EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WE
EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WE ARE SEEING DEPLOYMENTS AROUND THE WORLD, MAKING IT A GLOBAL PHENOMENON Cristiano Amon President, Qualcomm THE FUTURE IS CONNECTED. 5G CONNECTED… Qualcomm’s IFA Keynote focuses on the next wave of mobile innovation unlocked by 5G Qualcomm President Cristiano Amon will be expounding the virtues of the new generation of mobile technology on IFA’s 2019 keynote stage next Friday afternoon. As a foretaste, we asked him to give some details on how rollout has been coming along for 5G in Europe, and what key industry players Qualcomm has been involved with so far. 5G is already a success in Europe with launches from operators like EE, Elisa, Swisscom, TIM and Vodafone. There are multiple smartphones launched, including those from Samsung, LG, OnePlus, OPPO, Xiaomi and ZTE. In fact, most of the devices launched in Europe are using the Qualcomm Snapdragon 5G platform. It is fantastic for consumers to have the choice between so many great 5G smartphones from the start. What about the rest of the world? Where are the key rollouts taking place? We a r e s e e i n g d e p l oy m e n t s around the world, making it a global phenomenon. In fact, the 5G transition is moving faster than 4G. In the first year for 4G there were 4 carriers and 4 devices launched in a few countries. 24 With 5G there are deployments by more than 20 operators in 10 countries with no less than 20 devices to be launched using Snapdragon 5G platforms by the end of the year. And there are over 150 designs announced or in development. Over the past several months, operators and OEMs officially launched commercial 5G networks and devices one year ahead of schedule. In the United States, operators including Verizon, AT&T, Sprint and T-Mobile have launched 5G in major cities. China is moving to 5G also ahead of schedule. All three major operators there have announced 5G plans. In fact, by the end of this year, they will deploy roughly 100,000 5G base stations, which, put in context, is the equivalent of the scale of the entire network of a large US wireless operator. How is Qualcomm innovating in this field? Qualcomm, at its heart, is a company that invents breakthrough technologies that transform how the world connects, computes and communicates. We invested in 5G R&D early with a particular focus on the 5G unified air interface, Massive MIMO and mmWave – a technology many said would never be mobile. We use these fundamental technologies to create leading solutions that help our customers compete, innovate and grow. 5G starts with your smartphone, but will soon be in your PC, your car, and then in virtually everything else. What makes you the most excited about the future? Looking ahead, it is clear that the future is connected. And with this connectivity comes richer and more immersive experiences. These intelligent and connected devices will unlock a wave of innovation that will bring new devices and services to market. Video will be something we stream every day, everywhere, just like we stream music today. Gaming will take advantage of the vast computing capabilities in the cloud and become much more engaging across devices. Social will be transformed by virtual presence. Who should attend your keynote and why? Everyone who makes a product, offers a service or runs a business should come see what 5G will bring. It will be essential to understand what this next evolution of connectivity means for their companies and lives. Qualcomm is looking forward to working closely with the broader ecosystem of companies in Europe and around the world to deliver this future Keynote by Cristiano Amon, President, Qualcomm Date: Friday 6 September 2019 Time: 2:00 pm Location: Grand Theatre – Hall 26b
ESIE INEIEW THE VISION FOR A “SEAMLESS LIFE” Siemen elp o in a onneted iten Roland Hagenbucher, CEO Siemens Home Appliances Germany shares how Siemens’ vision for a “seamless life” is evolving this year . This year, we are inviting our visitors to the Siemens World, where, in a host of different scenarios, we are showing how our home appliances become interactive partners, motivators, and sources of inspiration. Here, connectivity, smart technology and design interact in such a way that everyday life becomes increasingly easier to manage. This is how we are helping people worldwide cope with the complexity of our times and making it easier for them to realize their own personal wishes. Which cities are you featuring at the stand in this respect? Can you tell us a bit more about what we can see there? From New York, Shanghai, Rio, or Cape Town, in the Siemens World, our visitors can take a trip that takes them from one vibrant metropolis to the next. We show the exciting possibilities of urban living, and how people can discover them with Siemens home appliances. With our scenarios, they are immersed at each station in the special Siemens way of life, experience its special fascination, and draw inspiration from new trends. How are adoption rates going with regard to people using “smart” appliances? We are very satisfied, and this will grow since smart home appliances will establish themselves more firmly over time. For the past two years, we have been offering connectivity not only in the iQ700 and iQ800 premium class but also in the iQ500 range. programmes, voice control, and remote control via smartphone and tablet are becoming increasingly relevant. Our studies clearly show that more and more people are interested in these “future technologies” and, consequently, they often turn up in wish lists. What are some concrete examples (at IFA) of how you are rolling out solutions to these issues? A wonderful example is our new activeLight cooktop, which is the perfect combination of smart technology, design, and innovation. It hardly needs any operation, and simply follows what the user does. Instead of the conventional cooking zones, there is an animated, blue light matrix underneath the ceramic surface. It responds to all the cook’s actions, inspiring a whole new form of interaction. How important is IFA for Siemens as a platform to promote and network? IFA is one of the highlights of the year for us, and one that we are very much looking forward to attending it. It’s where the industry meets up, where we present our new products for the first time to a broad international audience. That’s why IFA is very important to us as a communication, trade and networking platform Roland Hagenbucher CEO Siemens Home Appliances Germany What does your research show when it comes to wants and needs of consumers? From our surveys we know that managing housework faster and more easily is just one of the needs met by our appliances. But people also want to express their own lifestyle and underline their status. The kitchen has permanently replaced the car as the number one status symbol. However it’s also about self-fulfillment and even happiness, more than a third of the interviewees get into a flow when cooking. WITH OUR SCENARIOS, IFA VISITORS ARE IMMERSED AT EACH STATION IN THE SPECIAL SIEMENS WAY OF LIFE, EXPERIENCE ITS SPECIAL FASCINATION, AND DRAW INSPIRATION FROM NEW TRENDS. With all of these concerns, smart technologies such as automatic www.ifa-international.org IFA International • Monday 2 September 2019 25
