IFA 2014: Tech companies to unveil new smartphones and wearable headsets in Berlin

The likes of Sony, Samsung and Microsoft are all expected to either announce or present new devices to the wold

The IFA is held at the Messe Berlin convention centre (pictured here in 2005) (Simon Perry/Flickr Creative Commons)

Major tech companies from around the globe are to descend on Berlin this week as the IFA technology show kicks off in the German capital.

The likes of Sony, Samsung and Microsoft are all expected to either announce or present new devices to the wold, including smartphones and wearable headsets.

And new-fangled smartwatches are anticipated from LG and Motorola during the event at the Messe Berlin convention centre.

With the impending launch of Apple’s iPhone 6 and a rumoured Apple iWatch announcement on 9 September, rival companies will be hoping to steal some of the limelight from the California tech giant.

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Korean smartphone maker Samsung has announced the three previous generations of its Galaxy Note device at IFA, and attendees will expect to see the fourth unveiled this time around.

The device falls into the “phablet” category, with the screen on the new Note rumoured to be 5.9 inches, placing it somewhere between a smartphone and a tablet size-wise.

Samsung is also expected to offer consumers a chance to try out its news Galaxy Alpha smartphone. Its 4.7-inch screen and premium metal design place it in direct competition with the iPhone.

And there has been talk of a possible venture into the virtual reality market, to compete with the Oculus Rift headset and Sony's gaming prototype, Project Morpheus.

Sony will also be at IFA and, after announcing its flagship Xperia Z1 smartphone at the event in 2013, is rumoured to be about to reveal a third version.

The press conferences and announcements get under way today and IFA runs until 10 September.

Additional reporting by Press Association