Berlin – September 09, 2026 -- Midea unveiled a new AI voice-controlled air conditioner and a broader AI-powered home ecosystem at IFA 2026 in Berlin, alongside a newly announced five-year partnership with FC Barcelona.
Midea's AI Agent lets appliances respond to natural spoken commands
The centerpiece of Midea's booth was SMART MASTER, a showcase for the company's AI Agent, which allows more natural interaction with household appliances. A companion Midea Robot extends AI into physical tasks including cooking, cleaning, laundry and whole-home control. Cliff Liang, General Manager of Enterprise Commercial for the China Region at Microsoft, appeared at the event to discuss the next phase of AI alongside Midea.
AI ECOMASTER manages household power use by learning daily routines
Midea's AI ECOMASTER system coordinates appliances and connected devices through intelligent power management, adapting to household habits over time. A separate SPACE MASTER line, demonstrated on a refrigerator, increases usable interior storage without changing the appliance's external footprint.
New R290 refrigerant line claims roughly 10% higher energy efficiency
Midea's R290 Series pairs an ultra-low-GWP refrigerant with advanced compressor and safety-sealing technology, delivering about 10% higher energy efficiency in residential cooling products such as H-Pack and PortaSplit. PortaSplit is scheduled to adopt R290 refrigerant in 2027.
Kitchen and laundry lines target daily household routines
The Visionary Series refrigerators use GlassVision and hands-free lighting for easier food visibility, while the InfiniteFit Series hobs feature an ultra-slim design built for European kitchen layouts. The PizzaPro built-in oven offers an 81-liter cavity with rapid heating. Midea's Tri-GreenApex system combines washing, drying and storage while using roughly 50% less energy than Europe's highest A energy rating requires. The OMNI SERIES laundry lineup supports multi-drum setups that let separate loads run simultaneously.
Matter framework and FC Barcelona partnership highlighted on the show floor
Tobin Richardson, President and CEO of the Connectivity Standards Alliance, presented the Matter smart-home connectivity standard at Midea's booth, citing Midea's role in advancing interoperable appliance connectivity. Separately, FC Barcelona legend Carles Puyol appeared at an immersive Barcelona-themed area of the booth, discussing leadership and teamwork as part of Midea's new five-year sponsorship deal with the club. Midea Group brand TEKA also displayed new products, including a coffee machine range and In-Line Series laundry solutions, under its "Meaningful Experiences Through Technology" concept.