Contents


2025 – the year of the beginning of AI


I EDITORIAL Managing Editor: Stuart Hopwood


stuart@linguafrancainternational.com 01206 391001 or 07710 451 135


SALES


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Artwork Editor Claire Noe cnoe@datateam.co.uk 01622 607963


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t’s great to look back at the reasonably hot


summer months most of us have experienced, and hopefully for you also, had enjoyable


holidays. Personally, ‘B’ dominated my August trips to Blackpool, Bournemouth and Bury St Edmunds. The team at IER have also been looking back at the busy schedules of attending conferences, exhibitions and meetings, discussing with many, manufacturers, service providers, retailers and trade associations alike regarding the both the challenges and opportunities facing us all in our industry. At IFA Berlin, our minds were blown with the vast amount of AI technology being introduced in all products. Albeit having comfy shoes, AI didn’t solve us having sore feet as we trekked the 26 Halls. AI, AI, AI around every corner, it’s too much to print in one magazine, so a very brief summary is on pages 32 and


38 with more to follow in the coming months. Then it was off to the Sirius trade show and awards followed by a custom install event. Armed with gathered information, it’s


great we can now provide you with some interesting reading throughout this Winter 2025 issue, with a look back and also a look forward to 2026 as CES Las Vegas looms with more innovations in January. It’s also that important time of year to announce, ‘A Call for Entries’ for the 2026 IER Awards. Details can be found on page 35 and other participating details can be found throughout the following pages. Besides people, product and service Awards certainly make a diff erence. This now leads to say on behalf of the


IER Team, a very big THANK YOU for your valuable support with editorial, advertising and sponsorship throughout 2025 and we wish you and your loved ones a fabulous Festive Season and an amazing, healthy and successful 2026.


4 News Snippets 5 News – Ofcom Update 6 Retra – Cyber Crime


8 CIH/Euronics – D&G Support/ Which? Award


10 Sirius – Supporting Change 14 AMDEA – Inclusive Support


16 TV Viewing Trends – Statistics from STATISTA


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18 MDA – Quieter Energy Savers 22 SDA – Ideas for Gifts?


26 Retailer Spotlight – Home Entertainment


28 Editor Q&A – with Faraz Mehdi MD of ANKER


30 Home Entertainment – Listen to the Vision


32 IFA Berlin Brief Summary Winter 2025 PEOPLE MAKE THE DIFFERENCE 28 www.ierdaily.co.uk | 3


34 Retailer Spotlight – MDA / SDA 35 IER Awards – ‘Call for Entries’ 38 Looking ahead to 2026


8 32 22


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