Day 1 - IFA International

Official Daily News

Official Daily News Source f or International Visitors at IFA News Analysing Smart Trends GfK Retail and Technology plots course for the future This is the smart year, and IFA is the smart show, but how can we measure the impact of “smart” on the market this year? We asked Jürgen Boyny, Global Director of Consumer Electronics, GfK Retail and Technology what the key trends are in this respect. The big trend is how the consumer uses all these smart products at the moment and even more so in the future. The TV is still a TV of course, first of all for video consumption, but as soon as you connect the TV to other sources, you get new content. You can use the TV as a Skype station for example, or something else… All these connected or smart functions will broaden the benefits of these products and this is what IFA brings to the consumers, that TVs, smartphones, all these products have many more benefits compared to the past. What was your overall impression of IFA’s opening press conference? The conference was quite positive. It has showed where the need for development is: on one hand, of course there is development in innovation, on the technical side, but there is also a need for communication. This is what the smart TV communication initiative is for, and it is much needed at the moment. There is a lack of communication especially in countries such as Germany, so this year at IFA, the numerous press conferences have been a starting point for communication on smart features. We saw that Turkey is the number one country in terms of public use and public awareness of the smart products. Why do you think that is? I know about this study of course, and even we have been astonished to hear that Turkey is ahead in knowledge of smart TV functions. It might be because the Turkish broadcasters have been promoting them and informing about them, local information is more available that in other countries. Yes, Turkey is ahead in knowledge about smart TVs. On top of that, the Turkish manufacturer Vestel is one of the most important TV producers and manufacturers here. There are not even well known under the name Vestel, but there are of course lots of companies who produce in factories which are owned by Vestel. So of course they have a big knowledge on the market, and we know of course that TV in Turkey is a big issue. Sprint and Ford are going to be giving keynotes here at this year’s IFA. Is this an indication of the evolution of the market in general? Smart functions are spreading out of smartphones, smart TVs, smart major domestic appliances and other smart consumer electronics products, and also stepping into cars. Maybe in a couple of years you might be able to put your smartphone into a console and dock it with a car, and all current information from the car, you will get from your smartphone. There is a lot of development possible to link other industries with those smart industries, and that is happening at the moment. So do you think we are just at the start of something? Where are we in this evolution? We have seen the huge development of smartphones, which are first of all of course a mobile phone. The huge development of the smartphone is due to the fact that it has moved to a smart device. We are at the very early beginning of the TV also changing into a smart device and doing something else other than only showing TV programmes. The smart idea will also spread to HiFi, to audio, and to other technologies, and other industries, such as major domestic appliances, small domestic appliances, and also the car industry. Yes, we are in the early beginning. FOR MORE INFORMATION FROM GFK, PLEASE STOP BY THEIR BOOTH ON THE SECOND FLOOR OF THE GROSSER STERN. Jürgen Boyny Global Director of Consumer Electronics, GfK Retail and Technology “…this year at IFA, the numerous press conferences have been a starting point for communication on smart features.” I FA international IFA International 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 • SARL capitalised at e128,250• VAT FR 95413604471 • RCS Marseille 413 604 471 • info@cleverdis.com • www.cleverdis.com • During IFA: Press Center – Hall 6.3 – Room 401 • Tel: +49 (0)30 3038 81362 • Fax: +49 (0)30 3038 81372 • info@ifa-international.org • www.ifa-international.org • Publisher: Gérard Lefebvre • Publishing Director: Jean-Guy Bienfait • Managing Director: Jean-François Pieri • Project Manager: Bettina Badon • Editor-in-Chief: Richard Barnes • Managing Editor: Bob Snyder • Editorial Coordination: Bianca Newby, Uta Morawietz • Editorial team: Stuart Braun, Neil Cole, Conor Creighton, Neil Crossley, Sophie Layer, Julian Newby, Viktoria Pelles, Gary Smith, Johanna Stephens • Photos: David Nivière • Art Director: Hélène Beunat • Design & Page Setting: Patrice Bosch, Guillaume Kaercher, Guillaume Vinrich • Webmaster: Benjamin Ras • With the participation of: Calypso Barnes, Mario Kapp, Anja Kühner, Veronika Meier • To contact them : first name.last name@ifa-international.org • Cover: © Cleverdis © CLEVERDIS 2013 - Registration of Copyright September 2013 • Information presented in this publication is purely indicative in order to illustrate subjects contained therein. 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News Sony Wows with Next-Generation Devices Xperia Z1 Smartphone Leads Sony’s Dynamic IFA Product Launchstrong growth in 2014 Kazuo Hirai, President and CEO of Sony Corporation, unveiled a diverse suite of leading edge products at a packed IFA press conference. Led by a new flagship smartphone, the Xperia Z1, the launch aimed to harness the true power of ‘One Sony’ device interconnectivity. One-touch technology that allows easy wireless content sharing was a central theme at the launch. The Xperia Z1 is a premium waterproof smartphone that combines Sony's latest mobile and imaging technologies, offering high-end camera capabilities (20 megapixels), multiple smart social camera applications and instant access to multimedia entertainment. "Xperia Z1 is a watershed moment for Sony,” said Mr Hirai. “It marks the first time we’ve concentrated so many leading technologies, together with our full suite of entertainment content services, all in a single, beautifully designed mobile product.” Sony also unveiled a Cyber-shot DSC-QX10 attachable lens with 10x optical zoom that turns the Xperia, and other smartphones, into a specialist camera. “Only Sony has the broad and deep technology, plus the consumer electronics experience and most of all the benefit of customer dialogue to bring this sort of smartphone to market,” Hirai said. Sony has also bolstered its traditional strength in the audio CE market via a range of High- Resolution audio-technologycompatible products that give seven times the audio quality of CD. These include HDD audio players, stereo and DAC amplifiers, and portable audio such as headphones and Walkman. Another feature of the launch was a suite of 4K resolution products including the VPL- VW500ES video projector that brings the state-of-the-art 4K cinema experience into the home and reinforces Sony’s commitment to lead in 4K innovation from lens to living room. The projector will enhance standard highdefinition 1080p content, allowing viewers to enjoy 4K images with their existing Bluray discs. “Each of these is a symbol of Sony’s product-led revival,” said Hirai. “These products will dramatically enhance the way you play, watch, listen and create.” Hall 4.2 Stand 101 Samsung Presents the Premium House Press conference reveals innovations for the home of the future At the heart of the Samsung’s Thursday presentation was the ‘premium house’, the company’s vision for the future of home life. The stage was designed as an open living space populated by Samsung’s new devices and appliances. A series of top-level speakers, headlined by Boo-Keun Yoon, President & CEO, Samsung Electronics, were joined onstage by contributors including chefs, broadcasters and designers, to help present a range of products, from TVs and refrigerators to printers. Michael Zoeller, European Marketing Director, created the biggest buzz in the packed hall when his presentation of the new range of UHD TVs and curved OLED TV culminated in the unveiling of the 98” S9 UHD TV, which impressed immediately with a screen 250cm wide yet showing sharp, bright, detailed ultra-HD images. The overall impression, however, was one of convergent ideas: the washing machine exhibited has a crystalline door made from TOC glass previously employed in Samsung’s TV screens. “Our three guiding principles are people, innovation and society,” Yoon said, and the modern living space presented clearly reflected that. Hall 20 Stand 101 Hall 5,1 Stand 101 www.ifa-international.org IFA International • Friday 6 th September 2013 11