Germany

Berlin – September 07, 2026 -- LG Electronics is unveiling an expanded AI Home ecosystem at IFA 2026, showing how connected appliances, TVs and home hubs can automate daily chores and cut energy use for European households. The showcase, set up in Hall 18 at Messe Berlin, centers on the LG ThinQ ON home hub and the ThinQ AI platform.

A text-chat AI agent makes its public debut.

ThinQ Claw, a new text-based AI agent integrated with ThinQ ON, recommends actions based on household conditions and daily routines using natural-language interaction. LG is also extending AI Home beyond private residences with ThinQ Pro, a business-facing tool for centralized control of appliances and HVAC systems in commercial spaces. A Home Energy Management System powered by Homey -- the smart home platform LG acquired from Athom in 2024 -- coordinates energy generation, storage and consumption across a home.

Berlin – September 07, 2026 -- Haier will exhibit AI-driven home appliances, connected services, and robotics at IFA 2026, running September 4 to 8 at Stand 101 in Hall 3.1 in Berlin.

The company brings a connected ecosystem under one theme

Under the banner "Home of Intelligent Possibilities," Haier will demonstrate technologies spanning laundry care, refrigeration, cooking, dishwashing, cleaning, and entertainment, all designed to learn from user behavior and adapt to individual routines. Demonstrations include laundry systems that analyze load conditions, cooling technology aimed at better food preservation, and AI-assisted cooking appliances that identify ingredients and monitor the cooking process. The company's hOn platform will tie products, services, and digital experiences into a single interface.

Berlin – September 07, 2026 -- Midea unveiled its SpaceMaster built-in oven series at IFA 2026 in Berlin, previewing a graphene-powered appliance set for a global market launch in 2027.

Graphene tech cuts heat response to 0.2 seconds

The oven's core feature is Midea's Graphene Turbo hot-air technology, which uses graphene's high thermal conductivity to achieve a heat reaction in just 0.2 seconds. The company says this allows for precise temperature control, shorter preheating times, and even heat distribution throughout the cooking cavity.

A dedicated pizza mode hits 350°C with a stone included

The SpaceMaster includes a 350-degree Celsius pizza program paired with an included pizza stone, designed to replicate the crispy crust results of a traditional stone oven at home.

Berlin – September 07, 2026 -- TECNO will showcase a new lineup of concept and consumer devices at IFA ShowStoppers 2026, including a phone with an industry-first true 0mm display border, at Hall 5.3, tables 501 and 503, on September 3 from 6 to 9 PM.

The Next-Gen Bezelless Concept Phone eliminates the last visible screen border

The device removes the 1mm to 2mm black border typically found between a smartphone's active display and its outer frame, using advanced internal stacking and reworked screen packaging. It follows TECNO's Modular Concept Phone, which was shown at MWC 2026.

Munich -- September 2, 2026 -- Huawei gave an early look at its next-generation blood pressure monitoring smartwatch, the HUAWEI WATCH D3, at the European Society of Cardiology Congress 2026 in Munich, ahead of its official unveiling the same day at the Huawei Innovative Product Launch.

The device builds on a decade of wrist-worn health tracking.

Mainz – September 07, 2026 -- German broadcaster 3sat will air "Das Ich-Zeitalter: Zwischen Selbstverwirklichung und Selbstoptimierung," a documentary examining the booming self-optimization trend, on Wednesday, September 9, 2026, at 8:15 p.m. The film, directed by Isabella Purkart, will remain available in the 3sat Mediathek for 90 days after broadcast.

The documentary follows several people who have built their lives around the pursuit of a "better self," a movement heavily promoted by influencers on social media.

A 26-year-old plans to be cryogenically frozen after death

In Frankfurt am Main, filmmaker Lena Hager meets Vimal Kamaraj, 26, who has arranged to have his body frozen after he dies. He hopes future medical advances will one day revive him, and he already structures his daily routine around longevity practices.

Bremen – September 07, 2026 -- Europcar has relocated its Bremen van-and-truck station from the Strom industrial area to the more accessible Neustadt district, adding passenger cars to the lineup at the same address.

Starting immediately, private and business customers can rent vans, trucks and now cars at the new site at Neuenlander Strasse 83. The location replaces the previous station at Ludwig-Erhard-Strasse 45.

One address now covers cars, vans and trucks

"With the new location, we're combining good accessibility with a significantly broader offering," said Thorsten Buschmann, station manager for Europcar's Bremen Neuenlander Strasse site. He added that customers can now find everything from cars to vans and trucks at a single address, with personal advice available seven days a week.

Munich -- German broadcaster ARD is marking the 25th anniversary of the September 11, 2001 attacks with three new productions: a primetime documentary, a special broadcast, and an investigative podcast series.

A 90-minute documentary revisits New York's last carefree summer before the attacks

"SEPTEMBER," directed by Johan von Mirbach and produced by WDR, contrasts the everyday lives of New Yorkers during the summer of 2001 -- shaped by Fashion Week and the US Open -- with the parallel preparations of the 19 hijackers. The film combines personal testimonies with previously unpublished archive footage and interviews with voices from politics, media, and security agencies. It is streaming now on ARD Mediathek and airs on Das Erste on September 11 at 8:15 p.m.

Hamburg – September 7, 2026 -- Casio Computer Co., Ltd. unveiled the European premiere of its digital sound source "Akiko's Piano" at the Martha Argerich Festival 2026, held in Hamburg, Germany, from June 20 to 30, 2026.

The original piano survived the Hiroshima bombing

The upright piano at the center of the project was built in 1926 and damaged in the atomic bombing of Hiroshima on August 6, 1945. Restored in 2005, it has since been played by musicians including Martha Argerich and has carried a message of peace through its sound.

Casio recorded all 88 keys to preserve the instrument digitally

To carry the piano's historic tone into the future, Casio's European subsidiary, CASIO Europe GmbH, led a project that meticulously recorded the sound of each of the piano's 88 keys and rebuilt it as a digital sound source.

Leipzig – September 07, 2026 -- Zoo Leipzig has opened Feuerland, a new coastal and marine habitat that recreates the Pacific coast of South America, giving visitors underwater views of seals and Humboldt penguins. The attraction officially opened on September 1, 2026.

A 100-meter tunnel puts visitors face-to-face with marine life

The centerpiece is a swimming pool holding more than five million liters of water, through which a tunnel longer than 100 meters runs, offering 360-degree views of the animals. A wave system keeps the water in motion, while separate beach areas give the animals space to rest away from public view.

Zoo director says animal welfare shaped every design choice

Zoo director Prof. Jörg Junhold said the design focused on both animal needs and new viewing angles for visitors, and he led guests into Feuerland to live music by the band Keimzeit.