NOMADIC LIVING ROOM
NOMADIC LIVING ROOM LIFESTYLE LIFESTYLE » TELEVISION AUDIO BLU-RAY HOME CINEMA WELL-BEING ACCESSORIES Halls Plan 1 Hall 1.2 - Stand 132 Hall 1.2 1 2 Hall 6.1 - Stand 111 Hall 6.1 2 28
Special Feature All the Right Noises BRIC markets buy into Harman’s audio brands Dinesh C Paliwal, Chairman, President and CEO of Harman International Industries, tells IFA International about the new products being demonstrated at IFA — and their growing popularity in the emerging markets... Harman’s latest products reflect our reputation for delivering superb audio, but they also address the new mobile and digital world, where consumers and their content are never apart. Our compact speaker designs, digital amplification and sound processing, as well as our proprietary wireless playback solutions, deliver a superior experience and free consumers from the complexity and tether of wires. For customers who really want to step up the audio performance of their smartphone or tablet, we are expanding our line-up of portable products, including the new JBL Soundfly. It’s a wireless speaker system that’s small enough to hold in one hand. Tell us about your IFA presence? This year, we have decided to focus all the action on our IFA display, which is located in its familiar position at the base of the Berlin radio tower. Our belief is that ‘hearing is believing’, so our emphasis is on letting our audiences use and interact with our products. Experts from every corner of our lifestyle, infotainment, and professional divisions are on hand to show visitors how we can keep them connected anywhere they go. “The biggest factor driving the development of our business is wireless connectivity” What are Harman’s main growth markets? Our sales in the emerging markets, such as China, India, Brazil and Russia, are up by around 30%. Meanwhile, our infotainment offering is scoring some big wins with the world’s leading automobile makers. This has driven our awarded business backlog to more than bn as we blend the loyalty of established customers, Harman’s Dinesh C Paliwal: “Our belief is that ‘hearing is believing’” such as Audi, BMW and Mercedes, with new market brands, such as India’s Tata Motors and China’s Geely Motors. How are people’s ways of listening to music evolving — and how is that affecting your strategy? The biggest factor driving the development of our business is wireless connectivity. Our customers want to be able to enjoy their favourite music and media around the home, on the go and on the road. We’re delivering that with great products, such as our premium headphones, wireless speaker solutions and other mobile audio components. We’re also making connectivity easier, with many more of our products now equipped with Bluetooth and Apple AirPlay connectivity. » HALL FGFKT / STAND 100 PEAK OF PERFECTION The Project Everest DD66000 loudspeaker system doesn’t merely reconfirm the technological leadership, design aesthetic and manufacturing prowess of legendary Harman brand JBL — it also embodies the company’s passion for music. Begun in 2002 and completed for the company’s 60th anniversary in 2006, Project Everest is quite simply the most exquisite musical system that JBL has ever constructed. It delivers the highest level of musical fidelity, once again fulfilling founder James B Lansing’s vision of creating beautiful, high-performance home loudspeakers. Dinesh C Paliwal with the Everest DD66000 loudspeaker system IFA International • Saturday 1 st & Sunday 2 nd September 2012 29
