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Region SPOTLIGHT ON GERMAN SPEAKING COUNTRIES OUR KEY THEME IS THE VISION OF A SEAMLESS LIFE Digitisation + Smart Technology + Design Siemens – driving smart technology for a seamless life Roland Hagenbucher, Chief Executive of Siemens Home Appliances, Germany, says that smart technology and design will be the cornerstones of its display at IFA. This year, once again, our key theme is the vision of a seamless life. We see this as a life that is so seamlessly supported by digitisation, smart technology and design that it results in a smoothly functioning daily life. People experience it as effortless and have more time for the things that really matter. We’re making it possible to experience this life with a brand-new booth. We’ve turned large parts of Hall 1.1 into a spacious Concept Mall that draws people in with food stands, bars for coffee and cocktails, an art gallery and entertainment areas. Embedded in an urban, connected lifestyle, we present our most important innovations. You recently published the “Seamless Life Report”. What is this, and what were the key findings? As an innovative brand, we’re constantly looking out for the latest developments and analysing their effect on the needs and expectations of consumers. In the past year, this led to a study entitled “Why people strive for a Seamless Life: Uncovering the opportunities of a connected lifestyle”, which we commissioned from Goldsmiths, University of London. The most important result: 81% of the consumers surveyed in Germany, France, the United Kingdom, Russia and China want this type of integrated lifestyle but only 22% have achieved it so far. How is this being translated to your products? At Siemens Home Appliances, we’re constantly striving to close existing gaps between desires and reality. The best product to exemplify where we are in terms of a Seamless Life is our new avantgarde laundry care series, which we’re launching at IFA 2017. With its fascinating blue light ring and innovative display, it raises washer and dryer design to a whole new level. In addition, all the appliances feature a combination of connectivity and smart Siemens technology. The avantgarde series is the first to include washers with a sensoFresh programme for “odour washing” without water; for dryers, our new intelligentCleaning System saves a lot more time. Siemens already has a wide range of connected home appliances in all product categories and of all product types – and as of IFA 2017, they’re no longer limited to premium class. We’re also broadening our connected ecosystem quite a bit. Our dishwashers already register automatically when the supply of tabs is running low and automatically order more online. What are this year’s star products at IFA? In addition to the previously mentioned avantgarde laundry care duo, we’re introducing a new series of ovens. For the iQ500 line, our designers have recast our perfect built-in concept. The connected Siemens iQ500 cookers with their modern, predominantly glass design are also delightful. Moreover, they’re the first Siemens cookers that you can talk to – made possible by the new connection to Amazon Alexa. And in the area of refrigeration and freezing, our connected refrigerator with cameras is making a huge impression as an XXL appliance in stylish black inox, a dark surface that’s extremely appealing to the touch. Siemens has been a strong supporter of IFA ever since the show introduced appliances … Why is this show so important for you? As an order fair, IFA continues to be the highpoint of our year – it’s what we work towards. There’s no other fair where we present our innovations in so large a space, on such a large scale, to such a broad international public, or with such an experiential character. In other words, we see it as the annual summit meeting between manufacturers and the public Hall 1.1 Stand 101 Roland Hagenbucher Chief Executive, Siemens Home Appliances www.ifa-international.org IFA International • Saturday 2 nd & Sunday 3 rd September 2017 51
