IFA was back with the sort of useful tech customers actually want: accessories that solve daily irritations without requiring a whole new phone or laptop. Smarter trackers and Qi2 chargers and travel-friendly power bricks and swim-proof audio, the show floor made clear small gear is where the biggest quality-of-life gains are happening.
Analysts have said that accessories frequently outstrip core device upgrades as near-term deliverers of value and this year’s crop underscored that point. With standards like USB-C and Qi2 wireless charging and Bluetooth LE Audio coming of age, those compatibility headaches are easing — just in time for a wave of gear you can actually buy today.
- Real smart trackers that work across platforms
- A handy wrist rest that saves your forearm
- A global dual USB‑C travel adapter
- Swim‑safe bone‑conduction headphones
- Qi2 power banks that snap on and charge fast
- AR Glasses that transform any seat into a theater
- Noise‑canceling over‑ears with true travel stamina
- A portable 3‑in‑1 Qi2 desk charger for daily carry
Real smart trackers that work across platforms
Wider network coverage has helped location tags finally feel a bit more mainstream. Among the latest Bluetooth trackers that have debuted at IFA in recent years are devices that can run on Apple’s Find My network and Google’s Find My Device network, some from brands such as Chipolo and Pebblebee. Cross‑ecosystem cooperation matters: Apple and Google have now enabled joint unwanted tracking alerts, addressing widespread privacy fears, while the Android network’s recent global expansion increased recovery odds in densely populated urban areas many times over. You’re mixed-platform at home, so choose the version that corresponds to your primary telephone; either way, you’re buying into a dense, ever‑listening network.
A handy wrist rest that saves your forearm
DeltaHub’s Carpio 2.0 is an unusual ergonomic accoutrements that’s also travel-friendly. The small, curved cushion is designed with pressure-sensitive cushioning to provide extra comfort, and it cradles the wrist to prevent bending or stretching of the wrist during prolonged use of a mouse. Occupational health organizations like the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons have for years warned that prolonged wrist extension is a significant threat to sustained wellness; the Carpio’s gliding base spotlights neutral posture in a way that doesn’t stick you with a ginormous desk pad. It’s a simple, inexpensive upgrade you’ll notice by the end of your first workday.
A global dual USB‑C travel adapter
There are few accessories that pay for themselves as quickly as a pocket-sized all-in-one travel plug. Energea’s TravelGo Adapter 45 does two jobs at once: it’s a compact two‑port (both USB‑C) UC charger with international prongs for most regions, and output of up to 45W in total, meaning you can charge your phone and tablet at the same time. With the EU’s common‑charger rules and USB‑IF’s Power Delivery standard each starting to get a decent amount of runway, and all of us carrying the devices we own with us as we travel, that kind of adapter is the new travel essential: lighter than a laptop charging brick, smarter than a dumb plug converter, and for the families in which everybody has a different device or cable need.
Swim‑safe bone‑conduction headphones
Pool-friendly audio, finally, sounds less compromised. The BoneAir Swim from Doogee relies on bone conduction to leave your ears open but also deliver the water‑resistance swimmers actually require for lap sessions. The smart play here is on-device music playback — Bluetooth doesn’t work submerged — so you can load up a playlist for a session and toggle to phone-streaming while lounging pool-side. If you’re a runner or a cyclist, the safety factors are even clearer; for swimmers, the retail items that didn’t have to baby a set between pool, shower, and commute was the real victory.
Qi2 power banks that snap on and charge fast
Qi2 is not a promise anymore; it’s a purchase. Brand such as Anker and Belkin now offer magnetic, alignment‑friendly packs to deliver true, standard‑compliant 15W wireless charging to compatible phones, along with USB‑C passthrough for when you need the wired speed. The Wireless Power Consortium’s Qi2 spec takes a leaf out of that book with a concept of alignment rings, and the result is fewer missed charges and speedier top‑ups on the move. If you have been waiting to replace that old 5W puck, this is the generational leap that makes wireless something truly practical.
AR Glasses that transform any seat into a theater
AR viewers like those from Rokid are drawing attention, in part because they’re unapologetically accessory, not replacement, constructions. Plug them into a USB‑C device with DisplayPort Alt Mode and you get a clear, private virtual screen large enough to watch a movie or look over slides on a train. Micro‑OLED panels, higher brightness and better colour make text just about readable for productivity, and the glasses remain below the critical “tech visor” threshold. For the frequent traveler, they are the contemporary equivalent of noise‑canceling cans — once you put them on during a long haul, it’s difficult to return.
Noise‑canceling over‑ears with true travel stamina
Leading ANC headphones are starting to move past spec sheet theater and into actual stamina. The most recent pair of over‑ears to be announced at IFA offering this are the 40‑plus hours of listening experience, multi‑point Bluetooth and LE Audio with LC3 for improved efficiency. Quick‑charge is finally meaningful — like hours of use from a short coffee stop — so you aren’t tethered to wall time during layovers. Parties such as the Bluetooth SIG have been driving LE Audio and Auracast which will soon make it far easier to connect to shared audio streams at airports and venues; now would be a sensible bit of future‑proofing by buying cans that work.
A portable 3‑in‑1 Qi2 desk charger for daily carry
Desk organizers and accessories quietly became status products, but the best ones justify the real estate. A 3‑in‑1 Qi2 stand——that’s phone pad, earbud puck, and watch charger in one travel‑ready slab——brings all your daily devices to a single cord, delivering real 15W wireless speeds to compatible phones. It is the antithesis to cable sprawl, and with Qi2 standardization, you no longer have to bet on a proprietary ecosystem. If you hot‑desk, or you travel a lot, the fold‑flat design is the killer feature you’ll thank yourself for, every single day.
The throughline across all seven picks is maturity: standards are beginning to merge, and the best accessories are now fitting in to our routines instead of demanding new ones.
It’s that kind of progress you can feel immediately — and the reason these are worth buying today.
