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IFA International Day 5 - 2018 Edition

The 2018 Day 4 edition of IFA International, the official daily of the IFA Berlin show.

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DAY 5<br />

EDITION<br />

Tuesday 4 th<br />

September <strong>2018</strong><br />

Hall 3.1 / 102<br />

Hall 6.2 / 203 Hall 8.2 / 101<br />

CONTENTS<br />

03 > NEWS<br />

11 > <strong>IFA</strong>+ SUMMIT<br />

13 > <strong>IFA</strong> GLOBAL MARKETS<br />

15 > TRADE TALK<br />

16 > EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEWS<br />

19 > CLEAN LIFESTYLE<br />

28 > SPOTLIGHT ON NORTH AMERICA<br />

29 > WHERE TO GO IN BERLIN<br />

Future vision meets big deals<br />

<strong>IFA</strong> <strong>2018</strong> may have an eye to the future, but<br />

business is here and now<br />

THOUGHT LEADERS<br />

Wendell Wallach<br />

Consultant, ethicist, and scholar,<br />

Yale University’s Interdisciplinary<br />

Centre for Bioethics<br />

I focus particularly on risks and<br />

undesirable consequences and how<br />

we can ameliorate those through<br />

ethics, engineering and oversight.<br />

See page 11<br />

Anouk Groen<br />

Design trend forecaster,<br />

CMF blog<br />

Owner, RNA Design NV<br />

It’s time to rise up to the<br />

challenge of the changing markets,<br />

break away from old formulas and<br />

evolve. See page 13<br />

Karl Trautmann<br />

Member of the<br />

Management Board,<br />

ElectronicPartner<br />

With well over four billion<br />

euros in orders set to be<br />

signed again this year at<br />

<strong>IFA</strong>, this is the show where<br />

massive deals are signed<br />

and sealed. Last year,<br />

organisers report the figure<br />

amounted to €4.7bn. Yet<br />

again, the show sets the<br />

tone for the market for<br />

the years to come, but also<br />

for the next few months,<br />

when sales are at their<br />

peak. It’s thus no wonder<br />

that all the world’s top<br />

retailers and distributors<br />

are present to with one<br />

hand take the pulse of the<br />

industry, and with the other<br />

to sign the most important<br />

orders of the season. One<br />

such organisation that<br />

partners with <strong>IFA</strong> at an<br />

even higher level in order<br />

to optimise its presence<br />

here is ElectronicPartner.<br />

Karl Trautmann, Member<br />

<strong>IFA</strong> IS<br />

THE LEADING<br />

EVENT OF OUR<br />

INDUSTRY AND<br />

IN MY OPINION<br />

THE MOST<br />

IMPORTANT<br />

EVENT OF THE<br />

YEAR<br />

of the Management<br />

Board, explains that, “<strong>IFA</strong><br />

is the leading event of our<br />

industry and in my opinion<br />

the most important event<br />

of the year.”<br />

Read our exclusive interview,<br />

page 15.<br />

CLEAN LIFESTYLE<br />

Harald Friedrich<br />

Managing Director,<br />

Robert Bosch Home Appliances<br />

The trend for the next few years<br />

is clearly connectivity – connectivity<br />

that goes beyond the kitchen into<br />

the whole home.<br />

See page 16<br />

Big is beautiful in domestic<br />

appliances, and sales of dishwashers,<br />

tumble dryers, vacuum cleaners<br />

and washing machines remain<br />

strong. According to GfK, washing<br />

machines with a capacity of 9kg or<br />

more grew by 15% in the first half<br />

of <strong>2018</strong>, sales of cordless handstick<br />

vacuum cleaners jumped 56% in the<br />

first half of <strong>2018</strong>, and dishwasher<br />

penetration sits at 75.3% in<br />

Germany, at 54.9% in France and as<br />

low as 43.1% in the UK.<br />

Read more from page 19.


NEWS<br />

EDITORIAL<br />

Richard Barnes<br />

Editor-In-Chief<br />

<strong>IFA</strong>: the ultimate<br />

social network<br />

With all the talk about social networks, there<br />

is no more effective place to socially network<br />

than here at the <strong>IFA</strong>. <strong>IFA</strong> serves as a linking<br />

element by bringing together brands, start-ups,<br />

developers, retailers, media and consumers.<br />

Exhibitors and visitors alike benefit from the most<br />

effective “social network” of all: the face-to-face<br />

encounter.<br />

Of course, face to face encounters can be<br />

organised at any time of the year, as the<br />

representatives of various players in the supply<br />

chain visit their clients and potential clients for<br />

informational and business visits. But to replicate<br />

the same number of top level visits one is able<br />

to organise in the space of just a few days here<br />

in Berlin would be so physically and mentally<br />

gruelling that it would of course be virtually<br />

impossible. The efficiency of a trade show is<br />

second to none in terms of enabling these all<br />

essential face-to-face meetings, but following<br />

this first level of efficiency, a layer of organisation<br />

such as that offered by Messe Berlin is the<br />

“magic” that makes it all work so well.<br />

The addition of two other Global <strong>IFA</strong> events,<br />

CE Week in the USA, and CE China, are also<br />

instrumental in enabling the world’s trade and<br />

supply chain to interact in the most efficient way<br />

possible. It’s all done to make your life – and<br />

business – so much easier<br />

An historic moment:<br />

Shift Automotive<br />

takes off at <strong>IFA</strong><br />

Shift Automotive kicks<br />

off today as the inaugural<br />

convention designed to<br />

bring a meeting of minds<br />

between the automotive and<br />

electronic industries, with<br />

the goal of investigating and<br />

changing the way we think<br />

about mobility.<br />

A series of speeches and<br />

workshops will explore how<br />

both sectors are dealing<br />

with the challenges of new<br />

technology that is rapidly<br />

transforming the way we<br />

approach transportation.<br />

Professor Peter Wells of the<br />

Cardiff Centre for Automotive<br />

Industry Research, who will be<br />

participating in a discussion<br />

here at <strong>IFA</strong>, believes that the<br />

barriers to what we consider<br />

to be a car manufacturer<br />

are dissolving… even what<br />

constitutes a car.<br />

He says, “Shift Automotive<br />

is an historic moment.<br />

It is imperative that the<br />

automotive industry finds<br />

new ways of reaching out<br />

and communicating with new<br />

partners that have distinctive<br />

skills and capabilities. As the<br />

boundaries start to crumble<br />

the industry really needs<br />

strategies to manage the<br />

transition from product to<br />

service, from car to mobility<br />

and from Linear to circular<br />

revenue.”<br />

There will also be discussions<br />

on autonomous vehicles, and<br />

how to gain the trust of the<br />

public, as well as where these<br />

vehicles sit in the future of<br />

mobility.<br />

Ben Boucher-West, the<br />

Mobility Head at AppyParking<br />

will be here discussing the<br />

industries current approach<br />

to these subjects. “I will be<br />

giving input into the vehicles<br />

relationship with cities and<br />

consumers on the street. I'm<br />

excited to share thinking on<br />

this point as there is still much<br />

to be considered before mass<br />

vehicle integration.”<br />

<strong>IFA</strong> Executive Director Jens<br />

Heithecker adds, “Amazing<br />

things happen when<br />

researchers and experts<br />

from two different industries<br />

face the same challenge.<br />

With Shift Automotive, we<br />

want to work out how new<br />

technologies are changing all<br />

our lives, thinking and driving<br />

habits.”<br />

This event will surely provoke<br />

some fascinating discussions<br />

as the sands shift within the<br />

automotive industry<br />

<strong>IFA</strong> <strong>International</strong> is a CLEVERDIS Publication • 65 avenue Jules Cantini - Tour Méditerranée – 13006 Marseille, France • Tel: + 33 442 77 46 00 • Fax: + 33 442 77 46 01<br />

• SARL capitalised at e155,750 • VAT FR 95413604471 • RCS Marseille 413 604 471<br />

• info@cleverdis.com • www.cleverdis.com • During <strong>IFA</strong>: Press Center – Hall 6.3 – Room 201• info@ifa-international.org • www.ifa-international.org<br />

• Publisher: Gérard Lefebvre • Publishing Director: Jean-Guy Bienfait • Managing Director: Jean-François Pieri • Project Manager: Bettina Badon • Editor-in-Chief: Richard Barnes • Associate Editor: Simon King • Editorial Coordination: Melek Selin Sözmen<br />

• Editorial team: Neil Churchman, Neil Cole, Andy Fry, Julian Newby, David Smith, Bob Snyder • Photos: Stéphane Lelarge • Art Director: Hélène Beunat • Design & Page Setting: Guillaume Kaercher, Guillaume Vinrich • Marketing Manager: Nathalie Meissner.<br />

• With the participation of: Naila Ben Ghorbal, Finn-Georg Sander, Wenchao Wang, Ran Zhu.<br />

• To contact them : first name.last name@ifa-international.org<br />

• Printing: Möller Druck und Verlag GmbH, Ahrensfelde OT Blumberg, Germany • Cover: © ElectronicPartner © CLEVERDIS <strong>2018</strong> - Registration of Copyright September <strong>2018</strong><br />

Information presented in this publication is purely indicative in order to illustrate subjects contained therein. No guarantee can be given as to the accuracy of data or content at time of printing and thus the latter should not be used for professional or commercial ends. While all efforts have been made as to accuracy and pertinence of<br />

content and data contained in this publication, CLEVERDIS may in no case be held responsible for the consequences, whatever their nature may be, that may result from the interpretation of this data or content, or any eventual errors therein. Any reproduction of the content of this publication, even partial, by any means whatsoever,<br />

is strictly prohibited without the prior autorisation of the publisher. Any copy, whether by photography, photography film, magnetic tape, disc or other means constitutes a forgery, liable to punishment under French law according to the legislation of 11 th March 1957 covering copyright. All brands cited in this publication are registered<br />

trade marks and/or belong to companies which are their respective proprietors. The publishers and editorial staff decline all responsibility as to opinions formulated in this publication by those interviewed or cited therein. Their opinions are entirely their own, and are included with the understanding that they contain, to our knowledge,<br />

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<strong>IFA</strong> <strong>International</strong> • Tuesday 4 th September <strong>2018</strong><br />

3


NEWS<br />

Hall 3.1<br />

Stand 102<br />

Haier steps-up growth<br />

across Europe<br />

Haier has outlined ambitious plans for Europe,<br />

announcing that it will invest €860.5m over<br />

four years to develop its business across the<br />

continent.<br />

The company said it will “disproportionately”<br />

accelerate growth in Europe by investing in<br />

11 new areas on the continent, mainly in<br />

Eastern Europe and the Nordics to become a<br />

“premium leader” in the region.<br />

The Chinese appliances giant said it hopes<br />

to raise the money through an initial public<br />

offering on the China Europe <strong>International</strong><br />

Exchange (CEINEX). If successful, it will be<br />

the first Chinese company to sell so-called<br />

D-shares on the CEINEX, a joint venture<br />

between Deutsche Boerse and Shanghai<br />

Stock Exchange agreed in 2015.<br />

Haier, which also owns New Zealand<br />

premium appliance brand Fisher and Paykel,<br />

said it planned to issue 400 million D-shares,<br />

but the timing of the listing has not been<br />

revealed.<br />

Haier, which had a global market share of<br />

14.2% in 2017 according to Euromonitor,<br />

says it plans to grow five times faster than<br />

the market in Europe, where it currently has<br />

a 2.3% market share.<br />

It says its growth strategy to become<br />

a “premium leader” in Europe will be<br />

a combination of organic growth and<br />

acquisitions.<br />

The w860.5m raised from the IPO will be<br />

spent on building its brand, investing in the<br />

IoT, design innovation and geographical<br />

expansion. Haier said it would spend between<br />

€20m and €60m on media investment in each<br />

European country where it has a presence.<br />

Backing its promise of moving into the<br />

premium end of the market, Haier is<br />

launching a number of new products into<br />

Europe at <strong>IFA</strong>, from its state-of-the-art fivedoor<br />

F+ fridge-freezer to its Duo Dry range of<br />

double-drum washer and dryers, and a new<br />

partnership with Amazon for its connected<br />

range.<br />

Yannick Fierling, CEO of Haier Europe, said:<br />

“<strong>IFA</strong> <strong>2018</strong> is for Haier the opportunity to<br />

reveal its strong European ambitions through<br />

the presentation of an extremely wide range<br />

of innovations”<br />

Hall 3.1<br />

Stand 102<br />

ADVERTORIAL<br />

DURABILITY, PRECISION<br />

AND CONVENIENCE<br />

From the first electromagnetic<br />

clipper, invented by Leo J. Wahl<br />

in 1919, up to almost 100 years<br />

later, quality and innovation<br />

have been the cornerstones<br />

of every Wahl product. At this<br />

year’s <strong>IFA</strong>, Wahl presents its<br />

new Aqua Groom, providing<br />

another powerful solution for<br />

male grooming thanks to its<br />

lithium-ion 2.0 technology and<br />

full rinsability.<br />

The Aqua Groom’s new battery<br />

technology gives users 180<br />

minutes of runtime after only<br />

60 minutes of charging. The<br />

diamond-ground bladeset<br />

provides ultimate precision and<br />

durability for a perfect cutting<br />

performance.<br />

The unit is fully showerproof<br />

and can therefore be rinsed<br />

clean and used under the<br />

shower, depending on the<br />

preference of the user.<br />

Thanks to its ergonomic design<br />

and no-slip grip, grooming will<br />

feel effortless.<br />

HALL 7.1c / Stand 104<br />

180<br />

minutes of<br />

runtime after<br />

only 60 minutes<br />

of charging<br />

Fully<br />

showerproof<br />

and can be rinsed<br />

clean<br />

Ergonomic<br />

design<br />

and no-slip<br />

grip<br />

4


NEWS<br />

ADVERTORIAL<br />

Robart’s navigation technology<br />

powers next generation of robots<br />

Robart is demonstrating its robot artificial<br />

intelligence at <strong>IFA</strong><br />

Austrian company Robart provides AI for robot<br />

manufacturers around the world.<br />

“Our customers are<br />

brands who make robots,”<br />

Michael Schahpar, CMO<br />

and managing director<br />

of Robart, says. “We’re<br />

a systems provider for<br />

clients who make robotic<br />

products; we provide the<br />

artificial intelligence.” At<br />

<strong>IFA</strong> there are four brands<br />

of domestic robotic floor<br />

cleaners powered by Robart<br />

navigation technology.<br />

And delegates can see<br />

it in action at Robart’s<br />

<strong>IFA</strong> stand, where a robot<br />

vacuum cleaner powered<br />

by the technology engages<br />

intelligent algorithms to<br />

create a map as it moves<br />

around the Robart “house”.<br />

The map then shows up on<br />

the user’s smartphone or<br />

tablet, which is then used to<br />

give the robot instructions.<br />

“You can name the rooms<br />

on the map, and you can<br />

mark out areas where the<br />

robot is not allowed to<br />

go,” Schahpar said. “So if a<br />

child’s room is covered with<br />

toys, for example, you can<br />

tell the robot not to go in<br />

there – and it won’t, even if<br />

the door’s open.”<br />

Once the room is tidied, the<br />

user can lift the ban and the<br />

robot will go in.<br />

In another scenario, after<br />

dinner, there are breadcrumbs<br />

on the floor. The user selects<br />

the dining area on the plan<br />

and presses “clean“. The<br />

robot moves directly to<br />

the area, does its task and<br />

returns to its docking station<br />

when finished.<br />

If different rooms in the<br />

house have different types of<br />

flooring, the user can indicate<br />

this via the mobile device and<br />

the robot will change the<br />

cleaning mode.<br />

And users can interact directly<br />

with the robot, for example<br />

asking it when a certain<br />

room was last cleaned and<br />

how long it will take to do it<br />

again the next time.<br />

Robart’s navigation<br />

technology comprises<br />

the navigation sensor,<br />

mainboard, software and<br />

app connectivity. Robots can<br />

perceive the environment,<br />

reinterpret it and adapt<br />

to changes. This enables<br />

the robot to operate very<br />

efficiently.<br />

Robart was established<br />

in 2009 in Linz, Austria,<br />

and has sales subsidiaries<br />

in China, Germany and<br />

the US. With 70 patents<br />

granted or applied for, it is<br />

currently carrying out R&D<br />

for the next generation of<br />

robots.<br />

The company works<br />

outside the domestic<br />

market too, providing<br />

the AI for industrial-scale<br />

robotic cleaners, as used in<br />

supermarkets, warehouses<br />

and other industrial<br />

applications.<br />

Schahpar says that while<br />

the market for domestic<br />

robots doesn’t really exist<br />

outside floor cleaning,<br />

other household chores will<br />

be carried out by robots<br />

in the future. Meanwhile,<br />

the market for robotic<br />

floor cleaners is “moving<br />

fast. Research shows that<br />

the two most disliked<br />

household tasks are ironing<br />

then vacuuming,” he said.<br />

“So this business can only<br />

grow”<br />

Hall 6.1<br />

Stand 115<br />

www.ifa-international.org<br />

<strong>IFA</strong> <strong>International</strong> • Tuesday 4 th September <strong>2018</strong><br />

5


» AWARDS @ <strong>IFA</strong><br />

Winners of <strong>2018</strong> <strong>IFA</strong> Product Technical<br />

23 companies secure 28 prizes at world-leading awards event<br />

The <strong>IFA</strong> Product Technical Innovation<br />

Award gives a panoramic view of<br />

some of the leading global brands,<br />

23 of which have accumulatively<br />

been granted 28 awards. Winners<br />

included Bosch, Siemens, Haier,<br />

LG, Samsung, TCL, Midea, Hisense,<br />

BOE and Changhong, and cover<br />

a multitude of categories such as<br />

smart home solutions, refrigerators,<br />

washing machines, televisions, airconditioners,<br />

ovens, water purifiers.<br />

With an audience that featured more<br />

than 300 media representatives,<br />

those winners were awarded in<br />

presence of <strong>IFA</strong> ambassador Miss<br />

<strong>IFA</strong> and top management of the<br />

event organisers.<br />

In the competition, Chinese<br />

enterprises get recognised globally<br />

for their innovative technologies in<br />

all aspects, displaying of China's<br />

strength in consumer electronics<br />

technology innovation. This year,<br />

Haier was granted AI +loT Brand<br />

Gold Award and Intelligent loT<br />

Technology Gold Award for its<br />

U+ Smart Home and refrigerator<br />

(BCD-611WDIEU1). TCL won the<br />

Display Technology Gold Award for<br />

its QLED TV (X8) and the Full DC<br />

Inverter Technology Gold Award<br />

for its Inverter No-Frost Refrigerator<br />

(BCD-490WBEPF2).<br />

Midea won the Indoor Air<br />

Environment System Solution Gold<br />

Award for its microclimate regulator<br />

(KFR-72LW/BP3DN8Y-Air100 B1)<br />

and Healthy Water Purification and<br />

Drinking Technology Gold Award<br />

for the BEVERLY JL1852S-RO and<br />

MRC1985-700G.<br />

Hisense won the User Experience<br />

Gold Award for its 4K Laser TV<br />

L5; BOE won the loT Application<br />

Innovation Gold Award for its SESimagotag<br />

VUSION tag; Skyworth<br />

won the AI Interaction Innovation<br />

Gold Award for its Metz TV (65S9A)<br />

and Changhong won the Design<br />

Innovation Gold Award for its CHiQ<br />

Smart LED TV 65Q5R, while Letv<br />

won the Design and Technology<br />

Integration Innovation Gold Award<br />

for its Zero65 series.<br />

The winner of Smart Interconnected<br />

Platform Innovation Award was<br />

Tuya Smart an IoT Platform And the<br />

winner of Interactive Innovation<br />

Award Puppy Cube S.<br />

According to Orient Zhu, vice<br />

president of IDG Asia “<strong>IFA</strong> Product<br />

Technical Innovation Award offers<br />

a lot of space to grow to innovative<br />

enterprises and promotes more and<br />

more smart innovative products<br />

flooding into the market.<br />

In the future, the <strong>IFA</strong> Product<br />

Technical Innovation Award will<br />

further integrate upstream and<br />

TCL<br />

HAIER<br />

MIDEA<br />

CHANGHONG<br />

HAIER<br />

6


NEWS<br />

Innovation Award revealed<br />

downstream enterprises in the<br />

consumer electronics industry<br />

by displaying leading products,<br />

innovative technology and<br />

development trends. The award<br />

promotes strategic and innovative<br />

upgrades of smart products<br />

by strengthening research and<br />

development of related products,<br />

market applications and other<br />

aspects.”<br />

controlled with mobile phones, what<br />

kind of experience would it be? We<br />

can picture a beautiful future at <strong>IFA</strong><br />

based on all of those innovative<br />

technologies and products”<br />

For the near future, Zhu sees<br />

exponential growth in the smart<br />

home segment. He said: “Think<br />

about it. If everything around us<br />

in our houses can be automatically<br />

regulated and set up, rather than<br />

LETV<br />

SKYWORTH<br />

BOE<br />

HISENSE<br />

TUYA<br />

PUPPY<br />

www.ifa-international.org<br />

<strong>IFA</strong> <strong>International</strong> • Tuesday 4 th September <strong>2018</strong><br />

7


NEWS<br />

© Messe Berlin GmbH<br />

<strong>IFA</strong> NEXT: the showroom of the future<br />

<strong>IFA</strong> NEXT, now in its second year at <strong>IFA</strong>, is drawing large<br />

crowds and providing a vibrant insight into the future shape<br />

and scope of world consumer electronics.<br />

The global innovation hub is both a<br />

meeting place and a market place,<br />

bringing together researchers and<br />

industry professionals while giving<br />

startups and retailers the chance to<br />

show off their wares.<br />

The forum has virtually doubled<br />

in size since its first iteration, with<br />

about 200 exhibitors - around 150<br />

of them startups - covering 6000<br />

square metres of floorspace. For<br />

exhibitors, this means even more<br />

B2B possibilities as newcomers,<br />

established innovation leaders and<br />

R&D institutes all rub shoulders on<br />

the showfloor.<br />

Among the eye-catching and<br />

novel applications and products is<br />

the Merge Cube, an augmented<br />

reality system that enables kids to<br />

“virtually” hold objects such as<br />

museum exhibits, or even entire<br />

solar systems, in their hands while<br />

manipulating them in 3D. The<br />

Merge Cube works with phones,<br />

tablets and goggles, and features<br />

hundreds of curated apps for a<br />

wide variety of educational and<br />

entertainment experiences.<br />

Innovations designed to make life<br />

easier in the home are another<br />

feature this year. The Foldimate is<br />

a compact unit that swiftly folds<br />

clothes and household linen, doing<br />

in seconds what might take many<br />

minutes in the home. Items are fed<br />

into the top of the Foldimate and<br />

emerge neatly folded. Foldimate is<br />

planning early shipments in the US<br />

at the end of next year, with a roll<br />

out to other regions worldwide to<br />

follow.<br />

FridgeCam from Smarter.am turns<br />

any fridge into a smart fridge, taking<br />

the guesswork out of keeping your<br />

refrigerator stocked. Its wireless<br />

camera takes a photograph of the<br />

contents every time you close the<br />

fridge door, transmitting it directly<br />

to your smartphone, wherever you<br />

are. The device can also monitor<br />

“best before” dates with a special<br />

tracker that warns users when<br />

foodstuffs are about to go out of<br />

date.<br />

Children and babies are the focus<br />

of many of the new ideas on<br />

show. Finnish firm Lullame offers<br />

a solution to the age-old problem<br />

of getting infants to sleep naturally.<br />

The special breathable mattress,<br />

designed to fit standard European<br />

crib sizes, uses a system of hidden<br />

rollers to rock a child to sleep.<br />

Parents can operate it remotely. All<br />

moving parts are kept safely away<br />

from the baby and the firm says<br />

the Lullame works by helping to<br />

recreate the calming movement of<br />

the mother’s womb.<br />

Berlin-based firm Mitte is<br />

showcasing what it says is the<br />

world’s first smart home system<br />

for purifying and enhancing<br />

domestic drinking water. Drawing<br />

its inspiration from the natural<br />

water cycle, the machine initially<br />

purifies water - the company says<br />

it is sixty times cleaner than regular<br />

pitcher water filters. After the<br />

cleansing process, bespoke mineral<br />

combinations from a cartridge<br />

system can be added to the water<br />

based on a user’s lifestyle and taste.<br />

The whole system is linked to a<br />

control centre on Mitte’s mobile<br />

app.<br />

Solar power experts Sonnen<br />

Republik specialise in portable and<br />

foldable solar panels for people<br />

who want to recharge mobile<br />

devices on the move or in remote<br />

locations far from a traditional<br />

power source. Among other<br />

products on their stand, they are<br />

featuring the SolarBee, a high-tech<br />

combination of a miniature solar<br />

power charger for USB devices,<br />

super-bright LED lamp and keyring.<br />

Its Li-polymer battery can extend<br />

smartphone talk time by up to<br />

two hours when charged. Sonnen<br />

Republik says the SolarBee has been<br />

designed to meet urgent energy<br />

needs. It takes roughly 10 hours in<br />

full sun to become fully topped-up.<br />

Alternatively it can be charged from<br />

a standard USB port<br />

Hall 26<br />

NEWCOMERS,<br />

ESTABLISHED<br />

INNOVATION<br />

LEADERS AND<br />

R&D INSTITUTES<br />

ALL RUB<br />

SHOULDERS<br />

ON THE<br />

SHOWFLOOR.<br />

www.ifa-international.org<br />

<strong>IFA</strong> <strong>International</strong> • Tuesday 4 th September <strong>2018</strong><br />

9


NEWS<br />

The race to a self-driving future<br />

Autonomous transport is fast becoming a reality<br />

Bobbie Seppelt is a research<br />

scientist at Massachusetts<br />

Institute of Technology Age<br />

Lab and chair of autonomous<br />

driving for the Society of<br />

Automotive Engineers. We<br />

asked her to give us a short<br />

overview of her presentation<br />

at Shift Automotive.<br />

Several technology and automotive<br />

companies are testing highly<br />

automated vehicles on public roads,<br />

and many vehicles available today can<br />

be driven with the assistance of semiautomated<br />

systems. As ride share<br />

services and traditional automotive<br />

OEMs race toward a self-driving<br />

future, consumers are confronted<br />

with the realities of transitional forms<br />

of automation. The implications of<br />

what these present-day forms of<br />

automation have on our trust and<br />

reliance will be described within a<br />

broader discussion on how to keep<br />

the human at the centre of an<br />

automated vehicle system along the<br />

road to a self-driving future.<br />

What does your work entail at<br />

the Massachusetts Institute of<br />

Technology Age Lab and the<br />

Society of Automotive Engineers?<br />

I am technical lead on two academic<br />

industry partnerships focused on<br />

developing next generation driver<br />

attention measurement tools, and on<br />

understanding ‘in the wild’ use of invehicle<br />

technologies in productionlevel<br />

driving automation systems. I<br />

am also active in several national and<br />

international initiatives to identify<br />

and frame human-centred issues<br />

related to driving automation.<br />

How will autonomous driving<br />

change human transport?<br />

It has the potential to increase<br />

mobility for disadvantaged and<br />

disabled communities; improve onroad<br />

safety; and will shift the role of<br />

humans from drivers to supervisors.<br />

Can you explain the emerging<br />

cross-over between automotive<br />

and consumer electronics?<br />

Consumer electronics runs on a<br />

continuous innovative platform,<br />

with OEMs having 4-5-year design<br />

cycles. Electronics technology<br />

necessarily bleeds into vehicle design<br />

and development because of its<br />

faster design cycle and influential<br />

computing and AI developments.<br />

How important is it to have<br />

a platform like the Shift<br />

Automotive in order to foster<br />

thought leadership in these<br />

fields?<br />

It’s incredibly important for fuelling<br />

human-centric, affective design that<br />

considers both safety and comfort<br />

to ensure longer-term adoption and<br />

improved mobility across all ages<br />

Bobbie Seppelt<br />

Research scientist, Massachusetts<br />

Institute of Technology Age Lab and chair<br />

of autonomous driving for the Society of<br />

Automotive Engineers<br />

Today at 4:55PM<br />

<strong>IFA</strong> Next Hall 26b<br />

GRAND THEATER<br />

10


NEWS<br />

The ethical side of emerging<br />

technologies<br />

Wendell Wallach is a consultant, ethicist, and<br />

scholar at Yale University’s Interdisciplinary<br />

Centre for Bioethics. He has an international<br />

reputation as an expert on the ethical and<br />

governance concerns posed by emerging<br />

technologies, particularly artificial intelligence<br />

and neuroscience. Following his presentation at<br />

the <strong>IFA</strong>+ Summit, he spoke to <strong>IFA</strong> <strong>International</strong><br />

about his work.<br />

I am best known for<br />

work on ethical issues<br />

and societal impact<br />

issues. I have co-authored<br />

one book called Moral<br />

machines: Teaching robots<br />

right from wrong, which<br />

was the first book to really<br />

look comprehensively<br />

at whether we could<br />

implement moral<br />

decision-making faculties<br />

in computers and robots;<br />

and my more recent book<br />

was called A dangerous<br />

master: How to keep<br />

technology from slipping<br />

beyond our control. I focus<br />

particularly on risks and<br />

undesirable consequences<br />

and how we can<br />

ameliorate those through<br />

ethics, engineering and<br />

oversight.<br />

What are your main<br />

concerns around<br />

emerging autonomous<br />

and self-driving<br />

technologies?<br />

There are hundreds of<br />

concerns I have posed, but<br />

at the <strong>IFA</strong>+ Summit I laid<br />

out the broad problems.<br />

What are the broader<br />

issues in moving down<br />

the road to increasing<br />

autonomy, particularly<br />

around responsibility,<br />

culpability and liability?<br />

What was your key<br />

message to delegates at<br />

the <strong>IFA</strong>+ Summit around<br />

AI?<br />

The joy is that there<br />

are hundreds, if not<br />

thousands, of people<br />

jumping into the arena.<br />

However, there are times<br />

that people’s ideas are<br />

relatively naïve, so I am<br />

taking the opportunity to<br />

help shape their education<br />

and understanding, and<br />

how we start to think<br />

about some of the policy<br />

agendas. Instead of silo<br />

thinking, people should<br />

be thinking systemically<br />

about how all these<br />

factors affect each other<br />

Wendell Wallach<br />

Consultant, ethicist, and scholar<br />

Yale University’s Interdisciplinary<br />

Centre for Bioethics<br />

THERE ARE<br />

HUNDREDS, IF NOT<br />

THOUSANDS, OF<br />

PEOPLE JUMPING<br />

INTO THE ARENA<br />

www.ifa-international.org<br />

<strong>IFA</strong> <strong>International</strong> • Tuesday 4 th September <strong>2018</strong><br />

11


12


NEWS<br />

Be inspired - be you!<br />

Anouk Groen is a design trend forecaster for the<br />

respected CMF blog and owner of RNA Design<br />

NV. On Monday she gave an “Expert Talk” at <strong>IFA</strong><br />

Global Markets in which she provided insights into<br />

future trends. Here she shares her thoughts with<br />

<strong>IFA</strong> <strong>International</strong>:<br />

As serial trade show visitors,<br />

we analyse what’s new,<br />

interesting, and can inspire<br />

future design and styling of<br />

client products. We present<br />

the trend directions through<br />

mood boards, films and<br />

stories. The result is the<br />

annual Trend Inspiration<br />

Report, which is a visual<br />

journey through the latest<br />

CMF forecast supported by<br />

the social trends that drive<br />

them.<br />

After a period of social and<br />

political turmoil, it’s time to<br />

rise up to the challenge of<br />

the changing markets, break<br />

away from old formulas and<br />

evolve. The following three<br />

creative directions are the<br />

motivational movements<br />

that we see influencing the<br />

Anouk Groen<br />

Design trend forecaster,<br />

CMF blog<br />

Owner, RNA Design NV<br />

design trends.<br />

Life Adventure: This social<br />

trend represents getting<br />

back to nature. The styles<br />

are earth-inspired and<br />

classic. More people are<br />

doing amazing physical<br />

feats to change their lives<br />

or bring awareness to good<br />

causes.<br />

Be You: Self-expression and<br />

personal style. Be more<br />

daring and wild. Here we<br />

look at people who became<br />

successful against the odds<br />

- for example the late Bruce<br />

Lee, who still influences<br />

popular culture today.<br />

Mission Control:<br />

Performance and<br />

Achievement. The design<br />

styles in this category<br />

are futuristic and spaceoriented.<br />

On February 6th<br />

<strong>2018</strong>, Space X launched the<br />

Falcon Heavy rocket. This<br />

event had a positive impact<br />

on consumer motivation<br />

and allowed us to dream<br />

again of the future<br />

AN EMERGING HUB<br />

FOR KOREAN INNOVATION<br />

Usetool Toothbrush and Steriliser<br />

“We aim to look at objects<br />

that we use daily with a<br />

new perspective,” claims<br />

upcoming Korean consumer<br />

electronics and appliance<br />

company, Usetool Company,<br />

whose slogan is “think hard,<br />

design better”. The lifestyle<br />

brand was created in<br />

collaboration with Ventures<br />

Lab and Jiyoun Kim Studio<br />

in <strong>2018</strong> and is making its<br />

<strong>IFA</strong> debut with the Usetool<br />

Toothbrush.<br />

An electric or manual<br />

toothbrush, steriliser, sonic<br />

wave vibrator and charger<br />

in one, the Usetool dental<br />

kit boasts a minimalist,<br />

modular high-design<br />

aesthetic. The stand-out<br />

product is also sustainable,<br />

with users able to return the<br />

recyclable toothbrush to the<br />

manufacturer and receive a<br />

new one in return.<br />

Already the winner of an IF<br />

Design Award in <strong>2018</strong>, the<br />

electric toothbrush is only<br />

now coming to market and<br />

is being initially pitched to<br />

European consumers with<br />

a taste for stylish, hygienic<br />

and quality dental care for<br />

around €80.<br />

» STATION-Berlin<br />

HALL S1 / Stand 128<br />

Meanwhile, Network Korea<br />

is a smart home power<br />

solution provider producing<br />

IoT smart plugs and CCTV<br />

remote control devices<br />

under the 3CYS brand. The<br />

main themes of the <strong>IFA</strong><br />

Global Markets stand are IoT<br />

smart plugs including Smart<br />

PDU (Smart Home Power<br />

Control System Device)<br />

& a 1-outlet built-in plug<br />

which help users control<br />

power on/off remotely,<br />

monitor power usage<br />

history, schedule operation<br />

of home/office appliances,<br />

prevent unauthorised use,<br />

and eventually save energy<br />

based on IoT technology<br />

» STATION-Berlin<br />

HALL S1 / Stand 129<br />

Network Korea IoT power solution<br />

www.ifa-international.org<br />

<strong>IFA</strong> <strong>International</strong> • Tuesday 4 th September <strong>2018</strong><br />

13


14


TRADE TALK<br />

WE CREATE A MODERN,<br />

UNIFORM APPEARANCE AT<br />

THE POINT-OF-SALE<br />

Karl Trautmann<br />

Member of the Management Board,<br />

ElectronicPartner<br />

Celebrating + 2.5% sales in 2017<br />

Karl Trautmann, Member of the Management Board of ElectronicPartner,<br />

reflects on business over the past year<br />

In 2017, ElectronicPartner celebrated its 80 th anniversary.<br />

Concluding its anniversary year with an increase in turnover<br />

was a great success. We asked Karl Trautmann to tell us more<br />

about the company’s sales in 2017.<br />

With core sales of €1.695 billion<br />

in Germany and through the<br />

European national organisations,<br />

we increased our sales by 2.5%.<br />

Germany, the core market, was<br />

responsible for € 1.3 billion,<br />

equivalent to an increase of 2.6%<br />

in comparison with the previous<br />

year. The Netherlands, Austria and<br />

Switzerland generated €385 million,<br />

improving by 2.1% with respect<br />

to 2016. We are augmenting our<br />

experience and healthy corporate<br />

structure with innovative ideas to<br />

ensure successful performance –<br />

and we achieved it again.<br />

What “makes the difference”<br />

with your stores?<br />

Our awareness of our members’<br />

needs forms the basis of a reliable<br />

support in everyday business<br />

operations. As part of our 360°<br />

marketing concept, we create a<br />

modern, uniform appearance at<br />

the point-of-sale, on the Internet<br />

and also offline. This enables us to<br />

give EP:brand traders in Germany<br />

their prestige as a “local hero”<br />

and let them be part of a strong,<br />

uniform brand, which once again<br />

outperformed the market in 2017.<br />

How is the EP: brand developing?<br />

Although the specialist retail<br />

channel suffered another decrease<br />

of 1% in 2017 according to the GfK<br />

marketing research company, the<br />

EP: brand experienced new growth<br />

of 3.4%, which means that the<br />

success story of the quality campaign<br />

is continuing at a sustainable<br />

level. Market advancement will<br />

be maintained this year as well<br />

with new approaches to advanced<br />

training and company succession.<br />

MEDIMAX seems to be going<br />

well… benefitting from online<br />

distribution. Please tell us more.<br />

About 16 months after it started,<br />

the turnover of the online shop<br />

continues to increase in importance<br />

at MEDIMAX. The reservation<br />

function has established itself as a<br />

significant customer magnet. With<br />

a pick-up rate of over 50 per cent,<br />

it has created a bridge between<br />

the web and the PoS. “We’re<br />

celebrating MEDIMAXIMAL” is<br />

the motto for <strong>2018</strong> for the 130<br />

locations of this retail chain in<br />

Germany. The brand’s 30 th birthday<br />

is the focus of a strong consumer<br />

campaign to raise interest. The<br />

football World Cup and the 30 th<br />

anniversary of MEDIMAX are just<br />

two positive influences on the<br />

<strong>2018</strong> financial year. Our three most<br />

A VISIT TO<br />

<strong>IFA</strong> IS A MUST TO<br />

GATHER FIRST-<br />

HAND KNOWLEDGE<br />

AND INSIGHT<br />

important brands have sharpened<br />

their profiles – we’re ready to meet<br />

the challenges in our industry again.<br />

There are reasons for excitement in<br />

retail for <strong>2018</strong>, such as the triumph<br />

of voice control and increasing<br />

interconnectivity.<br />

What are the main goals of your<br />

partnership with <strong>IFA</strong>?<br />

The <strong>IFA</strong> is the leading event of our<br />

industry and in my opinion the<br />

most important event of the year.<br />

All relevant brands present their<br />

innovations and concepts here. This<br />

provides an outlook on the future<br />

of the industry. In today’s world,<br />

where consumers are usually well<br />

informed, a visit to <strong>IFA</strong> is a must to<br />

gather first-hand knowledge and<br />

an insight on key trends.<br />

What are you noting as being<br />

the main trends in the market in<br />

terms of demand (sweet spots)?<br />

Voice control and increasing<br />

interconnectivity drive the market.<br />

<strong>IFA</strong> is still the best place to<br />

experience how different categories<br />

like white goods and mobile grow<br />

together and develop exciting new<br />

features.<br />

How important is <strong>IFA</strong> as a<br />

networking platform for you?<br />

We recommend our members <strong>IFA</strong> as<br />

a must see and the most important<br />

fair in our business field. Besides<br />

getting an impression of trends<br />

and innovations, networking and<br />

exchange are also very important<br />

during <strong>IFA</strong><br />

www.ifa-international.org<br />

<strong>IFA</strong> <strong>International</strong> • Tuesday 4 th September <strong>2018</strong><br />

15


EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW<br />

OUR PRODUCTS<br />

CAN BE INTEGRATED<br />

INTO SMART HOME<br />

SYSTEMS.<br />

Harald Friedrich<br />

Managing Director,<br />

Robert Bosch Home Appliances<br />

Individual solutions for<br />

perfect results<br />

Bosch is unveiling a wealth of innovations at <strong>IFA</strong><br />

Harald Friedrich, managing director of Robert Bosch Home<br />

Appliances, says at <strong>IFA</strong> the company is showing innovative<br />

product solutions for individual household needs, from design<br />

to networking. We started by asking him to tell us about<br />

some of these latest innovations in the cleaning categories of<br />

washing and vacuuming.<br />

This year’s <strong>IFA</strong> has been a great<br />

event for us because there has been<br />

a lot of interest from the media and<br />

the Bosch products have had very<br />

good exposure to the public. One of<br />

the key products is a washer-dryer,<br />

the WDU28640 which includes the<br />

i-Dos function, so it’s what we call<br />

a fully automatic washing machine,<br />

because you just load the washing,<br />

you choose your programme and<br />

push the start button.<br />

Everything else is done by sensors<br />

which detect the weight of the<br />

load, the level of soiling and also<br />

the different types of materials.<br />

Depending on this, the machine<br />

doses the perfect amount of<br />

detergent, so you don’t waste any<br />

detergent, but always get a perfect<br />

result.<br />

We have cascaded the i-Dos<br />

feature down from our top series,<br />

home professional, via the series 8<br />

and into series 6 to make it more<br />

relevant for the medium price<br />

segments.<br />

16<br />

What extra “support” does<br />

Home Connect offer owners of<br />

this washer-dryer?<br />

This washer-dryer also includes the<br />

Home Connect function, which<br />

gives users additional programmes.<br />

There are 12 programmes on the<br />

machine, but with Home Connect,<br />

for example, there is an extra duvet<br />

programme which consumers don’t<br />

need all year round, but if they<br />

want to use it, they can select it in<br />

the Home Connect app and send<br />

the instruction from the app to the<br />

washing machine.<br />

With software updates to Home<br />

Connect, that makes the machine<br />

“smart today, smart tomorrow”.<br />

We also have a steam function in<br />

this machine, so you can freshen up<br />

clothes without washing them by<br />

using a steam function only. That is<br />

quite a lot of functions to have in<br />

one machine.<br />

What innovations are you<br />

launching in floorcare?<br />

We are launching a product called<br />

Unlimited, which uses the same<br />

power packs that are in our power<br />

tools, so the packs can be swapped<br />

between power tools and this<br />

vacuum cleaner. This means that<br />

once the pack is empty, after 30<br />

minutes or so, and you want to<br />

continue cleaning, you just take<br />

the other pack and put it on and<br />

continue. With traditional cordless<br />

cleaners, this is not possible, as the<br />

packs need to be charged and then<br />

you can continue. This product is<br />

being very well received at <strong>IFA</strong>.<br />

THE DIGITAL<br />

PAI PROJECTOR<br />

MAKES ‘GUIDED<br />

COOKING’ A<br />

REALITY<br />

Can you tell us more about the<br />

digital PAI projector that is on<br />

your stand at <strong>IFA</strong>?<br />

The digital PAI projector, another<br />

interactive medium, is moving<br />

into the kitchen. It makes “guided<br />

cooking” a reality, a step-bystep<br />

method that leads to perfect<br />

results. It’s not launching in Europe.<br />

The plan is to launch it in China<br />

next Spring – Europe has not yet<br />

been determined. China is a test<br />

market because consumers like<br />

innovative technologies, so we’ll<br />

see what happens then and think<br />

about where to launch it.<br />

What does the future of<br />

connected appliances look like?<br />

The trend for the next few years is<br />

clearly connectivity – connectivity<br />

that goes beyond the kitchen into<br />

the whole home, so our products<br />

can be integrated into smart home<br />

systems.<br />

Voice control with Alexa is across<br />

the range for almost all products –<br />

by the end of the year all products<br />

with Home Connect will have<br />

Alexa. If you are in the living room,<br />

you can ask your washing machine<br />

if the laundry is already finished –<br />

because the washing machine is in<br />

the basement and you don’t want<br />

to go there if it’s not yet finished –<br />

and Alexa will give you the answer.<br />

Looking ahead, we are going to<br />

continuously develop hardware and<br />

we will put a big focus on all these<br />

services which can be sent through<br />

the software, like Home Connect


EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW<br />

Sage rolls out across Europe<br />

David Gubbin, General Manager Europe, Sage Appliances – on the European<br />

roadmap for the Australian appliance company<br />

Sage is at <strong>IFA</strong> for the first time, and is opening<br />

a number of eyes. We asked the company’s<br />

European GM, David Gubbin, firstly to tell us<br />

more about the company.<br />

how big we are around the<br />

world, and show everyone<br />

what we will be throughout<br />

Europe in hopefully a short<br />

time.<br />

We are part of the Breville<br />

Group out of Australia. It’s a<br />

family business that started<br />

in the 30’s. We’ve become<br />

an innovation business<br />

over the years, and we are<br />

publically listed now. For<br />

many reasons, we had to<br />

launch under another brand<br />

name in Europe, and that<br />

was Sage. We launched<br />

in the UK in 2013, and it’s<br />

been very successful. We<br />

have flipped a few of our<br />

distributors throughout<br />

Europe – around 14 other<br />

countries with Sage, and<br />

we launched in Germany in<br />

April this year.<br />

What is your background<br />

with the company?<br />

I am a 15-year veteran.<br />

Started off in sales, headed<br />

up a group of the designers<br />

at one stage when we<br />

designed the dual-boiler<br />

machines, got into<br />

marketing, and then they<br />

sent me over here, because<br />

I’d had a bit of experience in<br />

everything.<br />

What are the key<br />

differentiation factors of<br />

the machines?<br />

We don’t look at everyone<br />

else’s machines and try to<br />

design a better domestic<br />

machine. We have studied<br />

commercial machines<br />

and domesticated those<br />

machines, living within the<br />

commercial world’s rules.<br />

In our presentation at the<br />

Innovations Media Briefing<br />

in Berlin, we did a side-byside<br />

comparison next to a<br />

fifteen-thousand-pound<br />

commercial machine, with<br />

a Barista, just to show that<br />

someone can do what a<br />

coffee shop can truly do,<br />

using a machine that costs<br />

only €400.<br />

What are your future<br />

plans for Europe?<br />

I can’t give you all our plans<br />

right now as there are a lot<br />

of discussions going on at<br />

the moment. But you can<br />

see we are Sage within<br />

the Nordics, Baltics, out of<br />

Czech Republic, Germany,<br />

UK… the rest we will leave<br />

up to guessing. One of the<br />

key things for us is that<br />

rather than have distributors<br />

with their brand names on<br />

our products, if we have one<br />

consolidated brand we can<br />

market strongly against the<br />

bigger players as well; so we<br />

can be a big players versus<br />

the big players as opposed<br />

to small companies versus<br />

these big guys.<br />

How important is <strong>IFA</strong> as a<br />

platform for you?<br />

This shows everyone in<br />

Europe the company that<br />

we actually are. We are<br />

bringing around 20 new<br />

products to the German<br />

market, because our<br />

previous distributor of these<br />

products only had a small<br />

range. So, people will see<br />

how big we are. We have<br />

52 different products, plus<br />

coloured versions of those<br />

ready to go. I guess it’s just<br />

to show our size, show<br />

our professionalism, show<br />

An Australian company<br />

pushing into Europe like<br />

this is a bit of an eye<br />

opener, especially given<br />

the number of already<br />

strong existing players<br />

here…<br />

We launched in the States<br />

in 2002, and we are one of<br />

the biggest premium brands<br />

there. We followed that up<br />

with Canada and the UK,<br />

so we have been successful<br />

in each market in which we<br />

have rolled-out. Germany<br />

is very different, due to the<br />

landscape of the retailers,<br />

and consumers are slightly<br />

different everywhere, but<br />

we are fairly confident that<br />

the product will be seen for<br />

what it is, as it is around the<br />

world.<br />

Will you be creating any<br />

promotional campaigns?<br />

We are very big digital asset<br />

marketers. YouTube content<br />

is our biggest driver, and we<br />

have started a campaign<br />

based on the espresso<br />

machines. If you go on our<br />

Australian or US websites<br />

you will see reams and<br />

reams of content. That will<br />

very quickly follow through<br />

into the German market<br />

and across Europe<br />

David Gubbin<br />

General Manager Europe, Sage Appliances<br />

WE HAVE<br />

52 DIFFERENT<br />

PRODUCTS,<br />

PLUS COLOURED<br />

VERSIONS OF<br />

THOSE READY TO<br />

GO<br />

www.ifa-international.org<br />

<strong>IFA</strong> <strong>International</strong> • Tuesday 4 th September <strong>2018</strong><br />

17


CLEAN<br />

LIFESTYLE<br />

<strong>IFA</strong><br />

Home<br />

Appliances<br />

Big is beautiful in domestic appliances<br />

Sales of dishwashers, tumble dryers, vacuum cleaners and washing<br />

machines remain strong<br />

15%<br />

Washing machines with<br />

a capacity of 9kg or more<br />

grew by 15% in the first<br />

half of <strong>2018</strong><br />

Source: GfK<br />

56%<br />

Sales of cordless<br />

handstick vacuum<br />

cleaners jumped 56% in<br />

the first half of <strong>2018</strong><br />

Source: gfu<br />

Washing machines are a household essential and<br />

manufacturers have forged ahead with innovative products<br />

in the market for laundry appliances. The capacity of the<br />

drum in a typical washing machine was 6kg around five<br />

years ago and now the high-capacity segment is for the first<br />

time bigger than any other single-kg segment.<br />

Capacity is the keyword that<br />

drives all major markets. This<br />

translates into increasingly larger<br />

loading capacities in washing<br />

machines. Other advancements<br />

include connected appliances<br />

and higher energy efficiency, all<br />

of which encourage consumers<br />

to pay extra when they buy an<br />

appliance,<br />

lives. Expectations are high when<br />

it comes to smart appliances.<br />

In the first half of <strong>2018</strong>, China<br />

alone accounted for nearly 50%<br />

of all smart appliances sold, and<br />

growth rates are still around 30%.<br />

In Asia-Pacific, 23% of MDA sales<br />

were smart appliances compared<br />

to only 10% in Western or Eastern<br />

Europe.<br />

cleaners (+17%t) – adding<br />

convenience by making additional<br />

wet wiping redundant.<br />

Connectivity is becoming<br />

increasingly important for the<br />

vacuum cleaner category. The<br />

value-based market share of<br />

connected appliances increased<br />

by 75% to €1.2bn in the first<br />

half of <strong>2018</strong>. This sales jump<br />

was mainly impacted by vacuum<br />

cleaner robots with triple-digit<br />

growth<br />

75.3%<br />

Dishwasher penetration<br />

sits at 75.3% in Germany,<br />

at 54.9% in France and<br />

as low as 43.1% in the<br />

UK<br />

Source: Euromonitor <strong>International</strong><br />

In the first six months of <strong>2018</strong>,<br />

GfK reported that the global<br />

major domestic appliances<br />

(MDA) market – which covers<br />

fridges, ovens, home laundry and<br />

dishwashers – grew 3.5%. For<br />

the full year, GfK expects total<br />

sales of €178bn.<br />

INNOVATIONS SPARK THE<br />

PREMIUM MARKET SPACES<br />

Growing wealth among<br />

consumers, especially in<br />

developed countries, meets with<br />

a high willingness to purchase<br />

technical consumer goods.<br />

Digitisation is treated as a priority<br />

and consumers are openly taking<br />

on connectivity and integrated<br />

digital solutions into their daily<br />

SALES OF HANDSTICK VACUUM<br />

CLEANERS DRIVING FLOORCARE<br />

CATEGORY<br />

Convenience is becoming<br />

increasingly important for SDA<br />

success globally. In the area of<br />

floor cleaning, cordless handstick<br />

vacuum cleaners continue<br />

their success story. Even the<br />

considerable sales growth of<br />

recent years has been exceeded<br />

and the sales volume is now over<br />

€1.8bn, up 51% in the first half<br />

of <strong>2018</strong>.<br />

Sales of robot vacuum cleaners<br />

climbed considerably, up 28%<br />

in the first six months of <strong>2018</strong>,<br />

as well as emerging convenience<br />

segments like wet & dry vacuum<br />

© Messe Berlin GmbH<br />

www.ifa-international.org <strong>IFA</strong> <strong>International</strong> • Tuesday 4 th September <strong>2018</strong><br />

19


BUYERS' GUIDE<br />

CLEAN<br />

LIFESTYLE<br />

WASHING MACHINES<br />

MARKET<br />

Capacity is the keyword that drives<br />

all major markets. This translates<br />

into growing loading capacities<br />

in washing machines. As an<br />

example, washing machines with<br />

9 kg or more capacity grew by<br />

almost 15% and this high capacity<br />

segment for the first time is bigger<br />

than any other single-kg segment<br />

worldwide.<br />

Growing wealth, especially in<br />

developed countries meets with<br />

a high willingness to invest. This<br />

results increasingly in choosing<br />

premium priced products that offer<br />

added value. An exceptional value<br />

driver is the segment of washerdryers,<br />

which grew by 18% and<br />

now represent 16% of global<br />

washing machine sales.<br />

As these appliances are sold at<br />

a premium price versus washing<br />

machines without drying function,<br />

this sales dynamic contributes to<br />

growth of premium segments.<br />

Despite this, the actual prices<br />

within washer-dryers keep on<br />

decreasing, even when capacities<br />

are growing permanently and 8kg<br />

or 9kg loading is already standard.<br />

STATE OF PLAY<br />

Like the rest of the major domestic appliances market,<br />

the washing machine category is healthy, growing yearon-year<br />

and we expect future positive developments<br />

because of consumer interest in smart appliances.<br />

While the price, length of lifecycle and question of value<br />

are adoption barriers for some consumers, the overall<br />

story is that the smart appliances market is growing<br />

fast - especially in China. In 2017, China represented<br />

almost 60% of the global smart appliances market; by<br />

contrast Western Europe accounted for 12%.<br />

INNOVATIONS TO LOOK FOR AT <strong>IFA</strong><br />

SMART WASHING<br />

For the very latest technology,<br />

you can even opt for a model<br />

with built-in Wi-Fi or smart<br />

control, which lets you control<br />

your model on the go.<br />

Smart appliances represent<br />

just 3% of global shipments of<br />

washing machines, however<br />

Wi-Fi capabilities are already<br />

embedded in many kitchen and<br />

laundry products – they are<br />

merely awaiting activation by<br />

manufacturers.<br />

Wireless Wi-Fi connectivity<br />

allows appliances to be remotely<br />

monitored, controlled or<br />

upgraded. Several major OEMs<br />

have integrated either Amazon<br />

Alexa or Google Assistant in their<br />

washing machines.<br />

CLOTHING CARE<br />

Washing machines are packed full<br />

of tech that looks after your clothes.<br />

This includes steam and easy iron<br />

functions that will keep your shirts<br />

bright, fresh and crinkle free. There are<br />

also automatic programmes that use<br />

the perfect amount of water, to give<br />

your clothes the best clean and save<br />

energy.<br />

New technology from manufacturers<br />

aims to keep laundry fresh even<br />

hours after the cycle has finished.<br />

The innovation gently massages the<br />

garments with regular, slow, drum<br />

movements alternated with injections<br />

of steam. The combination of<br />

movement and steam allows the air to<br />

penetrate the fibres, keeping garments<br />

fresh and odour free for up to six<br />

hours after the cycle has finished.<br />

SELF-DOSING<br />

ON THE RISE<br />

A number of manufacturers<br />

have launched self-dosing<br />

machines, which ensure that a<br />

perfect dose is added to the wash,<br />

every time. The feature is proving<br />

popular with consumers who are<br />

now able to let their washing<br />

machine decide how much<br />

detergent to use.<br />

Too much detergent or too little<br />

can lead to poor washing results.<br />

Sensors inside the washing<br />

machine detect the type of fabric,<br />

the load volume and the degree of<br />

soiling, and adjust the detergent<br />

to the optimum dose accordingly.<br />

Never too little, never too much,<br />

the best results are always achieved<br />

whilst saving detergent and water.<br />

CONTACT<br />

Norbert Herzog<br />

Global Strategic Insights<br />

Major Domestic Appliances<br />

GfK<br />

Norbert.Herzog@gfk.com<br />

THE FUTURE<br />

The future of the washing<br />

machine category points to<br />

smart products. In the future, it is<br />

predicted that washing machines<br />

with completely bespoke<br />

custom programmes which are<br />

certain to impress consumers.<br />

Connected washing machines in<br />

the future will be able to order<br />

detergent automatically with<br />

the machine pinging a message<br />

to smartphones. Apps from<br />

brands will also enable users to<br />

download programmes for smart<br />

washing machines to handle<br />

specific stains.<br />

INNOVATING @ <strong>IFA</strong><br />

GORENJE GETS WAVEACTIVE<br />

Gorenje has unveiled its latest generation of<br />

washers and dryers at <strong>IFA</strong>. The Red Dot awarded<br />

WaveActive series comes in four assortment lines,<br />

covering a wide spectrum of consumer needs.<br />

WaveActive products offer a range of relevant and<br />

intuitive features – many of them patented and<br />

introduced to the market for the first time – to<br />

provide optimal care for the most delicate fabrics.<br />

» HALL 1.1 / STAND 201<br />

HAIER PROPOSES PROFESSIONAL<br />

LAUNDRY RESULTS AT HOME<br />

Haier says its Super Drum series is a gamechanging<br />

innovation for consumers who want<br />

professional laundry results in the comfort of<br />

their own home. Combining big capacity and a<br />

sleek design, the product provides an all-in-one<br />

solution for washing, drying and refreshing.<br />

With a 10kg washing capacity and 6kg for<br />

drying, the Super Drum is ideal for large families.<br />

» HALL 3.1 / STAND 102<br />

20


CLEAN LIFESTYLE<br />

WASHING MACHINES / DRYERS<br />

PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT<br />

<strong>IFA</strong><br />

Home<br />

Appliances<br />

KEY SELLING POINTS<br />

HARNESSING THE POWER<br />

OF WATER FOR A BETTER WASH<br />

1 50% faster cycle time<br />

2 Uses water circulation,<br />

making it more gentle on textiles<br />

3 More effective cleaning<br />

The Beko AquaTech washing<br />

machine provides a faster<br />

and more convenient<br />

washing cycle, delivering<br />

speed while remaining<br />

gentle and effective. The<br />

new technology harnesses<br />

the natural power of water<br />

to create a more intuitive<br />

cycle, replacing standard<br />

tumble moves with more<br />

movement of water inside the<br />

drum.<br />

The innovative Beko AquaTech<br />

washing machine works by optimising<br />

the power of water circulation to<br />

ensure a more efficient soaking of<br />

the garments and therefore a more<br />

thorough clean. The internal sensor<br />

ensures that the paddle is positioned<br />

at the top of the cycle, which then<br />

showers the contents of the washing<br />

machine with the detergent and water<br />

mix. Through smarter and shorter<br />

programmes, it will make washing<br />

more convenient and speed up the<br />

whole process.<br />

» HALL 23 / Stand 101<br />

HOOVER LAUNCHES<br />

FLAGSHIP AXI<br />

WASHING MACHINE<br />

KEY SELLING POINTS<br />

KEY SELLING POINTS<br />

1 Voice activated<br />

2 Large load capacity<br />

3 Fabric and stain<br />

recognition<br />

KEY SELLING POINTS<br />

1 Washing machine door opens<br />

with a light push<br />

2 Sleek surface repels fingerprints and<br />

corrosion<br />

3 TwinWash allows users to wash two<br />

separate loads simultaneously<br />

Hoover has brought to <strong>IFA</strong> its new AIequipped<br />

AXI washing machine, a top<br />

of the range unit boasting direct voice<br />

control and the company’s TED fabric<br />

and stain recognition system.<br />

All the major functions of the AXI<br />

can be controlled with ease by spoken<br />

instructions, while Hoover’s TED system<br />

takes care of monitoring fabric and<br />

stains, and even provides advice on how<br />

to tailor the wash for maximum cleaning<br />

via a dedicated app.<br />

All this advanced smart technology<br />

comes in a stylish and practical package.<br />

The AXI has a 14-kilogram load capacity,<br />

which means better washing quality,<br />

because clothes have more space for the<br />

cleaning motion and detergents to act<br />

on them.<br />

The AXI also has an excellent energy<br />

saving rating, and is whisper-quiet.<br />

Its A+++ rating is the highest ecoefficiency<br />

rating available.<br />

» HALL 9 / Stand 109<br />

LG SIGNATURE: SLEEK AND DURABLE<br />

The unique-looking LG Signature<br />

washing machine is an advanced<br />

version of the LG TwinWash.<br />

The premium 24-inch frontload<br />

washing machine is more<br />

durable, more convenient and<br />

more sophisticated than ever<br />

and features the proprietary<br />

TwinWash Mini pedestal under<br />

the main unit.<br />

The minimalistic design of the<br />

LG Signature washing machine is<br />

highlighted by the touch-enabled<br />

Quick Circle User Interface<br />

which is embedded in the glass<br />

door. Positioned at a 17º angle,<br />

the panel is easy to see when<br />

standing. The washing machine<br />

door can be opened with a slight<br />

push, useful particularly when<br />

the user’s hands are full.<br />

The machine comes equipped<br />

with LG’s proprietary Centum<br />

System which improves<br />

performance and reduces noise<br />

emissions by minimising the<br />

tub’s vibrations during a wash<br />

cycle.<br />

» HALL 18 / Stand 101<br />

MIELE SINGLEWASH<br />

ALLOWS EVEN INDIVIDUAL<br />

GARMENTS TO BE WASHED<br />

EFFICIENTLY<br />

1 Minimum Iron<br />

programme lasts 39<br />

minutes<br />

2 Connectivity and<br />

touch display are<br />

standard features<br />

3 Never overdose<br />

detergent with<br />

TwinDos<br />

Miele’s new SingleWash feature on the W1 washing machine, means<br />

that even the smallest of loads right down to a single garment can<br />

now be washed economically, fast and hygienically.<br />

SingleWash gauges water and electricity consumption and the cycle<br />

time to the precise needs of tiny loads. This feature is based on<br />

Miele’s patented PowerWash 2.0 technology with its precise, loaddependent<br />

circulation pump and Spin&Spray technology<br />

for added consumer benefits.<br />

Even with a normal load, PowerWash 2.0 ensures<br />

energy efficiency and short programme cycles. Miele<br />

says the washing machine outperforms the best A+++<br />

energy efficiency rating by 50%, even achieving this in<br />

two hours and 59 minutes.<br />

SingleWash is available as an additional option in almost<br />

all programmes. Special programmes such as Outdoor<br />

or Reproofing are exceptions as these programmes are<br />

typically used for individual garments anyway.<br />

On selection of SingleWash, the reduced cycle time is<br />

immediately visible in the display, based on up to 1kg<br />

of laundry. With larger loads, times and consumption<br />

increases accordingly.<br />

» HALL 2.1 / Stand 101<br />

www.ifa-international.org <strong>IFA</strong> <strong>International</strong> • Tuesday 4 th September <strong>2018</strong><br />

21


CLEAN LIFESTYLE<br />

STEAM CARE<br />

PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT<br />

<strong>IFA</strong><br />

Home<br />

Appliances<br />

KEY SELLING POINTS<br />

1 Quick and efficient<br />

ironing<br />

2 Heated ceramic<br />

soleplate<br />

3 Ready for use in 40<br />

seconds<br />

TEFAL ACCESS STEAM CARE<br />

Tefal says that its new steam brush Access Steam Care<br />

with heated soleplate and mini ironing board is set to<br />

revolutionise the ironing category. The company has<br />

developed the new steam brush Access Steam Care<br />

specifically to make ironing easier than ever.<br />

The compact steam brush with its unique heated<br />

ceramic soleplate is ready for use in just 40 seconds,<br />

allowing easy smoothing and freshening of all garments.<br />

Setting up a traditional ironing board is no longer<br />

required thanks to the mini ironing board which can be<br />

attached to a door frame or the wardrobe door, making<br />

it even easier to vertically smooth clothes.<br />

After usage, the ironing aid can easily be hung up in the<br />

wardrobe. The compact steam brush can also be stowed<br />

in the wardrobe or placed on the dresser, blending in<br />

with its white and silver design.<br />

» ENTRANCE SOUTH / Stand 101<br />

BRAUN CARESTYLE<br />

COMPACT IRON<br />

According to Braun, its CareStyle Compact iron<br />

combines the power of a steam generator with<br />

practical compact design and convenience, saving<br />

users 50% time and space.<br />

With its unique combination of DoubleSteam<br />

technology and the world’s first FreeGlide 3D<br />

technology, it delivers top ironing results in half the<br />

time. Inspired by snowboard design, the soleplate’s<br />

rounded and bevelled edges help the iron glide<br />

effortlessly over buttons and zips without getting<br />

stuck – even backwards.<br />

No matter how big or small your iron task may be,<br />

Braun’s iCare technology should make your ironing<br />

experience quicker and easier. Smart iCare mode<br />

protects your clothes with a safe temperature for all<br />

kind of fabrics: smart textile protection and no time<br />

wasted on heating up or cooling down.<br />

In addition, if you don’t have time to set up the<br />

ironing board, the iron offers a vertical refreshing<br />

capability to quickly freshen-up your clothes.<br />

» HALL 1.1 / Stand 202<br />

KEY SELLING POINTS<br />

KEY SELLING POINTS<br />

1 Practical compact design, which<br />

saves 50% time and space<br />

2 Powerful Double Steam<br />

Technology<br />

3 Tapered FreeGlide Soleplate<br />

KEY SELLING POINTS<br />

1 Stylish chrome and<br />

black design<br />

2 Ergonomic trigger<br />

mechanism for<br />

greater steam control<br />

3 Ultra-portable,<br />

with convenient water<br />

bottle adaptor<br />

1 The only threein-one<br />

generator<br />

which irons, smooths<br />

and purifies<br />

2 Award-winning<br />

contemporary<br />

design<br />

3 Naturally hygienic<br />

thanks to pioneering<br />

Dry Microfine System<br />

LAURASTAR LIFT XTRA:<br />

21 ST CENTURY STEAM PUNK<br />

STEAMONE’S NEW STEAM GUN<br />

Having launched in 2003, SteamOne<br />

were a pioneering European steamer<br />

manufacturer. Fifteen years later they<br />

continue to innovate, arriving at <strong>IFA</strong><br />

<strong>2018</strong> with several new products that<br />

build on their reputation in both<br />

commercial and domestic arenas.<br />

Two evolutions of the vertical steamer<br />

– the compact Minilys, and the highperformance<br />

Unilys – stand alongside<br />

the revolutionary S-Nomad. SteamOne’s<br />

new portable handheld steamer can be<br />

attached to any standard water bottle,<br />

ingeniously eliminating the need for a<br />

water tank (although it still comes with<br />

one as standard) and its ergonomic<br />

trigger can control the steam according<br />

to need.<br />

S-Nomad is ready in 45 seconds,<br />

providing steam at 25g/min via an<br />

ultra-resistant and scratch-proof<br />

stainless steel soleplate, meaning<br />

fabrics and clothes can be quickly and<br />

efficiently smoothed anywhere.<br />

» HALL 8.1 / Stand 115<br />

The culmination of nearly 40 years<br />

dedicated to researching and<br />

advancing the science of ironing<br />

systems, Swiss company Laurastar<br />

arrives at <strong>IFA</strong> <strong>2018</strong> with a new<br />

evolution of its flagship product:<br />

the Laurastar Lift Xtra. Beneath<br />

the smooth design option of two<br />

different contemporary matte<br />

colourways, Laurastar’s exclusive Dry<br />

Microfine Steam (DMS) – a system<br />

which diffuses superheated water<br />

15 times faster than the steam<br />

of a standard iron. This increased<br />

efficiency allows steam uniformly to<br />

penetrate fabrics, and as it does not<br />

contain any water molecules in a<br />

liquid state it leaves fabrics perfectly<br />

dry, preventing microorganisms from<br />

breeding.<br />

While the simple act of ironing<br />

naturally eliminates almost all<br />

bacteria and dust-mites, DMS<br />

offers an extra hygienic safeguard.<br />

Ergonomically light and portable, the<br />

Lift Xtra is ready in three minutes and<br />

powers down automatically after 10<br />

minutes of non-use. Safety, awardwinning<br />

design and revolutionary<br />

steam science combine in Laurastar’s<br />

<strong>IFA</strong> <strong>2018</strong> presentation.<br />

» HALL 4.1 / Stand 202<br />

22


CLEAN LIFESTYLE<br />

AIR & WATER PURIFIERS<br />

PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT<br />

<strong>IFA</strong><br />

Home<br />

Appliances<br />

KEY SELLING POINTS<br />

1 Connected smart air purifier<br />

2 The bright four-coloured LED<br />

ring indicates real-time air<br />

quality<br />

3 Integrated Amazon<br />

Alexa and Amazon Dash<br />

Replenishment<br />

KEY SELLING POINTS<br />

1 Compact space-saving design<br />

2 Long-lasting filter<br />

3 Strong anti-pollution<br />

capabilities<br />

SPACE-SAVING COMPACT WATER PURIFIER<br />

AIRMEGA 300S SMART<br />

ENABLED AIR PURIFIER<br />

Airmega is a connected air purifier<br />

that intelligently cleans the air in your<br />

home. Backed by Coway, a Korean<br />

company focused on inventing<br />

health-focused technologies, Airmega<br />

was launched at <strong>IFA</strong> <strong>2018</strong> and works<br />

to improve air quality, and in turn,<br />

respiratory health.<br />

What makes this product so popular<br />

is the ability to control every aspect<br />

of it from an iOS or Android device.<br />

It also has a real-time air quality<br />

monitoring system so users know<br />

exactly how fresh or polluted the<br />

surrounding air is.<br />

This machine uses an advanced<br />

set of air filters – True HEPA and<br />

Activated Carbon – that are capable<br />

of capturing 99% of volatile organic<br />

compounds and 99.97% of all other<br />

pollutants. This rating is one of the<br />

best in the industry, according to a<br />

Coway spokesperson.<br />

Another upside to this air cleaner<br />

is that the maximum air purifying<br />

coverage is 1,256sq. ft, making it<br />

suitable for most home applications.<br />

» HALL 7.1A / Stand 106<br />

Midea’s MRC1985-700G water<br />

purifier machine is 132mm<br />

wide, which is 20% smaller than<br />

conventional machines; the smaller,<br />

thinner body is a space-saver<br />

particularly in compact kitchens.<br />

The MRC1985 uses multi-film,<br />

narrow-channel technology and<br />

other patented technologies, and<br />

its core parameters such as filter<br />

membrane element performance,<br />

life, and membrane surface flow<br />

rate, are fully upgraded to achieve<br />

700G super-large flux and stronger<br />

anti-pollution capabilities – the<br />

result, an ultra long-lasting filter.<br />

» HALL 5.1 / Stand 101<br />

KEY SELLING POINTS<br />

1 Design – fits into any décor<br />

2 Unique technology –<br />

ensures air is really pure<br />

3 Quiet – silence is golden,<br />

and these devices are very<br />

quiet<br />

SOLAIR: A UNIQUE PIECE<br />

OF AIR CLEANING ART<br />

AIRFREE INTRODUCES<br />

TSS TECHNOLOGY AT <strong>IFA</strong><br />

Portugal-based Airfree products<br />

is at <strong>IFA</strong> offering a unique and<br />

effective technology - Thermodynamic<br />

Sterilisation System (TSS) -<br />

whereby they claim 99.99% of the<br />

microorganisms present in the air are<br />

destroyed at high temperatures.<br />

Through very simple operation, the<br />

air is drawn through the sterilising<br />

section of the device (where it is<br />

sterilised at high temperatures) and is<br />

returned to the environment at room<br />

temperature.<br />

At <strong>IFA</strong>, Airfree is showing its domestic<br />

lines of air purifier models, such as<br />

Lotus, Iris, P, T, Fit, as well as the<br />

new Tulip, which is inspired in the<br />

shape of a beautiful tulip. Small in<br />

size, it has the same effectiveness in<br />

air purification as all other Airfree<br />

models.<br />

» HALL 8.1 / Stand 112<br />

Dutch company Duux has<br />

launched the Solair air purifier<br />

that employs three filter layers<br />

to remove 99.97% of particles<br />

and pollutants in the air. And<br />

that means fresh air: pleasant to<br />

breathe and good for your health.<br />

The powerful motor can refresh<br />

270 cubic metres of air per hour.<br />

What’s more, because it draws<br />

in air from all sides, it’s more<br />

effective than a purifier that’s<br />

hidden away in a corner.<br />

Solair’s unique appearance,<br />

inspired by Van Gogh’s<br />

Sunflowers, allows it to be used<br />

as a showpiece in your living<br />

room. Besides its air purifying<br />

function, it also features<br />

multicolour ambient lighting to<br />

“stimulate energy, happiness,<br />

productivity or imagination,”<br />

says Duux.<br />

» HALL 8.1 / Stand 202<br />

KEY SELLING POINTS<br />

1 Powerful Motor<br />

2 Attractive aesthetic<br />

design<br />

3 Multicolour ambient<br />

lighting<br />

www.ifa-international.org <strong>IFA</strong> <strong>International</strong> • Tuesday 4 th September <strong>2018</strong><br />

23


BUYERS' GUIDE<br />

CLEAN<br />

LIFESTYLE<br />

VACUUM CLEANERS<br />

MARKET<br />

The topic of convenience is<br />

becoming increasingly important<br />

for SDA success globally. In the<br />

area of floor cleaning, cordless<br />

handstick vacuum cleaners<br />

continued their success story. Even<br />

the considerable sales growth of<br />

recent years has been exceeded and<br />

the sales volume is now over €1.8<br />

billion (+51%). Taking Germany<br />

as an example, an additional<br />

€51 million for a total revenue<br />

of €143m for cordless handstick<br />

vacuum cleaners has been realised<br />

with such devices.<br />

Sales of robot vacuum cleaners<br />

climbed considerably (+28%), as<br />

well as emerging convenience<br />

segments like wet and dry<br />

vacuum cleaners (+17%) – adding<br />

convenience by making additional<br />

wet wiping redundant.<br />

CONTACT<br />

Norbert Herzog<br />

Global Strategic Insights<br />

Major Domestic Appliances<br />

Norbert.Herzog@gfk.com<br />

STATE OF PLAY<br />

Consumers clean differently to<br />

how they did before. At one time,<br />

people would have put aside a day<br />

for cleaning. But as lifestyles and<br />

consumer interests have changed,<br />

people don’t want to spend their<br />

precious free time cleaning and<br />

are looking for solutions that<br />

make vacuuming easier and faster.<br />

In floorcare, sales of cordless,<br />

handheld vacuum cleaners are<br />

booming, driven by the need for<br />

speed and convenience.<br />

Consumers’ time is precious and<br />

INNOVATIONS TO LOOK FOR AT <strong>IFA</strong><br />

THE RISE OF<br />

CORDLESS PRODUCTS<br />

Cordless stick vacuum cleaners<br />

were definitely the success story of<br />

2017. Consumers are now aware<br />

of the simplicity and effectiveness<br />

of these products, due in part to<br />

the education done by retailers and<br />

manufacturers. Peer reviews and retailer<br />

recommendations have also played<br />

a big part in this shift and mean that<br />

people are willing to move away from<br />

previous favourites like corded upright<br />

models.<br />

Where previously the floorcare market<br />

was very much split between upright<br />

and cylinder vacuum cleaners, almost<br />

half is now made of up cordless<br />

products.<br />

Cordless vacuum cleaners tend to<br />

be lighter, which is a plus point with<br />

consumers who don’t want to carry a<br />

heavy appliance round the house.<br />

INNOVATING @ <strong>IFA</strong><br />

THE RISE OF THE ROBOTS<br />

Another area of the vacuum<br />

cleaner market that is growing,<br />

albeit from a much lower base, is<br />

robotic cleaners. While countries<br />

including Germany and Spain are<br />

making great inroads, a number<br />

of countries are lagging behind.<br />

Robotic cleaners are still within a<br />

niche sector for the foreseeable<br />

future, however, with the rise<br />

in smart, connected appliances,<br />

their appeal may increase in the<br />

coming years.<br />

Manufacturers highlight that if a<br />

robot vacuum cleaner saves users<br />

30 minutes floor cleaning per day,<br />

by the end of the year it will have<br />

saved them 7.6 days.<br />

manufacturers are committed to<br />

ensuring they can keep their homes<br />

clean without having to set aside<br />

a large chunk of time to undertake<br />

the task and miss spending quality<br />

time with their friends or loved<br />

ones.<br />

BAG OR BAGLESS?<br />

Bagless cleaners trap all the<br />

dust and dirt inside a canister,<br />

which you then have to empty<br />

into a bin. There is obviously a<br />

huge saving to be made by not<br />

having to buy replacement bags.<br />

Some people swear by bagless<br />

cleaners because it saves the<br />

hassle and expense of buying<br />

bags. But many find cleaning<br />

out the dust canister in a<br />

bagless model too much bother.<br />

For cleaning a large home,<br />

consumers need to bear in<br />

mind that bagless vacs can have<br />

a smaller dust capacity than<br />

bagged models. An average<br />

upright bagged vacuum holding<br />

around 4.2 litres of dust, and a<br />

similar bagless model holding an<br />

average of 2.6 litres).<br />

THE FUTURE<br />

The vacuum cleaner category is<br />

in a good place. Manufacturers<br />

have made leaps and bounds<br />

in cordless technology and it’s<br />

expected that <strong>2018</strong> will be<br />

the year of advances in both<br />

performance and run time.<br />

With many manufacturers already<br />

offering cordless products, as well<br />

as technology across the sector<br />

developing, there will be more<br />

and more options entering the<br />

market to overcome the big issue<br />

of time constraints – at the end of<br />

the day, a consumer with a stick<br />

vacuum cleaner still needs to<br />

invest time and effort.<br />

HOOVER H-FREE: 2-IN-1<br />

CORDLESS CLEANING<br />

H-Free is a new lightweight, cordless 2-in-1<br />

vacuum cleaner with removable handheld<br />

from Hoover. Use as a handheld for cleaning<br />

inside the car or for upholstery, or vacuum<br />

floors throughout the home with the pole<br />

and wide nozzle attachment. Bright LED<br />

lights have been fitted into the floor nozzle<br />

to illuminate areas where it might be<br />

difficult to see, such as under furniture or<br />

dark corners. The 18v lithium battery offers<br />

up to 25 minutes of cleaning time.<br />

» HALL 9 / STAND 109<br />

GORENJE EXPANDS<br />

G-FORCE RANGE<br />

Gorenje has launched the latest addition to its<br />

expanding range of vacuum cleaners, Gorenje<br />

G·Force, which are known for powerful, super<br />

silent and energy efficient (AAAA) performance.<br />

The bagless vacuum cleaner, G·Force Air Pro, boasts<br />

CylonicPower, an air technology that uses cyclonic<br />

movement for optimal dust pick up. The dust<br />

container holds 3.3 litres of dirt. The cleaner can be<br />

easily emptied.<br />

» HALL 1.1 / STAND 201<br />

www.ifa-international.org <strong>IFA</strong> <strong>International</strong> • Tuesday 4 th September <strong>2018</strong><br />

25


CLEAN LIFESTYLE<br />

FLOOR CARE<br />

PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT<br />

<strong>IFA</strong><br />

Home<br />

Appliances<br />

SIEMENS IQ300PLUS FOR<br />

INTERRUPTION-FREE VACUUMING<br />

KEY SELLING POINTS<br />

1 Integrated<br />

autoControl to vacuum<br />

without interruption<br />

2 Low power<br />

consumption with<br />

AAAA energy rating<br />

3 Quiet operation with<br />

activeSound control<br />

system<br />

ECOVACS ROBOT CLEANS<br />

IN FIVE STAGES<br />

THE DEEBOT M81Pro,<br />

developed by Ecovacs, is a<br />

multifunctional floor cleaning<br />

robot with a five-stage cleaning<br />

system.<br />

First, the V-shaped brush lifts<br />

the dirt towards the centre for<br />

suction. Then the microfibre<br />

cloth of the water tank<br />

moistens the floor, wipes it and<br />

then dries it.<br />

With the Ecovacs App, the user<br />

can control the robot cleaner,<br />

set cleaning modes and monitor<br />

cleaning status. Deebot uses<br />

its map in conjunction with<br />

its anti-collision sensors and<br />

soft cushion bumpers to avoid<br />

Vacuuming carpets can be<br />

arduous and time-consuming<br />

when using a cumbersome<br />

vacuum cleaner nozzle slider,<br />

with the only solution being to<br />

manually set the motor<br />

to low power. But<br />

Siemens now offers a<br />

sophisticated solution<br />

with Twist Control,<br />

which guarantees<br />

optimal sliding power<br />

when vacuuming by<br />

allowing users to<br />

control the power<br />

as they vacuum by<br />

manually turning<br />

the regulator on the<br />

suction pipe.<br />

It’s one of several<br />

innovations built into the<br />

next generation iQ300plus<br />

obstacles<br />

and protect<br />

furniture. It<br />

moves safely<br />

around the home<br />

using anti-drop<br />

sensors to clean<br />

around stairs without<br />

the risk of falling.<br />

The cleaner’s high-efficiency<br />

filter reduces airborne<br />

contributors associated with<br />

allergies and asthma. When<br />

the battery power gets low,<br />

Deebot automatically returns<br />

to its charging dock.<br />

» HALL 5.1 / Stand 103<br />

vacuum cleaner, which catches<br />

the eye with its limited edition<br />

“racing design” and features<br />

Siemens’ high-performance<br />

quattroPower Technology for<br />

superior suction with low<br />

energy consumption.<br />

The practical 11-metre action<br />

radius enables an even<br />

longer and more comfortable<br />

vacuuming experience.<br />

Meanwhile, four soft rollers,<br />

an XL dust bag, powerProtect<br />

system for long-lasting cleaning<br />

performance, and activeSound<br />

control for multi-level sound<br />

insulation, round off the lavish<br />

features of this lightweight<br />

vacuum cleaner.<br />

» HALL 1.1 / Stand 101<br />

KEY SELLING POINTS<br />

1 Five-stage cleaning system<br />

2 Anti-collision sensors to protect furniture<br />

3 Filter to protect allergy and asthma<br />

sufferers<br />

AEG FX9 TO<br />

REINVENT<br />

THE WAY<br />

HOMES ARE<br />

VACUUMED<br />

Electrolux is launching a<br />

cordless vacuum cleaner<br />

which it says will reinvent<br />

the way people vacuum<br />

their homes. The AEG FX9<br />

uses battery technology<br />

and an innovative design to<br />

provide consumers with a<br />

product that combines the<br />

performance of a traditional<br />

vacuum cleaner with the<br />

freedom of a stick vacuum.<br />

“The FX9 offers unrivalled<br />

versatility,” says Ola Nilsson,<br />

head of home care and<br />

small domestic appliances at<br />

Electrolux. “It’s cordless, but<br />

make no mistake, this is one<br />

powerful vacuum cleaner. It<br />

can handle everything from<br />

KEY SELLING POINTS<br />

floor surfaces to curtains –<br />

an entire house from bottom<br />

to top, all on a single charge.<br />

“The FX9 offers consumers<br />

both fantastic performance<br />

and fantastic run time, and<br />

with a design so appealing<br />

that they will not want to<br />

hide the vacuum away with<br />

the rest of the cleaning<br />

supplies. They’ll always want<br />

it within easy reach. It’s<br />

powerful, convenient and a<br />

vacuum for the way we live<br />

today.”<br />

» HALL 4.1 / Stand 101<br />

1 Users can clean the home on a single charge<br />

2 Suction power adjusts automatically to the<br />

surface being vacuumed<br />

3 Ergonomic design means users can adjust the<br />

vacuum height<br />

KEY SELLING POINTS<br />

KÄRCHER’S FC3 CORDLESS: NO MORE MOPS<br />

The new FC3 Cordless Hard Floor Cleaner from<br />

Kärcher is an alternative to the mop and bucket.<br />

Traditional methods of cleaning hard floors<br />

can be cumbersome, inefficient and ultimately<br />

unhygienic, dragging an increasingly dirty<br />

bucket of water around. This new product from<br />

the German global cleaning brand-leader has<br />

microfibre rollers rotating at 500 revolutions per<br />

minute constantly wetted with clean water and<br />

removing dirty water.<br />

Not only does it offer 20% better cleaning<br />

performance than a mop, its 0.4ml consumption<br />

also saves 90% on water efficiency. The microfibre<br />

brushes effectively removethe dirt collected by the<br />

stripper edge of the brush head, and then collect<br />

it in a dirty water tank.<br />

After mopping, the rollers can be removed very<br />

easily and washed at up to 60 degrees in the<br />

washing machine. With an emphasis on slim<br />

design for practical storage, a hinge makes the<br />

FC 3 Cordless manoeuvrable beneath and around<br />

furniture.<br />

» HALL 4.1 / Stand 213<br />

1 Better cleaning and more efficient<br />

than a mop and bucket<br />

2 Slim-line cordless flexible<br />

design for storage and<br />

manoeuvrability<br />

3 Two washable rotating<br />

microfibre rollers do the<br />

scrubbing work for<br />

you<br />

www.ifa-international.org <strong>IFA</strong> <strong>International</strong> • Tuesday 4 th September <strong>2018</strong><br />

27


Region<br />

SPOTLIGHT ON<br />

NORTH AMERICA<br />

US TECH INDUSTRY EXPORTS<br />

CONTINUE IMPRESSIVE GROWTH<br />

iStock Photo - Nico ElNino<br />

According to the The Computing Technology<br />

Industry Association (CompTIA), US technology<br />

industry product and service exports grew by<br />

nearly €8.6bn in 2017 to an estimated €277bn.<br />

This is approximately a fifth of the €1.332tn<br />

worth of goods that the US shipped globally in<br />

2017 - a 6.6% rise from 2016.<br />

With companies from Apple to Google and<br />

Microsoft having been at the leading edge of<br />

a global tech revolution that continues to be<br />

powered from Silicon Valley, it’s no wonder that<br />

consumer technology jobs account for 14% of<br />

all US export-related employment.<br />

“Tech is one of the largest sectors for exports<br />

in the US economy,” said Elizabeth Hyman,<br />

executive vice-president for public advocacy at<br />

CompTIA, adding that the industry accounts for<br />

25% of all revenue generated by exports.<br />

“It’s also a reflection of the leadership position<br />

held by many US tech companies that are<br />

on the forefront of innovation in the global<br />

marketplace,” said Tim Herbert, senior vicepresident<br />

for research and market intelligence<br />

at CompTIA. Only the transportation and motor<br />

vehicles category generated more export revenue<br />

that the tech sector.<br />

As Wired magazine reports, this tech export<br />

boom is being driven by significant venture<br />

capital and R&D investment. With more than<br />

€60bn in venture funding for US tech startups<br />

in 2017, and €129bn in private equity funding<br />

for tech companies, Wired noted that industry<br />

leaders like Google and Microsoft themselves<br />

invested tens of billions in R&D.<br />

These impressive figures do not, however, include<br />

the massive turnover of US tech products like<br />

the iPhone (with sales of around €15bn in the<br />

last quarter of 2017 alone) that are assembled<br />

in China and do not, therefore, count as exports<br />

to China.<br />

Meanwhile, CNBC reports that tech companies<br />

such as Amazon, Microsoft and Cisco are keen<br />

to shore up the North American Free Trade<br />

Agreement (NAFTA) due to its vital role in foreign<br />

trade and in maintaining supply chains across<br />

North America. To this end, top tech companies<br />

have been investing in lobbyists to make their<br />

case as the Trump administration considers<br />

renegotiating NAFTA<br />

<strong>IFA</strong> reaches<br />

out to North<br />

America<br />

The USA continues to<br />

be a powerhouse for<br />

consumer technology<br />

With their investment in the highly renowned US trade<br />

publication Dealerscope, Messe Berlin have opened the<br />

gates to the North American markets, via the annual “CE<br />

Week” in New York city.<br />

CE Week’s timing and location<br />

has made it the epicentre in<br />

the US technology industry<br />

for showcasing innovation,<br />

exploring emerging trends, and<br />

building critical relationships.<br />

For over 10 years, technology<br />

companies seeking accelerated<br />

growth and increased sales in<br />

the ever-evolving consumer<br />

technology industry have come<br />

to New York City in the middle of<br />

the year to be part of CE Week.<br />

Now in cooperation with <strong>IFA</strong>,<br />

CE Week is poised to become<br />

the premier platform for<br />

conducting business, securing<br />

press coverage, and generating<br />

buzz in the North American<br />

technology marketplace. CE<br />

Week showcases the most<br />

innovative technology and<br />

connects key decision makers<br />

through matchmaking, high<br />

quality content, and networking.<br />

In <strong>2018</strong>, <strong>IFA</strong> and CE Week<br />

debuted a new, unique<br />

partnership of unprecedented<br />

global influence and<br />

infrastructure to advance<br />

relationships between buyers,<br />

sellers, and consumers.<br />

Partnering with getgeeked New<br />

York and ShowStoppers, CE<br />

Week provided exhibitors with all<br />

of the key audiences they need<br />

to engage with to be successful<br />

in the second half of <strong>2018</strong>.<br />

Showstoppers’ global press<br />

relationships serve international<br />

media interest, and getgeeked<br />

New York brought the hard-toreach<br />

tech enthusiasts to check<br />

out the newest products on the<br />

market.<br />

The move to the Jacob K. Javits<br />

Center allowed CE Week to bring<br />

together even larger segments<br />

of the industry – from retailers,<br />

distributors, and entrepreneurs,<br />

to powerful media, key<br />

influencers, and passionate tech<br />

enthusiasts.<br />

Buyers attend CE Week because<br />

it’s at the right time of year.<br />

They are getting ready to start<br />

placing orders and preparing for<br />

the holiday and back to school<br />

seasons. The event also provides<br />

exclusive content for the buying<br />

community<br />

28


© Thomas Keller<br />

HOSPITALITY / RESTAURANTS / BARS<br />

WHERE<br />

TO GO<br />

IN<br />

Berlin<br />

CLUBS / EVENTS / SHOPPING / CULTURE<br />

Soviet memories in Treptower Park<br />

Peaceful, poignant, impressive, the memorial<br />

dedicated to Soviet soldiers in Treptower Park in<br />

Berlin reminds visitors about the inferno of the Battle<br />

of Berlin and the 80,000 dead on Russian side.<br />

The Memorial cannot fail to impress while its layout<br />

will remind of the emerging Cold War of Post-war<br />

Berlin.<br />

2019 will see the 30 th anniversary of the<br />

disappearance of the Berlin Wall. While memories<br />

of Berlin division are fading step by step each<br />

passing year, they are still areas in Berlin bearing<br />

memories of this dark time in the city’s history.<br />

One of the most striking structures is the Soviet<br />

Memorial in Treptower Park. Ride up to Schlesiches<br />

Tor Underground Station (U-Bahn) and walk along<br />

Schlesische Strasse. You pass a 10 metre high<br />

watchtower, which actually used to be the command<br />

post for 18 watchtowers along the Berlin Wall. You<br />

then officially enter former East Berlin, with Puschkin<br />

Allee taking you to the Park.<br />

Back to 1946, the Council of the Soviet Military<br />

Administration of Germany organised a competition<br />

to build a grand memorial to the Soviet liberation of<br />

Germany from National Socialism. Work started in<br />

1947 for an official opening on May 8, 1949, on<br />

time for the fourth anniversary of the end of WWII.<br />

The layout is majestic. The entrances to the memorial<br />

are defined by massive arches. Wide paths with<br />

weeping birch trees take visitors into a three-meter<br />

granite statue of "Mother Homeland”, followed by<br />

two huge stylized Soviet flags sculpted of red granite.<br />

Two kneeling soldiers at the bottom of the flags are<br />

mourning the 80,000 dead. Limestone sarcophagi<br />

stand on each side of the central area and symbolize<br />

the then 16 Soviet Republics. Their reliefs in typical<br />

style of Socialist realism illustrate scenes from the<br />

"Great Patriotic War" waged from 1941 to 1945.<br />

The heart of the memorial is however a conical hill<br />

bearing a crypt that also serves as the pedestal for<br />

the memorial’s central figure, a Red Army soldier<br />

holding in his arm a rescued child. The statue is 30<br />

meter high while inside the crypt, a mosaic shows<br />

the 16 Soviet Republics. At the feet of the soldier, a<br />

lowered sword covers a destroyed swastika, symbol<br />

of National Socialism defeat…<br />

www.ifa-international.org<br />

<strong>IFA</strong> <strong>International</strong> • Tuesday 4 th September <strong>2018</strong><br />

29


WHERE<br />

TO GO<br />

IN<br />

Berlin<br />

INVITATION TO <strong>IFA</strong> <strong>2018</strong>’s<br />

CLOSING CONCERT<br />

Germany’s most famous jazz trumpeter teams up<br />

with one of the last big bands in the world at <strong>IFA</strong><br />

<strong>2018</strong>’s closing concert.<br />

The musical finale in the <strong>IFA</strong><br />

Summer Garden features Till<br />

Brönner and the US Air Forces<br />

in Europe Band. They will be<br />

performing a relaxed mixture<br />

of popular swing classics from<br />

Glen Miller to Benny Goodman<br />

along with the greatest pop<br />

hits of all time.<br />

Denalane, Madeleine Peyroux<br />

and Carla Bruni. He was also<br />

a member of the X Factor<br />

jury. In 2016, Brönner was<br />

invited by President Obama to<br />

the White House to celebrate<br />

<strong>International</strong> Jazz <strong>Day</strong>.<br />

The US Air Forces in Europe<br />

Band has been playing since<br />

1943 to promote relations<br />

between the US and its<br />

European allies. The band<br />

has performed for kings,<br />

queens and presidents – and<br />

for thousands of international<br />

music fans. The band’s ongoing<br />

mission is to transcend the<br />

cultural boundaries and unite<br />

nations through music.<br />

Till Brönner<br />

Your exhibitor badge or trade<br />

visitor ticket gives you free<br />

admission to the concert in<br />

the <strong>IFA</strong> Summer Garden this<br />

afternoon. Doors open at 4pm<br />

and the concert gets under way<br />

at 5.30pm.<br />

Till Brönner is an international<br />

star. His first album,<br />

Generations of Jazz, was<br />

awarded the German Record<br />

Critics’ Prize in 1993. He<br />

has earned a global renown<br />

performing with musicians<br />

such as Dave Brubeck, Tony<br />

Bennett, Klaus Doldinger, Joy<br />

US Air Forces in Europe Band<br />

Bar<br />

ENVY BAR<br />

Taste the Beat<br />

Whether you want to enjoy one<br />

of the most beautiful views of the<br />

Spree River from the spectacular<br />

nhow hotel or celebrate the night<br />

away at one of the hotel’s “Music<br />

Nights” with Berlin’s music scene,<br />

you’re always welcome at the Envy<br />

Bar! The drink concept is based on<br />

cocktails as well as an extraordinary<br />

selection of spirits and is as<br />

unconventional and colourful as<br />

the Envy Bar design itself.<br />

The music is fresh, new and<br />

surprising. From Thursdays to<br />

Saturdays, a DJ’s will take the mood<br />

even to a higher level.<br />

Open till 2am.<br />

Envy Bar<br />

Stralauer Allee 3, Berlin<br />

Tel: +49 (0)30 290 299 0<br />

www.nhow-berlin.com/en/<br />

Metro: S+U Warschauer Str. S5, S7,<br />

S75, U1 Tram: M10<br />

Club<br />

E4 BERLIN NIGHTCLUB<br />

In the centre of Berlin’s nightlife,<br />

with a unique Berlin Club scene<br />

atmosphere, the E4 Club Berlin<br />

offers an unforgettable experience<br />

for every party guest. Every<br />

weekend, thousands of party<br />

people meet at E4 Club and dance<br />

until the sun rises with a beautiful<br />

view over Berlin. Characterised<br />

with the typical Berlin Club Sound,<br />

every party guest will enjoy the<br />

night!<br />

Every Friday & Saturday, doors<br />

open 11 pm.<br />

E4 Berlin Nightclub<br />

Eichhornstrasse 4, 10785 Berlin<br />

Directly at Potsdamer Platz<br />

Information & Reservation<br />

Tel: +49 (0)176 6172 2602<br />

jw@e4-berlin.de<br />

30

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