At this year’s IFA technology fair in Berlin, around 931 of the approximately 1,900 exhibitors come from China – almost every second booth. Last year, there were still around 700. The strongest growth is in robotics: in the IFA Next exhibition area alone, around 300 companies are showcasing humanoid robots and AI-powered household technology.
Humanoid robots take to the runway
The highlight of the robotics program is the show “Robots on the Runway.” Humanoid and quadruped machines will walk down a runway this Saturday in Palais-Halle 19. According to the organizer, Chinese providers such as Agibot and Unitree, whose stock market debut in August caused a stir, are among them. Agibot’s H1 model is reportedly already in use in around 8,400 units.
Xiaomi is also represented for the first time with its own hall. Alongside smartphones and electric cars, the company is showcasing the humanoid robot CyberOne, which, according to the manufacturer, reliably tightens nuts in 98 out of 100 attempts. South Korea’s LG is presenting a semi-autonomous robot named CLoiD, which folds laundry and operates household appliances; it is expected to reach 100,000 training hours by year-end.
Samsung, by contrast, is not represented on the main grounds and is instead hosting a smaller show of its own. Sony had already withdrawn in previous years. In total, the roughly 1,900 brands from 49 countries are spread across 190,000 square meters in 27 halls, with 220,000 visitors expected from 140 countries.
Chinese providers push into the European market
IFA organizer Carine Chardon describes robotics as a genuine growth area for the fair. How quickly humanoid models actually reach private households, she says, depends on development, scaling, and prices. c’t editor Ulrike Kuhlmann attributes the Chinese lead to decent quality at comparatively low prices. That lets manufacturers occupy market segments Western competitors have largely abandoned.
China is said to have produced around 12,800 humanoid robots in 2025, nine out of ten units made worldwide. Add 556,000 industrial robots. These figures are independently unverified and vary by source.
The fair’s course contrasts with US policy. The American regulator FCC had banned new humanoid and quadruped robots from China for the US market in July, citing security concerns. In Berlin, by contrast, the same manufacturers get a big stage and direct access to European audiences. More than 900 Chinese robotics firms are now specifically targeting Europe, a market they estimate at roughly 230 billion dollars.
Demand for smart home technology grows noticeably
The trend also shows up in sales figures beyond the robot show. Robot vacuum sales in Germany rose 18 percent in the first half of 2026, AI PCs also grew 18 percent. Large TVs grew 14 percent, espresso machines 21 percent.
Globally, the electronics market has grown a nominal 16 percent since 2021, but only 2.4 percent adjusted for inflation. The Middle East and Africa saw the strongest growth at 15 percent, followed by Asian emerging markets at 12 percent. China’s own market shrank by 5 percent.
Almost half of surveyed Germans can imagine using an AI-controlled household robot in the future, according to a survey cited by the fair. Entry-level models like the humanoid assistant robot AnAn-Panda from Mind With Heart Robotics cost between 1,000 and 1,500 dollars, the manufacturer says. There is no sales launch in Germany or the EU yet.
Visitors to the fair pay 21.50 euros in online pre-sale and 28 euros at the box office. It stays open to private visitors through Tuesday, September 8, from 10 a.m.
What matters now is whether European and American manufacturers present their own answers to the Chinese robotics push before the fair ends. For consumers in Germany, the intensified competition means, for now, more choice and falling prices for smart household devices.
