LG, Samsung Sweep IFA 2026 Innovation Awards

The awards, announced on the trade show's opening day, saw both companies land honors across multiple categories — a notable feat given that judges weighed not just technical performance but design and market impact too. Korean electronics makers ended up clustered near the top of the rankings across the board.

LG's headline reveal was ThinQ Chalo, a new AI agent that builds on the company's existing ThinQ On smart-home hub. Instead of relying on voice commands, users can simply message the system through the messenger apps they already use — and it responds by inferring their location and movements to proactively suggest actions, like switching on the air conditioner before they get home. It can also fold in everyday details, like a kid's schedule or a photo of groceries, to suggest broader routines for the household. LG plans to launch a domestic beta this month with an eye toward a full commercial rollout by year-end, and says it's also weighing subscription plans and bundled appliance packages down the line.

On the hardware side, LG's ultra-thin, wall-hugging TV took the top prize in the home entertainment category for its picture quality and design, coming in at roughly 9 millimeters thick. A separate audio system that automatically detects speaker placement to build an immersive soundstage won the top award in its own category. Five more products — an upgraded OLED TV, two premium LCD lineups, a portable screen and a party-ready Bluetooth speaker — picked up additional merit awards.

Samsung's standout was its wall-mounted Bespoke Wind-Free air conditioner, which won in two categories at once. Its flat, minimalist front panel with vents tucked along the bottom is designed to blend in like a piece of furniture, while a built-in radar sensor tracks where people are in the room to fine-tune airflow direction. In refrigerators, a model with a large touchscreen and voice recognition won in the design category, and a four-door model engineered to fully open its doors even in tight kitchens won in the appliance category. The large-screen fridge also pairs with an external AI engine — reportedly Google's Gemini — to recognize groceries stored inside.