christian de Looper/Digital Trends

Christian de Looper/Digital Trends

Christian de Looper/Digital Trends

Christian de Looper/Digital Trends

On the front of the phone, the 5.7-inch screen is protected by Corning’s Gorilla Glass 4. The home button below the screen doubles as a fingerprint sensor, and it’s flanked by capacitive navigation buttons. On the left edge of the phone, you’ll find the power button and volume rocker, while the right edge houses the SIM card slot. There’s thankfully a headphone jack; it’s on the bottom of the phone next to a USB Type-C charging port.

On the rear, you’ll immediately see the camera module is what makes this phone unique. We’ll dive into the specs of the camera later, but as far as design goes there are three lenses and sensors for depth and motion – all of which contribute to augmented reality via the Google Tango software.

It’s not a bad-looking phone, but it’s pretty boring in the design department.

The fingerprint sensor picked up our print accurately, and while it isn’t the fastest around, it’s not slow enough to be a problem. But there are more practical issues with the phone’s design, such as how there’s no waterproofing. Waterproofing is a feature available on most flagship phones $600 and higher, and it’s disappointing when a phone at this price isn’t IP-rated at all.

The Zenfone AR doesn’t just support Tango; it’s also a Daydream-ready phone. That means the quality of the display is important for virtual reality viewing, and thankfully it delivers. The 5.7-inch AMOLED display offers a resolution of 2,560 x 1,440, with a pixel density of 515 pixels-per-inch. It looks great, with bright colors, deep blacks, and crisp images.

We’re happy with the Zenfone AR’s display, and while the phone feels good in the hand, we’re a little bored by its traditional design — triple cameras and all.

Snappy and smooth performance

Under the hood, the phone packs the aging Qualcomm Snapdragon 821. It’s the same chip that’s in the Google Pixel, and it isn’t a low-performer. For this price though, many would expect the Snapdragon 835, Qualcomm’s 2017 flagship processor. Regardless, the Zenfone AR packs 6GB or 8GB of RAM (you can choose how much you want), which is likely more than you need. The model we’re reviewing has 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage, and there’s even a MicroSD card slot in case you want even more storage.

Here’s how the phone performed in benchmarks.

• AnTuTu: 156,874
• Geekbench 4: 1,801 single-core, 4,322 multi-core
• 3D Mark Slingshot Extreme: 2,703

For the price, there are definitely higher performing phones. The OnePlus 5, for example, comes at $480 and hit a massive 181,599 on AnTuTu in our review. Interestingly enough, the Samsung Galaxy S8 scored 155,253 on AnTuTu, while the Google Pixel XL, which also has a Snapdragon 821 chip, scored 138,946.

Now, always take benchmark results with a grain of salt. Different phones handle benchmarks differently, and OnePlus was even recently accused of cheating on its benchmark results. In reality, what matters is how the device performs in real life, and we had very few issues with it. There were occasional stutters, but general performance was snappy and smooth, even while playing graphics-intense games and using processor-hungry apps.

Solid camera

The triple cameras on the rear all help with depth sensing for augmented reality, and it’s the highlight feature of the smartphone.

The primary sensor features 23 megapixels with optical image stabilization, which helps it shoot decent photos in low-light situations. We were impressed with the quality of the shots, especially considering the somewhat lackluster quality we saw in our last Asus phone review, the Zenfone Zoom.

What matters is how the device performs in real life, and we had very few issues with it.

But despite the unusual triple rear-facing camera, the camera app only utilizes one. The multiple sensors only work for AR capabilities and nothing else. For example, instead of using one of the cameras to measure depth to create a blur effect like on the iPhone 7 Plus, the main camera instead takes multiple photos with different points of focus to create the same effect.

Regardless, the results from the camera are solid. Photos feature plenty of dynamic range and colors look natural – even when HDR mode is on. There’s even a so-called “HDR Pro” mode, which is built to increase detail and produce richer colors. These photos look decent, but we prefer the shots taken with the standard HDR mode.

The 8-megapixel front-facing camera is just about average, capturing a good amount of detail.

Augmented and virtual reality

The whole point of this phone has nothing to do with how well-designed it is, or even how much heavy-lifting it can do under the hood – it’s how well it handles augmented and virtual reality applications.

Augmented reality lets you use the smartphone’s camera to look at the real world, with digital applications layered over. For example, point the camera at a storefront and you could see store hours as a pop up on your phone, without having to getting near the store. Think Google Glass, but in a phone. Sadly, many of these AR apps and functions aren’t as useful.

The Zenfone AR comes pre-loaded with a few AR apps, but you can also download more through the Google Tango app. Virtual objects in AR mode respond quickly to interaction, though we did encounter some stutters — a higher-powered chip may have helped here. The real problem with AR on mobile is the lack of apps. Sure, you can see what some furniture would look like in your house with the Wayfair app, but there’s only a few dozen pieces of furniture to choose from. Another example is the Wall Street Journal’s AR stock checker, which shows you a visualization of stocks in the air. Why? It’s not a very intuitive app, and it takes much longer than looking up stock prices the old fashioned way. The AR apps we’ve seen are still gimmicky; there’s absolutely no incentive to use them other than showing off the capabilities at a party.

Google’s ARCore platform will bring all these apps and services to any Android phone running Nougat 7.0 or higher, which means you don’t need the special hardware on the Zenfone AR.

Don’t forget, you can also use the Zenfone AR for VR. You’ll need a Google Daydream View headset, which you can get from Google for around $80. The Daydream experience on the phone is on par with the likes of the Google Pixel XL. There’s the VR Play Store where you can download apps and games, and the screen has a high-enough resolution that we didn’t notice any issues with image quality.

Average battery life

The battery capacity in the Zenfone AR sits in at 3,300mAh, and it should get you through a day of light to medium use. If you use your phone a little more, listening to music all day, watching videos, or using the phone for augmented or virtual reality, and you’ll see the battery suffer.

Asus Zenfone AR Compared To

Essential Phone (PH-1)

Asus Zenfone 3 Zoom

Moto Z2 Play

LG G6

Motorola Moto E4

Huawei Honor 8 Pro

HTC U Ultra

Meizu Pro 6 Plus

ASUS Zenfone 3 Deluxe Special…

Samsung Galaxy Note 5

Huawei Nexus 6P

LG V10

LG G4

Samsung Galaxy Note 4

Samsung Galaxy Note 3

Thankfully, the phone is pretty good at charging quickly. We plugged the phone in with 19 percent remaining, and after 30 minutes it was charged up to 69 percent – that’s 50 percent charged in only half an hour. That’s not record-breaking, especially considering the small-ish battery, but it’s still pretty good and should help alleviate some of the issues with the battery life.

ZenUI is not zen

Software is increasingly important these days, and many manufacturers have been stripping the user interface down in favor of a pure Android approach. Asus hasn’t, sticking with its Android skin, or theme, called ZenUI. It’s not a bad experience, but it’s certainly not our favorite version of Android.

The phone is carrier unlocked, which means that there will be virtually no carrier bloatware. There are some handy features, like the ability to create folders in the app tray and the built-in file manager.

But we would have liked those features without the clunky look and feel, the oversized icons, and the overly bright colors. The interface is called “ZenUI,” but zen is the last thing we felt using the software. You can always download another Android launcher on the Play Store, which is always an out to having a frustrating interface, but most people don’t want to do that, nor should they need to.

Warranty, pricing, and availability

The Asus Zenfone AR is available from Amazon for $600 for the 6GB RAM/64GB storage version, or $700 for the 8GB RAM/128GB storage version. That’s a lot of money, especially for a phone with last year’s processor, and the added cost is likely due to the sensors used for AR. You can buy it from Amazon, or through Verizon, which will set you back $648 for the 8GB RAM model.

Asus offers a limited warranty, which will cover manufacturing defects a year from the date of purchase. It does not protect you from accidental or water damage.

Our Take

Augmented reality, at least on the Zenfone AR, largely feels like a gimmick at the moment. If you want a Daydream-ready phone for virtual reality, we recommend the Pixel or the Galaxy S8, which offer superior and more polished experiences all around.

Google has also announced ARCore, a new platform that brings AR capabilities to Android phones that run Nougat or higher, without the need for special camera set ups. It’s the culmination of what the company has learned through Tango, so we see even less of a reason to buy the Zenfone AR.

Is there a better alternative?

Yes. If you’re simply looking for a device that works well in day-to-day use, then we recommend the OnePlus 5, which boasts the latest Qualcomm processor as well as 6GB or 8GB of RAM — it starts at $480. If VR is important to you, then perhaps the Galaxy S8 or the Google Pixel are a better options.

If you’re excited for AR and can’t wait for its capabilities, we recommend waiting for Apple’s ARKit in iOS 11, and Google’s ARCore for Android Nougat devices and higher. If they can provide the same level of an AR experience as the Zenfone AR, without the need for depth-sensing cameras, then we recommend skipping Asus’ device.

To be fair, the Asus Zenfone AR is the only phone that can handle Tango AR and Daydream VR.

How long will it last?

The Asus Zenfone AR should get you through a standard two-year cycle, as long as you take care of it. It’s not waterproof, which is a bit of a thorn in the side of durability, but it should be able to withstand most drops and falls.

Should you buy it?

No. With Google’s ARCore bringing AR to Android phones Nougat and higher, there’s not much of a reason to endure the ugly ZenUI, boring design, average battery life, and a 2016 processor.

What to expect from IFA 2017, and how to watch major live-streamed announcements

IFA (Internationale Funkausstellung Berlin) is a consumer tech show in Germany that’s widely considered the CES of Europe. This year, we’ll almost certainly be treated to great products including new smartphones, smart home and Internet of Things devices, laptops, and more.

The show runs from September 1 to 6, but press conferences from major manufacturers, like Samsung, begin on August 30. Here’s everything we expect from the show.

Acer

Bill Roberson/Digital Trends

It’s unclear what Acer will show off at IFA 2017, but the company has scheduled a press conference for August 30 at 10:30 a.m. CEST (4:30 a.m. ET). Intel recently launched its 8th-gen Core processors, it’s possible Acer will launch a new laptop or computer line that makes use of these new chips. It could also launch a PC with Nvidia’s Max Q tech.

Watch the Acer live-stream here

Asus

Mark Coppock/Digital Trends

Asus always makes a big show at IFA, and it’s likely we’ll see the full official launch of the Zenfone 4 smartphone series. These have already been announced in Taiwan, but IFA could see the global launch. What we’re really excited about, though, is Asus’ new gaming gear, monitors, and laptops. There’s also a chance the company will launch the ZenWatch 4 Android Wear smartwatch, given that it launched the ZenWatch 3 at last year’s show. The press conference is scheduled for August 30 at 1 p.m. CEST (7 a.m. ET).

Watch the Asus live-stream here

Lenovo/Motorola

Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends

Motorola has largely kept quiet about its IFA 2017 plans, but there is a press conference by its parent company Lenovo on August 31 at 2 p.m. CEST (8 a.m. ET). From Motorola, there have been rumblings about a new device in the Moto X lineup — the Moto X4. It will likely be a flagship phone, like the Moto Z series, but without any modular features. Lenovo has already offered a sneak peak of what to expect, including refresh its Yoga line of laptops, some type of smart speaker, virtual reality headsets — potentially with some Star Wars tie-in. We’re not sure if there’s a live-stream yet, but check back on the company’s YouTube page closer to the event.

Watch the Lenovo and Motorola live-stream here

LG

Andy Boxall/Digital Trends

There’s no speculation here — LG has outright confirmed it will be launching the new V30 at IFA 2017. The phone itself is tipped to be an absolute powerhouse, offering the latest and greatest Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 processor, along with a bezel-less design. The South Korean company will likely unveil some of its new TVs, which will pack huge 4K and 8K resolutions, as well as gaming monitors and home products. The LG IFA press conference is on August 31 at 9 a.m. CEST (3 a.m. ET).

Watch the LG live-stream here

Panasonic

Panasonic has a press conference scheduled for August 30 at 3 p.m. CEST (9 a.m. EST), but there’s no word yet on what we’ll see. It’s highly likely that we’ll see new TVs or cameras from the company, and we may see some ultra HD Blu-Ray players as well.

Watch the Panasonic live-stream here

Philips

Philips will launch a range of new products at IFA, including a new connected toothbrush, as well as some other appliances. It’s also very possible that we’ll see new additions to the Philips Hue range, adding to the growing list of connected lights. Check back on Philips’ website during IFA to see what’s new.

Philips IFA

Samsung

Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends

Samsung recently announced the Galaxy Note 8 smartphone, but now it’s time to turn to the company’s wearables. There’s a Samsung press conference scheduled for August 30 at 6 p.m. CEST (1 p.m. ET), and the company has teased a new entry to its Gear S smartwatch line. We may also get a new fitness-focused wearable from Samsung, which could be the Gear Fit 2 Pro, as well as smart home products. Rumors suggest Samsung may also show off prototypes of its foldable phone, which is codenamed Galaxy X. There’s no live-stream available yet, but head over to the Samsung Newsroom to catch the action when it starts.

Samsung Newsroom

Sony

Sony hasn’t been too quiet about its IFA plans — it seems as though the company is preparing a few new smartphones for launch at the show, including the new Sony Xperia XZ1 and Xperia XZ1 Compact. These are expected to be flagship-tier phones packing some pretty high-end specs. Sony will also want to show off its latest televisions, many of which will take advantage of new 4K and even 8K technology, as well as new entries in the audio space.  The press conference is on August 31 at 1 p.m. CEST (8 a.m. ET).

Watch the Sony live-stream here

There are certainly far more companies with announcements we haven’t mentioned here, but we’ll keep you posted on all the latest and greatest tech from IFA. Keep an eye on this page for all IFA 2017-related coverage.

What to expect from IFA 2017, and how to watch major live-streamed announcements

IFA (Internationale Funkausstellung Berlin) is a consumer tech show in Germany that’s widely considered the CES of Europe. This year, we’ll almost certainly be treated to great products including new smartphones, smart home and Internet of Things devices, laptops, and more.

The show runs from September 1 to 6, but press conferences from major manufacturers, like Samsung, begin on August 30. Here’s everything we expect from the show.

Acer

Bill Roberson/Digital Trends

It’s unclear what Acer will show off at IFA 2017, but the company has scheduled a press conference for August 30 at 10:30 a.m. CEST (4:30 a.m. ET). Intel recently launched its 8th-gen Core processors, it’s possible Acer will launch a new laptop or computer line that makes use of these new chips. It could also launch a PC with Nvidia’s Max Q tech.

Watch the Acer live-stream here

Asus

Mark Coppock/Digital Trends

Asus always makes a big show at IFA, and it’s likely we’ll see the full official launch of the Zenfone 4 smartphone series. These have already been announced in Taiwan, but IFA could see the global launch. What we’re really excited about, though, is Asus’ new gaming gear, monitors, and laptops. There’s also a chance the company will launch the ZenWatch 4 Android Wear smartwatch, given that it launched the ZenWatch 3 at last year’s show. The press conference is scheduled for August 30 at 1 p.m. CEST (7 a.m. ET).

Watch the Asus live-stream here

Lenovo/Motorola

Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends

Motorola has largely kept quiet about its IFA 2017 plans, but there is a press conference by its parent company Lenovo on August 31 at 2 p.m. CEST (8 a.m. ET). From Motorola, there have been rumblings about a new device in the Moto X lineup — the Moto X4. It will likely be a flagship phone, like the Moto Z series, but without any modular features. Lenovo has already offered a sneak peak of what to expect, including refresh its Yoga line of laptops, some type of smart speaker, virtual reality headsets — potentially with some Star Wars tie-in. We’re not sure if there’s a live-stream yet, but check back on the company’s YouTube page closer to the event.

Watch the Lenovo and Motorola live-stream here

LG

Andy Boxall/Digital Trends

There’s no speculation here — LG has outright confirmed it will be launching the new V30 at IFA 2017. The phone itself is tipped to be an absolute powerhouse, offering the latest and greatest Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 processor, along with a bezel-less design. The South Korean company will likely unveil some of its new TVs, which will pack huge 4K and 8K resolutions, as well as gaming monitors and home products. The LG IFA press conference is on August 31 at 9 a.m. CEST (3 a.m. ET).

Watch the LG live-stream here

Panasonic

Panasonic has a press conference scheduled for August 30 at 3 p.m. CEST (9 a.m. EST), but there’s no word yet on what we’ll see. It’s highly likely that we’ll see new TVs or cameras from the company, and we may see some ultra HD Blu-Ray players as well.

Watch the Panasonic live-stream here

Philips

Philips will launch a range of new products at IFA, including a new connected toothbrush, as well as some other appliances. It’s also very possible that we’ll see new additions to the Philips Hue range, adding to the growing list of connected lights. Check back on Philips’ website during IFA to see what’s new.

Philips IFA

Samsung

Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends

Samsung recently announced the Galaxy Note 8 smartphone, but now it’s time to turn to the company’s wearables. There’s a Samsung press conference scheduled for August 30 at 6 p.m. CEST (1 p.m. ET), and the company has teased a new entry to its Gear S smartwatch line. We may also get a new fitness-focused wearable from Samsung, which could be the Gear Fit 2 Pro, as well as smart home products. Rumors suggest Samsung may also show off prototypes of its foldable phone, which is codenamed Galaxy X. There’s no live-stream available yet, but head over to the Samsung Newsroom to catch the action when it starts.

Samsung Newsroom

Sony

Sony hasn’t been too quiet about its IFA plans — it seems as though the company is preparing a few new smartphones for launch at the show, including the new Sony Xperia XZ1 and Xperia XZ1 Compact. These are expected to be flagship-tier phones packing some pretty high-end specs. Sony will also want to show off its latest televisions, many of which will take advantage of new 4K and even 8K technology, as well as new entries in the audio space.  The press conference is on August 31 at 1 p.m. CEST (8 a.m. ET).

Watch the Sony live-stream here

There are certainly far more companies with announcements we haven’t mentioned here, but we’ll keep you posted on all the latest and greatest tech from IFA. Keep an eye on this page for all IFA 2017-related coverage.

What to expect from IFA 2017, and how to watch major live-streamed announcements

IFA (Internationale Funkausstellung Berlin) is a consumer tech show in Germany that’s widely considered the CES of Europe. This year, we’ll almost certainly be treated to great products including new smartphones, smart home and Internet of Things devices, laptops, and more.

The show runs from September 1 to 6, but press conferences from major manufacturers, like Samsung, begin on August 30. Here’s everything we expect from the show.

Acer

Bill Roberson/Digital Trends

It’s unclear what Acer will show off at IFA 2017, but the company has scheduled a press conference for August 30 at 10:30 a.m. CEST (4:30 a.m. ET). Intel recently launched its 8th-gen Core processors, it’s possible Acer will launch a new laptop or computer line that makes use of these new chips. It could also launch a PC with Nvidia’s Max Q tech.

Watch the Acer live-stream here

Asus

Mark Coppock/Digital Trends

Asus always makes a big show at IFA, and it’s likely we’ll see the full official launch of the Zenfone 4 smartphone series. These have already been announced in Taiwan, but IFA could see the global launch. What we’re really excited about, though, is Asus’ new gaming gear, monitors, and laptops. There’s also a chance the company will launch the ZenWatch 4 Android Wear smartwatch, given that it launched the ZenWatch 3 at last year’s show. The press conference is scheduled for August 30 at 1 p.m. CEST (7 a.m. ET).

Watch the Asus live-stream here

Lenovo/Motorola

Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends

Motorola has largely kept quiet about its IFA 2017 plans, but there is a press conference by its parent company Lenovo on August 31 at 2 p.m. CEST (8 a.m. ET). From Motorola, there have been rumblings about a new device in the Moto X lineup — the Moto X4. It will likely be a flagship phone, like the Moto Z series, but without any modular features. Lenovo has already offered a sneak peak of what to expect, including refresh its Yoga line of laptops, some type of smart speaker, virtual reality headsets — potentially with some Star Wars tie-in. We’re not sure if there’s a live-stream yet, but check back on the company’s YouTube page closer to the event.

Watch the Lenovo and Motorola live-stream here

LG

Andy Boxall/Digital Trends

There’s no speculation here — LG has outright confirmed it will be launching the new V30 at IFA 2017. The phone itself is tipped to be an absolute powerhouse, offering the latest and greatest Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 processor, along with a bezel-less design. The South Korean company will likely unveil some of its new TVs, which will pack huge 4K and 8K resolutions, as well as gaming monitors and home products. The LG IFA press conference is on August 31 at 9 a.m. CEST (3 a.m. ET).

Watch the LG live-stream here

Panasonic

Panasonic has a press conference scheduled for August 30 at 3 p.m. CEST (9 a.m. EST), but there’s no word yet on what we’ll see. It’s highly likely that we’ll see new TVs or cameras from the company, and we may see some ultra HD Blu-Ray players as well.

Watch the Panasonic live-stream here

Philips

Philips will launch a range of new products at IFA, including a new connected toothbrush, as well as some other appliances. It’s also very possible that we’ll see new additions to the Philips Hue range, adding to the growing list of connected lights. Check back on Philips’ website during IFA to see what’s new.

Philips IFA

Samsung

Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends

Samsung recently announced the Galaxy Note 8 smartphone, but now it’s time to turn to the company’s wearables. There’s a Samsung press conference scheduled for August 30 at 6 p.m. CEST (1 p.m. ET), and the company has teased a new entry to its Gear S smartwatch line. We may also get a new fitness-focused wearable from Samsung, which could be the Gear Fit 2 Pro, as well as smart home products. Rumors suggest Samsung may also show off prototypes of its foldable phone, which is codenamed Galaxy X. There’s no live-stream available yet, but head over to the Samsung Newsroom to catch the action when it starts.

Samsung Newsroom

Sony

Sony hasn’t been too quiet about its IFA plans — it seems as though the company is preparing a few new smartphones for launch at the show, including the new Sony Xperia XZ1 and Xperia XZ1 Compact. These are expected to be flagship-tier phones packing some pretty high-end specs. Sony will also want to show off its latest televisions, many of which will take advantage of new 4K and even 8K technology, as well as new entries in the audio space.  The press conference is on August 31 at 1 p.m. CEST (8 a.m. ET).

Watch the Sony live-stream here

There are certainly far more companies with announcements we haven’t mentioned here, but we’ll keep you posted on all the latest and greatest tech from IFA. Keep an eye on this page for all IFA 2017-related coverage.