About

In the beginning was the radio

On December 4, 1924, the "Große Deutsche Funkausstellung" opened its doors for the first time at the Messedamm in Berlin Westend.

The beginnings of the Funkausstellung were marked by detector devices and tube radio receivers. This was followed by superhet receivers, gramophones, the first sound recording processes and live broadcasts from the exhibition grounds, as well as the first European car radio.

In 1924, construction of the Furnkturm also began, but it was not inaugurated until two years later, on 3 September, 1926.

At the end of the 1920s the first television sets were exhibited and in 1928 there was the first world technical sensation at the trade show: one of the first television broadcasts was broadcast during the event.

In 1930, Albert Einstein gave the opening speech of the seventh radio exhibition.

Loud, colorful and in stereo

Between 1940 and 1949, the IFA could not take place because of the Second World War. It was not until 1950 that the IFA returned. Via Düsseldorf, Frankfurt/Main and Stuttgart, it returned to Berlin in 1971.

A historic moment in the history of the Funkausstellung was 1967, when German Chancellor Willy Brandt gave the starting signal for color TV in a symbolic event, and for the first time the German TV world was colorful thanks to PAL technology.

In 1971, the event was renamed the International Consumer Electronics Fair (IFA). The first video recorders were shown in Berlin that year.

Other innovations included remote controls, FM transmission, semiconductor technology, television sets, stereo sound, the compact cassette, color television, and picture discs.

IFA goes international

In 1971, the event was renamed the "Internationale Funkausstellung (IFA)". And IFA had established itself as a global event for new products. This meant that new products could be presented to an international trade audience and consumers in the fall with a high degree of advertising impact.

Home video recorders, quadraphony, camera recorders, traffic broadcasting and teletext were the buzzwords of the time. Two-tone and stereo broadcasts enrich television, the CD, DAT and the first TV sets with digital technology are introduced.

In 1985, high-definition television HDTV is shown for the first time, along with the first receivers for television via satellite. The D2MAC transmission technology, RDS and TV sets with 84 and 95 cm picture follow.

The multimedia age

From the mid-1990s, IFA increasingly showed itself to be a multimedia trade show. The focus was no longer just on radio and television sets, but increasingly on digital media and devices.
With DCC, CD interactive, the Photo CD and the Mini Disc. Laser TVs, digital TVs, digital cameras and camcorders, DVD players and DAB receivers, IFA pointed the way to the digital future.

The first flat TVs, cell phones with Internet access and MP3 players are in focus. The network for the home is coming.

In 1997, the Japanese company Nintendo was the first video game manufacturer to be represented at IFA to present its new "N64" game console.

The start of a new era

From 2006, IFA has been held annually, adapting to the pace of innovation in the consumer electronics industry. At the beginning of this millennium, technical innovations were developed at a pace that allowed no time for breathers.

LCD and plasma televisions conquered the market, enabling larger picture diagonals, HDTV and 3D TV. The Blue Ray Disc conquers the market and the consumer electronics industry goes mobile.

In 2008, IFA was expanded to include "Home Appliances@IFA" with an area of 30,000 square meters alone, making household and kitchen appliances eligible for the exhibition for the first time.

Continuous expansion

In 2014, IFA celebrated its 90th birthday. The IFA Congress IFA+ Summit starts and with the City Cube Berlin there are also around 6,000 additional square meters of exhibition space available.

One year later, the new product area "Fitness & Digital Health" is introduced and in 2017 "IFA NEXT" is launched as a big stage for innovations. "IFA NEXT" is the new innovation hub for start-ups, research labs and companies. It offers know-how for the future of technology, business and lifestyle.

In 2018, the household electrical appliances sector will celebrate its tenth anniversary at IFA - long since an integral part of the show. "IFA Global Markets" is now Europe's largest sourcing market.

In 2019, "IFA NEXT" hosted an innovation partner country for the first time: with Japan, a high-tech nation presented itself.