Sony teases a diverse IFA 2016 lineup

IFA is coming, and one company that’s known for its longtime presence at the German trade show is Sony. In past years, the Japanese giant’s sprawling IFA booth was the venue of several product launches, and this year will probably be no exception.

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The invitation that Sony sent out to the press for its September 1 IFA event points to a wide range of consumer electronics. Everything from smartphones, to consumer audio, VR, and of course, TV sets will be on display, and we can expect several new products across these categories.

The invitation doesn’t spill out any actual details about Sony’s IFA show-up, but judging from past leaks, we expect the new Xperia XR to have a central role. The device, which is believed to have the F8331 code number, leaked in several hands-on pictures, and a set of CAD renderings shared by @Onleaks appears to be depicting the same device. For now, we don’t know much about Xperia XR’s specs, but there’s a very good chance Sony CEO Kaz Hirai will clear the mystery on September 1.

Sony also has a tablet line that’s due for a refresh, so it’s possible we’ll see another generation at IFA. As for VR, we don’t think Sony will make any major announcements in Berlin, but we’ll definitely use the opportunity to take the promising Sony PSVR headset for a spin. Other than that, lots of TVs, lots of booming speakers, and hopefully a few glimpses of the weirdness that Sony used to be known for.