https://techcrunch.com/2017/08/31/alexa-and-google-assistant-homepod-competitors-are-coming-from-sony-harman-and-more/

Berlin’s big IFA trade show doesn’t officially open until tomorrow, but the announcements have already started pouring out of the show that’s come to be known as the “CES of Europe.” The event’s late-August/early-September timing has been a big part of its increasing relevance in recent years, as companies use the platform to debut wares in time for the holidays. As such, the show has grown into a pretty good bellwether for holiday tech trends.

Once again, smart assistants are the thing this year. Amazon Alexa and (to a lesser extent) Google Assistant are all over the show’s product announcements. But where the addition of skills for those smart assistants has been the big news at past shows, companies have begun diving deeper, adding microphone arrays for full functionality. The devices now essentially double as a third-party Echo or Google Home.