IFA International 2019 DAY 1 Edition

NEWS
ADVERTORIAL
OUR JBL BRAND HAS
REACHED THE INCREDIBLE
MILESTONE OF 100 MILLION
PORTABLE SPEAKERS
SHIPPED WORLDWIDE
Dave Rogers
President, Lifestyle Audio at HARMAN
SOUND TO GO
HARMAN International powers sector and unveils
the latest audio innovations at IFA
HARMAN recently reached a major sales milestone in the
field of portable audio. We asked Dave Rogers – President –
Lifestyle Audio at HARMAN to tell us more.
Our JBL brand has reached the
incredible milestone of 100
million portable speakers shipped
worldwide, cementing its position
as the portable audio leader and
category shaper. Since the brand
was launched in 1946, JBL has
been pushing the boundaries of
innovation and bringing music to life
in ways audiences everywhere can
feel. Today, not only does JBL power
the world’s most epic musicians,
athletes, venues and automobiles, it
is also the market leader in portable
speakers with an impressive 34.2%
market share.
What are the key products you are
showing at IFA this year?
Let me start with our new JBL Pulse
4 portable speaker. It provides
incredible sound, with a light show to
match. Then, we are presenting our
new True Wireless headphones JBL
LIVE 300TWS with JBL Signature
Sound. For me, the great thing about
them is that they let you unleash
your sound, anytime, anywhere.
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The JBL Link Portable and Link
Music are two other new products
we have on show. With 360 degree
JBL Signature Sound, Wi-Fi and
Bluetooth connectivity, Chromecast
and Google Assistant built-in,
they’ve got brains to match their
beauty.
We are also showing a new soundbar
series that offers slimmer, punchier
bass and more immersive sound.
With our soundbars, JBL has
definitely taken home entertainment
to the next level.
These products all have one thing
in common: they pay tribute to the
fact that how we listen to music is
changing. People now have much
greater appreciation that music
isn’t just a series of notes. It’s a
total experience that encapsulates
emotional nuances that deliver
the artist’s message. HARMAN
constantly explores more holistic
approaches to enjoying music in its
emotional and creative perfection.
You’ll be showing a new technology
called Personi-Fi at the show – what
is that all about?
Leveraging our unique blend of
expertise in connectivity, cloud and
premium audio we have developed
Personi-Fi as the world’s world’s
first personal brand agnostic audio
platform that gives consumers
the freedom to custom tailor their
own audio experience. The JBL
LIVE 300TWS will be the first JBL
headphones to feature it.
In-vehicle entertainment and
connectivity are becoming
increasingly important in the
automotive sector. How is HARMAN
progressing in this field?
The value of a vehicle is moving
from RPM to EPM, “Experiences Per
Mile,” therefore it’s important for
automakers to provide consumers with
enhanced in-cabin experiences and
add more value to their vehicles. As a
connected technologies powerhouse,
HARMAN has been leading the
charge in democratizing vehicle
experiences through solutions that
help automakers choose technologies
to provide greater connectivity and
value within their vehicle.
Last year, you opened the first
“Experience Store” in Europe in
Munich and just recently added a
Luxury Audio Studio to it. What
exactly is this, and what has the
reaction been like since it opened?
Our new Experience Store and
Luxury Audio Studio in Munich
feature award-winning audio
solutions from JBL, HARMAN
Kardon, AKG, Mark Levinson, Revel,
Lexicon and more. It highlights how
our rich heritage of craftsmanship
merges with innovation and cuttingedge
technology both in the store
and in the products on display,
creating a whole new dimension of
excellence for audio lovers. As one
might expect, the reactions to it have
been fantastic
Funkturm Indoor
Ground 100