News It is about product
News It is about product launches, but it’s more about people… the feeling a massive hike of 333% to 3.9m units, while another sweet spot is in the field of Bluetooth speakers which are set to see a rise of 20% in sales this year, taking volume to 25.6m. “Sales of audio equipment is benefitting from streaming technology from mobile devices like smartphones to either single or multi-room systems”, said Mr Kamp. Sales of wearables are set to rise 131% to 71.7m . “They are about to conquer our daily lives, and will open-up to interesting new apps such as telemedicine”, added the gfu boss. Indeed, wearables are increasingly in the minds of consumers, as highlighted by a new survey revealed by Mr Kamp, in which 16% of those questioned said they would be willing to buy such a device in 2015. 54% of these people said they appreciated the connected health aspect, and 49% said they understood the need to reduce costs via telemedicine. He concluded by saying that IFA was “at the right time of the year”, as 35% of turnover is generated between now and the end of December and consumer willingness to buy is higher at this time of the year. For this reason, a huge amount of orders are signed at the show. Last year, 4.25bn Euros in orders were reported. “We expect IFA to have a positive and significant impact on the market. At IFA, the focus is on innovative products, new applications and solutions, as well as on forwardlooking and fascinating trends and developments in the connected world. With its unique range of exhibits, IFA is a launching pad for successful business, innovative products are vital to growth - and they have debuted at IFA for more than 90 years“, concluded Mr Kamp. Dr Reinhard Zinkann, chairman of the Major Domestic Appliance division of ZVEI, addressed the audience of journalists and analysts from 75 countries, saying that while “smart” was a relevant term at IFA this year, appliances have been smart for a long time. “What’s new is a shift in focus”, said Dr Zinkann. “Before, devices were standalone – now they are part of a system… connected.” The ZVEI spokesman said the big focus in the appliance field is now the kitchen, as it increasingly becomes the central place of domestic and social life, and that cooking is no longer a chore, but a pleasurable activity. He added that the bathroom is increasingly becoming a “personal sanctuary for wellness”, and that this trend was growing. He said energy efficiency would remain a strong trend in the industry, and that while “all the low hanging fruit has been picked”, there was still some room for improvement, stating, “Keeping functionality while increasing efficiency is a challenge”. Dr Zinkann said a key trend that will affect the industry over the next decades is that of urbanisation. He said the OECD estimates that 70% of the world’s population will live in an urban environment by the year 2050, adding the middle class is growing rapidly, from an estimated 1.8bn in 2010 to 3.2bn in 2020 and 4.9bn in 2030. This factor will lead consumers to increasingly live in conditions that require “multi-functional” devices. According to Dr Zinkann, currency fluctuations make it difficult to make accurate value forecasts, but that there was no reason to believe that current positive global sales trends would not continue, with an estimated rise of 1-2% in volume. Messe Berlin CEO, Dr Christian Göke took the floor of the press conference to announce upbeat figures for 2015, including a new record: 1,645 exhibitors (+7%). But he said this was not the main Key Performance Indicator for the show. “It is about product launches, but it’s more about people… the feeling. Are you meeting people that are creating new business ideas with you?” Dr Göke also announced a record number of press conferences, and underlined the fact that IFA is still the biggest show, with 140,000 trade visitors last year and 95,000 public visitors. He said the show has always been about broadening horizons – thinking outside the box and seeing the bigger picture, and to this extent, the expansion of the IFA+ Summit will play a key role in moving the industry forward. He also cited the three international keynotes – from the leading lights of LG Display, Microsoft and Harman – that will add to the power of the event. In a post conference statement, Jens Heithecker, IFA Executive Director added, “We are privileged to be able to work for an industry that has an unprecedented potential for innovation that reinvents itself daily. IFA is the only show that exhibits the entire range of new smart solutions.” From left: Jens Heithecker IFA Executive Director, Dr Reinhard Zinkann Chairman of the Major Domestic Appliance division of ZVEI, Miss IFA, Hans-Joachim Kamp Chairman of the supervisory board, gfu consumer and home electronics, Dr Chrisitan Göke Messe Berlin CEO ADVERTORIAL Energy Innovation Dialogues Invitation to participate in E.ON’s MicroConferences @ IFA In line with their motto “Empowering customers. Shaping markets.” E.ON is presenting innovative energy solutions and promising business initiatives: With E.ON SolarComfort satellite data is used in order to determine whether the installation of solar panels will pay-off for the user. An intelligent software solution calculates what revenues one can expect. Thermondo digitalises the process to find out the best possible replacement for one’s old heating and combines this with the highest standards of installation. The :agile program presents start-ups powered by E.ON. Connected Berlin makes the idea of a smart city become reality. E-mobility will be made easier with innovative appliances for the home. The initiators are happy to share information and new ideas with visitors at E.ON’s MicroConferences that will take place from September 4 through September 9, 2015, daily at 11am, 12pm, 1pm, 2pm and 3pm - Hall 6.2, booth 110. Find out more at www.eon.com www.ifa-international.org IFA International • Friday 4 th September 2015 7
