IFA 2016 Innovation and experience
Connectivity was the major theme at the annual IFA showcase in Berlin. IER went along to find out the latest news
T
he major domestic appliances and consumer electronics show for the European market, IFA, opened its doors to the media and public in Berlin in September, with smart connectivity very much the order of the day.
BSH, which includes the Bosch, Siemens and Neff brands, focused its IFA display on the smart home, with a connected house showcasing available technologies from the company. The setup was planned to demonstrate how
connected appliances can be a way of easing the burden in various everyday situations, focusing on ease of use and genuine utility. Bosch marketing director Michael Bohn commented: “A crucial aspect for Bosch is that people always remain the focus.” Having expanded its portfolio of connected home appliances in recent years, at IFA 2016 the company presented its Home Connect proposition across every large appliance category for the first time; including connected ovens, dishwashers, extractor hoods, laundry care appliances, fully automatic coffee machines and refrigerators. BSH added that while it has been active in
the development of connected products for some time, now the consumer is ready for more widespread implementation, which will see these products entering homes. AEG took the opportunity to unveil its new,
‘premium’ look, while launching new kitchen and laundry ranges. In the kitchen, the brand focused on
its new Mastery Range. AEG head of product marketing EMEA Niels Munksgaard commented: “From extensive research and testing we found that consumers often feel they have to adapt to suit their kitchen appliances in their cooking process. In the new AEG Mastery Range we have gone beyond thinking about features and design aspects to developing new kinds of user experience where the appliances adapt to the cook rather than the other way around.” The range includes features such as a
dishwasher that lifts the lower basket up for easier loading and unloading and an oven that can ask if you want your meat rare, medium or well done and respond accordingly. In laundry, the company has worked with others in the market during product development. AEG product marketing director EMEA Jenny Hedberg noted: “We have partnered with important players in the clothing and detergent industries and we are proud to say that the new technologies are not only proven by us, but also recognised
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by others. For example Procter and Gamble (maker of Ariel and Lenor) concur that our technologies boost detergent activation in quicker and cooler cycles and improve deposition of fabric softeners across the entire laundry load.”
‘The kitchen is the heart of the home’ Turkish appliance manufacturer Beko included new products from its cooling, cooking, laundry and newly announced SDA divisions on its stand, and revealed its plans for continued growth. Already in over 100 countries worldwide, Beko’s parent company Arçelik chief executive Hakan Bulgurlu is bullish about the brand’s future. “Our aim is to be one of the top three brands in every market we are in,” he said. “Beko is our leading global brand and is already performing strongly in Europe. We continue to perform strongly in the United Kingdom, the most competitive market in Europe, where we are the best selling brand. We will maintain this, while taking the Beko brand to new markets in America and the Asia-Pacific region.” He also highlighted Beko’s ‘official partner
of the everyday’ campaign, focusing on delivering technologies and products to create solutions to everyday tasks and challenges that consumers face. “We want our customers to know us
as their ‘official partner of the everyday’,” Hakan said. “The campaign is based on understanding of real peoples’ lives, needs and everyday frustrations. It captures our commitment to helping our customers - making their everyday lives easier. And, in particular, celebrates the kitchen as the heart of the home for modern families.” LG Electronics (LG) welcomed visitors
to its IFA 2016 exhibition booth with an immersive OLED Tunnel, measuring 5m tall, 7.4m wide and 15m in length. 216 separate 55-inch curved OLED signage displays were assembled to create the unique structure comprising 447,897,600 – nearly half a billion – pixels to display a collection of scenes including Iceland’s Aurora Borealis, underwater ecosystems and deep space footage. LG Home Entertainment Company
president Brian Kwon said: “It was 50 years ago this year that LG produced its first television and our OLED Tunnel at IFA 2016 is designed to celebrate this milestone with another milestone – the coming of OLED TV.” The company also unveiled its premium
brand, LG Signature, to European customers with an art installation at the showcase, focused on the brand’s design philosophy. LG
partnered with London based collective Jason Bruges Studio to deliver the site. LG global marketing officer Brian Na said:
“LG Signature was conceived with the idea of bringing out each product’s essence so it is quite fitting that the European debut of this collection takes place in an artistic setting. We’re very fortunate to have accomplished artist Jason Bruges’ creations in this unique space as a backdrop for launching our most premium brand in Europe.”
‘Enriching lives with technology’ Samsung Electronics used its IFA 2016 press conference to showcase a range of new products and partnerships for the European home appliance, visual display and home entertainment markets. Samsung Electronics Europe chief
marketing officer David Lowers commented: “At IFA 2016, we wanted to show the European community how we are continually striving to redefine the Samsung experience. Everything Samsung creates is born out of our determination to enrich peoples’ daily lives with innovative technology, based on a deep understanding of what consumers really want and need.” Samsung also reinforced its commitment
to Quantum dot display technology, with its new Quantum dot 88-inch KS9800 TV, and a range of SUHD TVs in Europe, with 19 available sizes from 43in up to 88in, capitalising on the flexibility of Quantum dot in terms of screen size and definition. Samsung also announced a new 10-year warranty for its SUHD TVs with Quantum dot displays, protecting consumers against the effects of burn-in for a decade. In home appliances, Samsung announced
two new AddWash products - the AddWash Combo, which eliminates the need to purchase a separate dryer, and the AddWash Slim, which can fit into a smaller kitchen space. Samsung also announced that its Family Hub is coming to Europe. The refrigerator features its latest cooling technologies, as well as a 21.5-inch Full HD touchscreen which can serve as the family’s interactive white board for notes, photos, shared calendars and artwork. Content can be
October 2016
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